Teaching people how to get sober and find a real connection with God.
our mission
The primary purpose of our ministry is to help those who are struggling, to find freedom from addictions. At Answering Addiction, we are dedicated to providing support, resources, and guidance to individuals and families affected by addiction. Our team is committed to making a positive impact and assisting those in need on their journey to recovery.
our approach
Our Mission
At Answering Addiction, we offer a unique approach to addiction treatment that is rooted in our belief that our ability to help anyone comes from God. With over 100 years of collective experience in addiction, our board members bring a wealth of wisdom the table, including expertise in AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, and Churches. We are committed to helping those struggling with addiction find the support they need to overcome their challenges and achieve lasting recovery.
our message
Here at Answering Addiction, we firmly believe that hope and recovery are available to anyone who seeks it. We have encountered thousands of individuals struggling with addiction, including alcoholics, drug addicts, codependents and their families. We have seen firsthand the devastating effects of addiction on their lives. However, we have also witnessed the transformative power of seeking help and finding healing. We have watched as thousands of people have come out of the destruction of addiction and found a better life, where they become whole, healed, and restored.
our efforts
Our Mission
Answering Addictions reach extends beyond the United States, as we have also made efforts in Central and South America, as well as the Baltic. We are dedicated to assisting those who are incarcerated, as significant percentage of them are there due to alcohol and drug-related charges or incidents. We firmly believe that constructing more prisons is not the answer, as the absence of one person affects approximately ten others.
MEET THE BOARD
David Sutton, President
Dr. Sutton has been free from alcohol and drug addictions for 44 years and has served in ministry for 40 years. He holds a PhD in Psychology and a Doctorate in Divinity, is an Ordained Bishop, and has served as both a pastor and teacher. Throughout his career, he has mentored those preparing for ministry and trained addiction counselors for many years.
Together with his wife, Lori, Dr. Sutton has traveled to many countries as a teaching missionary and continues to be actively involved in both domestic and international ministry travel. He has authored several books, including a series on breaking the cycle of addiction: The Principle Approach: Keys to Recovery, The Principle Approach Workbook, and The Principle Approach: Forty Years Later. His other works include The Optional Element: Developing a Successful Prayer Life, drawn from his personal experiences in prayer.
Dr. Sutton dedicates many hours daily to prayer and teaches others how to enhance their personal and church prayer lives. He often says, "I don't have a ministry that I pray for; I have a prayer life, and out of the overflow is my ministry."
Lori Sutton, Vice President
Lori Sutton is an Ordained Minister with extensive experience in addiction counseling, inner healing, and grief counseling.
She is actively involved in her community, serving on the boards of several impactful organizations, including Resurrection House, which provides day services to the homeless; Take Stock in Children, which offers college scholarships to underprivileged youth; and The Amazing Loving Healing Ministry, which provides inner-healing workshops and counseling for those affected by trauma and abuse. Additionally, Lori is the Chairman of The Pines of Sarasota, a vital resource for elder care and rehabilitation.
A professional in the banking industry, Lori uses her God-given talents and blessings to make a difference both locally and globally.
Charlie Miller, Director
Charlie Miller, a native of Sarasota, Florida, has been married for 39 years and is a proud father of three children and grandfather of seven. He owned and operated Miller Window and Glass for 42 years before becoming a Regional Manager at Stewart Sign Company, where he has worked for the past 25 years.
Charlie has served as a Youth Pastor and Worship Leader at Victory Family Worship Center, and he has played drums in various worship teams for over three decades.
With 35 years of experience working with individuals struggling with addiction, Charlie has been deeply involved in ministry. His work includes serving at Tomoka State Prison, collaborating with Jordon Prison Ministry, and playing a key role in establishing the Overcomers recovery program in Sarasota.
Bill Spect, Treasurer
I grew up in a traditional middle-class family in Salem, Oregon, where I struggled with social anxiety and turned to alcohol for relief, quickly becoming an alcoholic. By age 49, I was diagnosed with liver disease due to alcohol abuse and given less than 18 months to live. Choosing sobriety, I received a life-saving liver transplant on March 13, 1995.
This experience led me back to my faith in Jesus, and I realized my mission was to help others struggling with addiction. I became a drug and alcohol counselor and started a Celebrate Recovery program at my church in 2006.
Answering a missionary call, I traveled to Latvia, a country facing significant alcohol and drug issues. In 2009, we launched the first Celebrate Recovery group there, translating the materials into Latvian. Since then, I’ve made five mission trips to Latvia, expanding our efforts to include outreach to rehabs, leader training, and engagement with the AA community.
Gloria Caviness, Director
Gloria has celebrated over 25 years of sobriety from alcohol addiction and has spent the last 12 years volunteering at the Salvation Army Center of Hope, where she was honored as Volunteer of the Year twice. She dedicates her time to supporting women in early sobriety, introducing them to the love of God and encouraging their faith by teaching them how to pray.
With over 55 years of experience as a nurse, Gloria has devoted her life to helping others both in the medical field and through her volunteer work. Her warmth and generosity leave a lasting impact on everyone she meets, and her smile lights up any room she enters. To know Gloria is to love her.
SUPPORT THE MISSION
In addition to partnering with Recovery Church and ministries throughout the state, Answering Addiction extends its outreach to overseas missions. Our 2025 Mexico Missions trip is expected to impact thousands of lives through churches and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. This is an unfunded outreach, with each trip costing approximately $3,500, which we cover through support from our board. We believe this is a small investment for the countless lives transformed by our ministry.
In addition, we are planning a multi-nation initiative where we will train leaders in addiction ministry. We anticipate leaders from Lafia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, and Kyiv to participate. Your support—both financial and through prayer—would mean the world to us as we continue this vital work.