JEFFERSON TWP — Pastor Mark Wagner of Hannahstown Road Baptist Church, 250 Hannahstown Road, and his congregant Rodney Dickman will be marking a 10th anniversary this month, one that they wish isn't necessary.

Wagner said May 29 will mark a decade since the first meeting of the Reformers Unanimous Addiction Program at the church.

Reformers Unanimous, or RU, is a faith-based addiction recovery class.

Dickman, who acts as the program's director, said, “There are more than 1,500 chapters throughout the world.”

Wagner said, “It was 10 years ago when we asked ourselves, 'What are we doing for the addicted in our community?'”

Dickman and Wagner said they decided to start the program to help those struggling with addiction.

Wagner said, “RU takes a “whole” man approach. We acknowledge the mental and physical side to addiction, but we also believe there is a spiritual side to addiction.

“We are unapologetically faith-based. We are centered on Christ and meditating on God's word,” he said.

“We claim Jesus Christ is the answer and only the truth makes us free and that truth is Jesus Christ,” said Wagner.

Dickman said, “If somebody wants God to work in their lives, we can provide them the direction to hear the word of God.”

They said the group takes Psalm 1 — “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” — as their guiding principle.

Dickman, who's been a member of Hannahstown Road Baptist Church for 11 years, said Reformers Unanimous is open to anyone with an addiction — be it drugs, alcohol, eating or pornography.

Meetings, which run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the church every Thursday, are divided into three sections.

“The first is where we talk to God through prayer time and discussing the 10 principles (that Reformers Unanimous is based on),” said Dickman. One principal is discussed each week.

The second part is talking to one another.

The third part, said Dickman, “God talks to us through preaching. I do the preaching.”

Whatever the addiction is, said Dickman, “It's a symptom of the real problem.

“The real problem is a pain from their past which they are trying to cope with, trying to keep from seeing. There are different kinds of pain and they are trying to hide it with some kind of addiction. It's a coping mechanism,” said Dickman.

“People can build a personal relationship between them and God,” said Dickman.

Attendance at the meetings can range from 8-10 to 26-30, said Dickman.

Dickman said he publicizes the group through posters and word-of-mouth.

Dickman said he will even drive people to the weekly meetings if they need a lift.

And he added, there is a kids club for children up to 10 years old of those attending the Reformers Unanimous meetings.

And after 10 years, the need for Reformers Unanimous is still great, Dickman said.

“There's definitely drug abuse in the area from painkillers, some heroin,” said Dickman.

People tend to graduate out of the program in about a year, Dickman said.

“That's our goal,” he said. “If they get into it seriously, they should be able to complete it in a year or so.”

Where RU differs from Alcoholics Anonymous, said Dickman, is RU's aim is to get people reconnected with their spiritual side as well as overcome their addiction.

“We like for them to get to the point where they are active in a church,” he said. “It doesn't matter if it's Baptist or Lutheran.”

Wagner said, “Several people have joined the church, but that's not the purpose of Reformers Unanimous. The RU chapter meets in the basement of the church, but nobody has to come to church here.”

Dickman said there have been setbacks, as people relapse into bad, old habits.

“I don't get discouraged. I get disappointed a lot. If they would just let God work in their lives,” he said.

WHAT: Reformers Unanimous Addiction ProgramWHERE: Hannahstown Road Baptist Church, 250 Hannahstown Road, Jefferson TownshipWHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m. every ThursdayINFO: Call Rodney Dickman at 724-679-3331