We are Scott and Melanie Mormon, founders of Breaking Free Inc. We have had the privilege of serving in ministry since 1989 working with youth, young adults, and families in crisis. Through the years we have started and pastored three mission churches that focused on bringing the gospel to those who are hurting, addicted, and suffering. In addition to our hands-on ministry experience and extensive study in the field of addiction/family recovery, Scott has earned a PhD in Christian Psychology in 2002, and Melanie has received her Associates degree in Biblical Studies.

      Our motivation for starting Breaking Free Inc. is our own personal story of bondage to addiction and the road to recovery. At the age of thirteen and continuing well into his mid-twenties, Scott had become seriously addicted to drugs and alcohol. His addiction led to him committing several felonies (armed robberies), and being sentenced to seven years in the Texas Department of Corrections.

A few weeks after his release, Scott was reminded of a promise he made to God while in prison when a rival gang tried to kill him. He secretly told the Lord he would serve Him if He got him out of prison alive. Now Scott was faced with the choice of whom he would serve. By God's amazing grace, his next door neighbor invited him to his church, sharing that he had given his life to Christ. Scott ended up visiting on Christmas Day 1988, and experienced such love from the church family that he repented of his sins and gave his whole heart to God.                                                                                                                                             

      Melanie’s story was also one of alcohol and drug abuse and extreme co-dependency. Having grown up without a father due to his untimely death, Melanie found herself searching for meaning in life by self-medicating w/ substances and rescuing her extremely addicted boyfriend, only to end up having an emotional breakdown due to the stress and trauma of such a dysfunctional/sinful lifestyle. At that point of brokenness her older sister shared about the Lord with her, and His desire for her to have a relationship with Him, that she accepted Him into her heart and her journey into recovery began as well.         

      Shortly after this God put us together and we were married April 15, 1989. This is when God birthed the vision in our hearts to start a comprehensive, long-term, residential program for men to recover from addiction. This vision was further confirmed after working with many addicts and hurting families over the years. We have also been blessed with four children who are all in full- time ministry at Breaking Free, serving and helping those who hurt!

        In addition to our family, God has also put together a great team at Breaking Free including our staff, servant-leadership interns, faithful board members, and countless volunteers who all have a heart to help addicts get free in order to have hope for a future and to see their families restored.

God has also been faithful to provide for the financial needs and facilities necessary for our residential programs. Currently, we offer free of charge, year-long residential programs in Texas. We have also developed a 3 year ministry training program (Servant Leadership Training-SLT) for those who have graduated from Breaking Free or those who feel called to recovery ministry and desire to be trained. We believe some of our potentially greatest leaders are either in addiction or are recovering from addiction.

      We believe that God has not touched, healed and delivered these men and women only to live a drug-free life, but also to answer His purpose to help others find hope, deliverance, and peace as well. Jesus said,” Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Therefore, we are also committed to training up leaders who are equipped to minister to the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of those with life- controlling issues. Our heart is to help these men, women, and families become whole and productive members of society, but our greatest priority is to introduce them to a living Savior and to equip them to impact the global epidemic of addiction. We also have a training program in San Vito, Costa Rica! This will serve the local Costa Ricans as well as the Ngäbe Indigenous people.

 

 

 

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