LifePoint Church and S2L Recovery are hosting The Forgotten Pandemic to create awareness within the church of drug addiction and how it impacts families and friends. The Forgotten Pandemic documentary will be played, followed by a panel of experts for a conversation on the drug addiction pandemic.
Join us at the LifePoint Smyrna Campus Auditorium from 5:00pm-7:00pm.
Please register if you plan to attend. Childcare requests are available through April 16.
Panel Speakers
Adam Comer
Adam has served in the residential addiction recovery field for over a decade. Through this experience and great partnerships Adam has played a major role in developing and establishing one of the highest addiction recovery program success rates in the country. Adam knows that addiction is not a surprise to God and His Word has something to say about finding freedom from its bondage.
Adam’s studies at Liberty University include religion, ministry leadership, people management, and Christian counseling. In recovery, he has truly been set free from the grips of addiction: His passions, pursuits and purpose revolve around the belief that all who are weary from life-controlling issues and addiction can be led to find absolute freedom in Christ.
Dr. Monty Burks
Monty Burks, CPRS, PLC, PhD, serves as the Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, where his role is engaging and connecting Tennessee’s faith communities to the behavioral health care system, with the goal of expanding addiction and mental health support services across the state. He also oversees the Tennessee Lifeline Peer Project, a state program aimed at reducing the stigma associated with people who suffer from addiction and the Tennessee Faith Based Community Coordinators, whom seek to help congregations build their capacity to combat addiction and mental health issues in their respective community.
Sarah Keel
Sarah Keel has recovered from drug and alcohol abuse. She came to know the Lord after several years of heavy drug use, rebellion, incarceration and rehabs when she was visited by a prison ministry in Forsyth County Jail.
After becoming a believer in Christ, her life was radically changed. She went on to get her college degree in Applied Behavioral Science and began working in secular addiction treatment arenas for several years, longing to tell people that Christ is the answer to healing and redemption; although it was often met with resistance.
She moved her way up from internships, to working as the High Risk Educator for Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, to working for the Department of Children’s Services, to working for the State of TN as the East Region Faith Based Community Coordinator. She is now the Executive Director of Renew Clinic, a Christ Centered addiction treatment ministry in Knoxville, TN.
But most importantly, Sarah Keel is a follower of Jesus Christ, Wife of Jonathan, mother of Avery, Zack, and Benjamin.
Dr. Andrew Daigle
Dr. Andrew Daigle is a board-certified physician in both Family Medicine and Palliative Care, and board eligible in Addiction Medicine. He has practiced medicine for thirty years, primarily in trauma and emergency medicine as well as palliative care. In all of his professional roles, he has embraced the team approach in addressing the physical, mental, social and spiritual needs of his patients. He has regularly helped those with substance addiction and its consequences. In his many years working at a high volume emergency trauma center, he witnessed the repercussions of substance abuse. Subsequently, his palliative medicine practice helped to confirm his long-held philosophy of addressing suffering in a holistic way. Dr. Daigle embraces the team approach, with all team members collaborating and addressing all the needs of the patient.