Addiction Is a Spiritual Disease — w/ Austin Bradford

What if everything we've been treating as a clinical problem is actually a spiritual one?

Austin sits down with Matt — founder and leader of The Way Recovery in Crossville, TN — for a collab episode that goes deep on addiction, recovery, the love of the Father, and one of the most arresting personal testimonies we've ever had on the show.

In this episode:

• What The Way actually is: five recovery homes, a 24/7 prayer house inside an old theater, and a coffee shop run by people in active recovery
• Why most recovery programs are either "all clinical" or "all spiritual" — and why neither is enough
• The "both/and" model that's actually working
• "Our big thing is: how can we help you?" — invitation vs. the pitchfork
• Matt growing up in the Bible Belt without really knowing Jesus
• Falling through the cracks of his own family
• The first drink that filled the hole — and the slow descent that followed
• Watching his brother Jake find Jesus while Matt stayed resentful
• January 18, 2025: waiting to go to jail, sitting in his mom's living room, The Chosen playing on the TV
• The overwhelming conviction: "Wait. Maybe it's me."
• Feeling content for the first time in his entire life
• "It's not your fight to have" — for families of people in addiction
• "Surrender is simple. You just have to admit you need help." — for people still in it
• How the Church can actually show up for people in recovery

If you have someone you love in addiction, if you're in it yourself, or if you've ever wondered what real transformation looks like — this one will preach.

Hosted by Austin. Keep Jay in prayer through his recovery.

Listen on every platform: linktr.ee/midtownpodcast Learn more about The Way: thewayrecovery.org (or search "The Way Recovery" on your podcast app)