The Church's Response to the Addiction Crisis

Three experts in the field of substance abuse, Rev. Dr. Dennis
Goff— Director of Ministry Programs of The Lutheran Foundation in
Fort Wayne, Indiana, along with Tom Allman— Vice President of
Addiction Services with Park Center (An Affiliate of Parkview
Health) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Rachel Blakeman— Community
Research Institute Director for Purdue University in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, join hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church
Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in
the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore resources and
insights on the often lethal epidemic of substance abuse in our
country, and how the church can bring hope and life. About Rev. Dr.
Dennis Goff: Since 2016, Goff has been the Director of
Ministry Programs for The Lutheran Foundation in Fort Wayne,
IN.  He comes to the position after nearly 30 years as a
parish pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS)
serving congregations in Louisiana, Florida and Minnesota.  He
also worked for Capital Funding Services of the Lutheran Church
Extension Fund.    A graduate of Concordia College, Ann
Arbor MI and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis MO., Goff also holds a
Doctor of Ministry degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis MO in
homiletics with an emphasis on Biblical Storytelling. He has been a
regular instructor with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis’s Specific
Ministry Pastor (SMP) program.  Currently, Goff is also called
as Assistant Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne. The
work of The Lutheran Foundation in Fort Wayne is focused on grant
funding for the Lutheran community and being a community advocate
for mental and behavioral health and wellness.  Part of that
work is being carried out by the creation of a website by The
Lutheran Foundation called Look Up Indiana.  This website is a
“one stop shop” for all things related to mental and behavioral
health throughout the state of Indiana.  Additionally, The
Lutheran Foundation is bringing the message of mental health
education to the faith community through a series of conferences,
workshops and training events.  Goff initiated the first area
wide church and mental health conference called Speak Up in the
fall of 2017.  The second Speak Up Conference is scheduled
again in Fort Wayne on October 7, 2019.  Goff believes that if
national statistics indicate that one in four in the population
(25%) of people are living with a mental health concern, that also
means one in four in our churches.  It’s time for the church
to “speak up” about mental wellness and reduce the stigma around
mental illness.