This November, Hope Church will host Redeeming Recovery - a three-day gathering that brings together the worlds that too often stay separate: the Church, the recovery community, clinicians, and the families/friends who walk alongside people in addiction. We are building it so that no one in active addiction or recovery is turned away over cost.
AT A GLANCE
Dates Thursday–Saturday, November 5–7, 2026
Location Hope Church • 1215 Gallatin Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206
Expected attendance ~400 people across three days
Who it’s for People in recovery and active addiction; families, friends, and advocates; clinicians and mental-health professionals; pastors and church leaders
Tone Warm. Gracious. Honest. Informed. Safe.
Why Redeeming Recovery
Recovery rooms too often leave Christ out of the conversation, and churches too often leave recovery out of the Gospel. At Hope Church, we hold a different conviction: everyone is in need of recovery from something. The Gospel meets people not after they’ve cleaned themselves up, but in the middle of their need. Recovery, then, isn’t a side ministry or an exception to the Gospel—it is the Gospel and it’s a picture of what God is desiring to do in all of us. Recovery is holy work.
This conviction already lives at Hope through a posture of honesty, vulnerability and, practically, through our sermons, classes, and I.D. Recovery, our weekly Christ-centered twelve-step meeting. Redeeming Recovery extends that work into a regional gathering that restores Christ to the center of recovery and names Him as the One at the heart of all real healing; a space where worship, teaching, clinical wisdom, and lived experience sit at the same table.
Who We’re Building It For
People in recovery from any addiction, and people still in active addiction
Family members, friends, and advocates walking alongside someone they love in recovery or active addiction
Medical and mental-health professionals and students in the field
Pastors and church leaders who want to integrate recovery into their communities
Tentative Agenda
Schedule in development — subject to refinement as speakers and sessions are confirmed.
Keynote 1: Why Recovery Is Holy Work (Joel Frame)
Recovery is more than a program for a few; it's the story of what God is doing in all of us, because everyone is recovering from something. Joel opens the conference by showing how the work of recovery is rooted in the Gospel itself, and why the church has every reason to reclaim it as sacred ground.
Keynote 2: The Practices of Holy Work (RaeEllen Ellis)
Recovery happens one day at a time, through small, faithful practices repeated over and over. RaeEllen explores the rhythms and disciplines that sustain lasting change and shows how ordinary habits become places where God meets us.
Keynote 3: The Community of Holy Work (Mike & Dorris Courtney)
No one recovers alone. We will look at why healing happens in relationship, and how the church can become a place where people in recovery and those who love them find belonging, honesty, and support.
Keynote 4: The Hope of Holy Work (Joel Frame)
Recovery is not only about what we leave behind. It's about the life God is making new. Joel closes the conference with a vision of the hope that carries us forward, for ourselves, our families, and our church.
Breakout Track 1 – Friday AM
Spiritual Practices for People Who Don't Always Feel Spiritual (Greg and Beth Delaney)
When the crisis fades and life gets quieter, faith can start to feel flat. Greg and Beth offer practical ways to notice God in the everyday, steady life of recovery, including the days when you don't feel particularly spiritual.
Faith, Medication and Treatment: You Don’t Have to Choose (Mary Lefler / Tracy Frame)
Many believers feel they must choose between trusting God and seeking professional help, or that needing medications and treatment means their faith has failed. Mary and Tracy explore how counseling and medications for mental health and addiction can work together. This conversation will help participants understand how faith and professional care can complement one another, while pursuing treatment without shame, guilt, or the fear that seeking help means trusting God less.
Beyond Substances: Navigating Compulsions and Behavioral Addictions (David Duer)
Addiction doesn't always come in a bottle or a pill. David explores compulsive patterns such as gambling, pornography, food, and screens, how to recognize them, and what freedom can look like.
Your Story Matters Too (Tiffany Barnett)
Loving someone who struggles with addiction leaves its own wounds, and those wounds deserve care. Tiffany invites family members and friends to name their own experience and begin their own journey toward healing, separate from their loved one's choices.
Workshops – Friday PM
The Addicted Brain (Vanessa Edmondson)
What actually happens in the brain during addiction and recovery? Vanessa explains the science in accessible terms, helping attendees understand why quitting is so hard and why recovery takes time, and replacing judgment with compassion.
The 28 Day Myth (Jenny Carlton)
Many people expect a month of treatment to fix addiction, and they are discouraged when it doesn't. Jenny unpacks what recovery really requires over the long haul and how to set realistic, hopeful expectations for yourself or someone you love.
Breakout Track 2 – Friday PM
It's Okay to Have Boundaries (Leslie Nelson)
Healthy boundaries are a form of love, not a failure of it. Leslie helps attendees learn to care for others without losing themselves, and to set limits that protect their recovery and their relationships.
Shame, Guilt, and Living as a Child of God (David Duer / Zach Bevill)
David and Zach explore the difference between shame and guilt and how the Gospel speaks to both, inviting attendees to live from their identity as beloved children of God.
Caring Without Carrying (Jordan Young)
When someone you love is struggling, the urge to fix, manage, and rescue can be overwhelming. Jordan presents releasing control as a spiritual practice: entrusting your loved one to God while still showing up in love.
Breakout Track 3 – Saturday AM
Recovery and Relationships (Speaker TBD)
Addiction damages relationships, and recovery is an opportunity to rebuild them. This session explores how people in recovery can grow as parents, spouses, children, siblings, and friends, reflecting God's image in the people closest to them.
Recovery Beyond Sobriety (Cameo Godinho)
Sobriety is a beginning, not the finish line. Cameo explores what it means to heal and flourish, not just abstain, and how the gospel invites us into a whole, abundant life.
Recovery Is a Lifelong Pursuit (Troy Sandifer)
For families and friends, understanding recovery changes how you walk alongside someone. This session explains what recovery really looks like over time, including setbacks and growth, and how to offer steady, hopeful support for the long road.
Other Program Aspects:
Thursday, November 5
Afternoon check-in, prayer room, and quiet space open
Opening worship and Keynote 1 — “Why Recovery Is Holy Work”
Evening I.D. Recovery meetings
Friday, November 6
Morning worship and Keynote 2
Breakout sessions, a midday workshop, and a second breakout block
Afternoon I.D. Recovery meetings; catered lunch and dinner provided
Evening worship, Keynote 3, and Communion
Fellowship Night — a substance-free evening of community
Saturday, November 7
Final morning breakout session
Closing worship and Keynote 4
Prayer of blessing, practical resources, and clear next steps for continued support