Cordell residents Travis and Crystal Imboden have launched a new ministry called Breaking Free, a 30-week faith-based support program designed to help people overcome addiction in all its forms.
“My wife and I both felt called to be more involved in our church, and we both felt led to do a support group of some sort,” Travis said. “The pastor had the same thought because he approached us about it.”
The Imbodens believe that addiction reaches far beyond drugs and alcohol. “It means breaking the chains of addiction from our lives. We’re all addicted to sin in some form,” Travis explained. “Whether it’s the obvious culprits such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, or other less talked about ones such as work, shopping, gambling, social media, anything that consumes our time and attention to the point that our focus on God, our family, our jobs, and responsibilities begin to suffer.”
While the program uses curriculum from Ready Now Recovery, an extension of Adult and Teen Challenge affiliated with the Assemblies of God, it is open to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation. “An atheist is welcome in our group just as much as the most regular church attendee,” Travis said. “All we can do is plant the seed, and the Holy Spirit does the rest!”
The program’s six stages cover topics of Exposing the Nature of Addiction, Confronting Toxic Denial, Understanding Grief and Addiction, Ending the Addictive Cycle, Building a New Legacy, and Establishing a New Normal. Each meeting includes an hour of instruction, prayer, scripture reading, and open discussion. Sharing is encouraged but never forced, and confidentiality is a priority.
Travis said the heart of Breaking Free can be summed up in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if anyone be in Christ Jesus, they are a new creation. The old person is gone; behold, all things have become new.”
The program has already gained support from the county judge and drug court coordinator, making it an option for those fulfilling court-ordered meetings. But the Imbodens hope it will reach beyond legal obligations. “Addiction is a problem in Cordell, in Rocky, Clinton, Dill City, Sentinel, Burns Flat, it’s everywhere,” Travis said. “I want people to know who Jesus is because it is Him and His word, the Bible, that sets us free.”
Their vision is rooted in personal transformation. “No one is too far gone or too addicted to be radically transformed by Jesus,” Travis said. “Breaking Free can provide the framework, and we can make the introduction, but it’s ultimately between Jesus and the individual. I’m living proof this is real!”
For those hesitant to attend, Travis offers a simple challenge: “What do you have to lose? It has to feel better than a jail cell, right? It is definitely better than how a hangover or withdrawal feels, of that I’m certain. Come listen about Jesus for an hour, it’s worth it!”
Breaking Free meets Sundays from 5–6 p.m. at New Beginnings Assembly of God, 1221 E. 14th, Cordell. “Come as you are, get a cup of coffee and prayer,” Travis said. “You don’t have to know about Jesus; we will facilitate the introduction!”