Western Michigan Adult & Teen Challenge - Muskegon, Michigan

Andrew F.

As a former student, this program changed my life. Through discipline structure and relationship with God my life is back on track. The staff truly cares for you, your recovery, and most of all your journey going forward with your relationship with God. I highly recommend this to anyone who struggling with addiction and is serious about changing their life. Praise God!

David W.

I spent 2.5 months at Teen Challenge in 2020.

If you have a drug problem, the only benefit that this place will give you is a place away from the streets, a warm bed and structure. However, none of these things will actually fix the root cause of your drug or alcohol problem (stress, life circumstances, unresolved trauma).

At worst, if you are a weak person, you'll be sucked into a extremist cult where the church takes the place of God, where the church is all that matters (and by extension, the pastors/leaders) and that any action that even begins to go against the church will be cause for excommunication.

Everything that everyone has said here about unqualified leaders, the denial of medication, and replacing real therapy with "Jesus will heal you" rhetoric is absolutely true.

Each week I was in Teen Challenge, we saw ~4 men come into the program. Each month, they had ~2 graduations. That makes for an 11.5% success rate. And if we assume that half of graduates slip back into drugs, then this program maybe has a 5-6% success rate, a far cry from the 80% that they try to pawn off to people without critical thinking skills.

I personally witnessed:

- staff members partaking in drug use
- schizophrenic individuals allegedly having demons cast out of them within a few days of coming into the program (and then leaving the program the next day)
- pastors directly berating who didn't respond to an alter call
- staff members stealing donated food
- program students being used as unpaid labor for home renovation / vehicle maintenance projects of the pastors
- pastors claiming to have direct revelation from God
- program kick out a student who was 10 months into the program (and on felony probation) over a coarse joke, straight onto the streets
- students given a 4 hour work task of picking up sticks in the woods and placing them in piles

I highly suggest staying away.

AMBER H.

The worst possible place to go unless you’re looking to be isolated from everyone you love, not allowed to speak to anyone, have all medications removed despite them being necessary because they say “Jesus will fix you” , Jesus saved me by having an epileptic seizure which was the ONLY WAY I was able to get ahold of myself land get me out of there! They kept my belongings and refused to send them to me regardless of the fact that I had tried to pay them as much as necessary. I can’t speak badly enough about them . Everything that they say online is false. Do not go to that place!

Oliver

While in the program I expressed concern that another student was perusing inappropriate relations with me. I went to the head of the men's facility and he said he knew the student and that they went far back. I was brushed off and they even kept us in the same dorm. I have also heard of an incident of a student who wrote home and said something negative against one of the pastors, he was kicked out because all mail is read by a staff member, incoming or out going. They have a pastor who takes the place of a counselor in the mens unit but he is little more than a concordance and there were several times that he pulled out books to find more verses. He had no knowledge of mental disorders and no real counseling credentials. He never even actually listened to me when I was talking to him and even started falling a sleep many times during the sessions. The one time I got decent advice from him was when he pulled it strait from one of his books, I stopped putting in slips because it wasn't worth my time. I was left to find out the answers myself every time. Lastly, this organization is strictly pentecostal. All teaching is about their view of baptism in the holy spirit and they don't let teaching in that is contrary to their teaching. Even books that are let into the student body are screened and approved or not approved based on their teaching. They expect students to accept their teaching, students aren't even allowed to talk against a sermon or against any of the pastors. I would advise anyone who is considering attending this program to research it thoroughly before you make a move.

Beckie H.

My son was a drug addict and Pastor McClain and other pastors and staff are terrific!! God really can and does change lives! But you have to be willing to allow Jesus into your heart and really want to change!!! I can't thank Teen Challenge enough for all they do!! Praise the Lord!!! And give Glory to His name!

Barbara G.

I know so many graduates that are smiling and so full of joy that they were able to get their life back. Research says short rehab facilities don't work. The long term support, the prayer the worship all work to rebalance the neural chaos and bring each person to peace and self love through care, compassion and the truths of the bible. You should see the joy there. I love this place.

