For the new year, Temple Baptist Church in Mount Airy is starting a free new addiction recovery program to help anyone with an addiction, stubborn habit, or hang-up.

The program is called Reformers Unanimous, and John Pulliam, director of the program at Temple Baptist, said there are 750 programs worldwide.

On Jan. 8, people can start attending a weekly meeting with the purpose of helping them overcome addiction. Pulliam said these addictions might be to drugs, alcohol, pornography, smoking, or various other things.

“Whatever stubborn habit that folks are overcoming,” Pulliam said.

For the past four months, Pulliam has been training in the program at Gospel Light Baptist Church in Walkertown, which has the third largest Reformers Unanimous program in the world.

According to the Web site of Reformers Unanimous, www.reformu.com, the program has an 82-percent success rate among graduates of its discipleship course.

The director said many people try everything they can when trying to overcome addiction, but he said this isn’t one’s normal program. Reformers Unanimous is also a discipleship program.

“It’s about Jesus and following the Word,” Pulliam said.

The program has a points system for participants to become motivated to succeed in eliminating addiction. They get points for journaling, completing a Bible-based workbook, reading scripture, meditating on God, and attending church services and the weekly program session.

Pulliam said, “We keep them plugged in to the church.”

There will also be awards given out each month to those who have accumulated points.

“You never know what might keep somebody clean,” said Pulliam.

Temple Baptist has created a new Sunday school class each week specifically for members of the program who want to attend. The program encourages participants to attend services each Sunday. If the participants are already members of a church, they are encouraged to attend the one where they are a member.

“We’re not trying to take people from other churches,” Pulliam reassured.

Each week the group will hold Friday night meetings from 7 to 9 p.m. at the church, 3615 Rockford St. in Mount Airy. Childcare will be provided, and refreshments will be served. The program is free.

Friday night was chosen for the meetings, because Pulliam said that is a time when many people struggle most with giving in to addictions. The meeting keeps them busy, and then they are hopefully able to spend Saturdays with their family without giving in to addiction. Sunday church services are also intended to encourage the program members.

Personal counseling and small groups will also be available for free through the program. Pulliam is enrolled in Liberty University to get his master’s degree in counseling, and he will be doing some of the counseling.

“It’s a really great program,” he said.

When Pulliam first got into the program, he was struggling with an addiction himself. A lifelong church-goer, he still needed some extra help to overcome a stubborn habit. Pulliam said he was able to overcome the addiction through the program.

“It has worked for my stubborn habits, I can tell you firsthand,” he remarked.

Current church members are encouraged to join the program, because Pulliam said it will encourage them to strengthen their walk with the Lord.

“This is us putting our faith into action,” he said.

When Pulliam was part of the program, he got very excited, and his pastor saw how it had changed him. Pulliam said his pastor thought their church might be able to use it to reach others.

“We’re doing it to reach the community and reach people ... so they don’t have to walk in misery,” said Pulliam. “We’re out to help people that a lot of the world has cast out.”

Pulliam expects to see people’s lives changed through the program.

He said, “It’s helped in my life ... I know it works.”

For more information about the program, call Pulliam at (336) 926-2293. The program will start on Jan. 8.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.