Tim H.

This outfit has some good things intended, but ultimately fall way short of the mark by any sane standards. My 10 months there was a mixed bag. Ultimately, if you don't line up with their particular brand of twisted theology, then it's up to Pastor Sam to expose the "bad eggs" for expulsion. Pastor McClain is no doubt committed to a vision the Lord laid on his heart, but the means he'll sometimes use to fulfill it is very not God. For instance, their main hustle for money is to send teams of "students" with an elder to area churches to give 1-3 minute choreographed testiphonies in order to play on the heart strings of congregants. On one such trip, I made the mistake of speaking my heart and paid for it by never being asked to speak again. This particular TC is an anomaly as I've come to learn. The Detroit & Lansing centers are a lot more healthy in that they actually prepare you for the real world. The TC on Pontaluna Road is a very strange place that exhibits signs of Toxic Faith.

10 Rules of a Toxic Faith System
1. The leader must be in control of every aspect at all times (Pastor McClain calls the shots)
2. When problems arise, find a guilty party to blame immediately (There must be a scapegoat)
3. Don't make mistakes (They sometimes demonstrate grace, but not often enough)
4. Never point out the reality of a situation (They hate any reference to reality, especially when talking about addictive disease, AA, NA, or any other 12 Step Fellowship. They absolutely loathe the idea of any of their graduates utilizing them for help. At one point, Pastor Sam (who I happen to like...but he's kinda' nuts) pulled me aside and stated; "You know Timmy, we try and say nice things about AA, but they're really full of smokers, sinners & fornicators." I just smiled and said; Just like here?" and again, paid dearly for it by being given the "early" graduation)
5. Never express your feelings unless they are positive (Appearance is more important than truth)
6. Don't ask questions, especially if they are tough ones (On this one, they proof-text Scripture out of context to silence any student with hard questions by telling them "rebellion is a form of witchcraft)
7. Don't do anything outside your role
8. Don't trust anyone
9. Nothing is more important than giving money to the
organization (There's a lot of abuse on this one. Students are not only expected to tithe what meager amounts they have, but to give a "love offering" as well. One such time, Pastor McClain solicited a love offering with great drama and pressure. Only later was it revealed, the "offering" was for a family member of his.)
10. At all costs, keep up the image of the organization

The main thing wrong with
Lie: This outfit claims an exorbitant "cure" rate for addiction over 80%
Fact: There is no known medical cure for alcoholism & addiction. However, by God's grace and the utilization of recovery tools (Teen Challenge ignorantly dissuades their addict population from using), active addiction can be arrested. At that point, recovery is possible.
Lie: Their claims of success are without parallel
Fact: In the year I was there, over 1000 folks entered their doors seeking help, while only 66 completed the 12 month program to graduate. Of those we tracked (Teen Challenge alumni), maybe a dozen remained clean & sober a year after graduating.

Do the math.

Anyway who finds their way to a place where they can allow Jesus Christ to heal them via an intentional utilization of the 12 Steps, do so in spite of--not because of Teen Challenge.

One thing TC couldn't screw up was the worship. It was off the hook and sometimes very transcendent. The person of the Holy Spirit made sure of that. I really don't hold them in any kind of ill-will. The Big Book of AA states; "Resentments are best left in the hands more suited to handle them."
I pray that God blows through that place and especially touch the heart of McClain. Amen

Nina B.

This may be a great facility for some but my brother was at his breaking point when he tried to come back and they said they were accepting people. They later called back and said he couldn't come and try to call back in 2 weeks. They determined he was not ready for help. When we called and asked they said it was because they sat with wise council and decided that my brother was a bad influence. It was definitely odd especially coming from a christian facility but the biggest problem we had was they didn't tell my brother ahead of time. They waited and even told him to call back while knowing they didn't want to take him. Be cautious when asking and keep your options open when approaching this place. I am thankful that it has helped people and I pray it continues to help more individuals but I just wanted to let people know they pick choose who to take and you may need to keep your options open.