Freedom with Responsibility
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” — Galatians 5:13
As we continue to tie discipleship to our teaching calendar it follows naturally that we celebrate the month of July by sharing what God’s word says about freedom. That freedom is not found in the absence of boundaries but in the presence of wisdom. The world says freedom means doing whatever you want. The Gospel says freedom means finally being able to do what’s right. True independence doesn’t come from breaking rules but from being guided by love, discipline, and the Spirit. At the Gospel Rescue Mission, we believe freedom grows stronger when it’s used to serve, not to satisfy self.
Freedom without responsibility isn’t freedom, it’s chaos. God’s kind of freedom is the ability to choose obedience. Every responsible choice — to show up, to serve, to forgive, to do the next right thing — strengthens the foundation of a free life. So, this month we will share and discuss with our residents how Christ sets us free from sin, shame, and fear, but not to drift aimlessly. It’s not just freedom from something, but it’s also freedom to become something better. Walking free to take initiative, to do excellent work, and to lead by example. Being free to show grace despite the temptation to react in my old ways.
We will talk about how responsibility is the guardrail that keeps freedom safe. It’s earning trust through reliability, honesty, and accountability. It’s acknowledging when you are wrong and owning it knowing that freedom grows through integrity. Responsibility is the rent we pay for freedom and it finds its purpose in service. Real freedom means you don’t have to be controlled by anything, not sin, not fear, not the opinions of others. And with that freedom comes a sacred responsibility: to use it for love, for service, and for the glory of God.
Please pray for our chaplains, staff and residents as we attempt teach these important ideas during the month of July.
1 Peter 2:16 — “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s servants.”
– Brian Bouteller, Executive Director
Finding the Grace of Boundaries: Stephanie’s Journey to Stability
When Stephanie first walked through the doors of the Gospel Rescue Mission, she wasn’t ready. Her initial check-in failed. In our line of work, we see this often. A person enters our orbit looking for change, but the gravity of old habits or unresolved mental health crises pulls them back into the dark.
But God doesn’t write off a first failed attempt, and neither do we.
The turning point came when Stephanie’s family did one of the hardest, most loving things a family can do: they gave her an ultimatum and drew a firm line in the sand.
In a world that confuses empathy with enabling, we often forget that boundaries are a form of God’s grace. Scripture tells us that God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). When Stephanie accepted her family’s ultimatum, she stopped running, accepted professional help for her addiction and mental health challenges, and chose to face the truth.
When Stephanie successfully re-checked into the Fikso Family Center, she was battling the intense, chaotic highs and lows of bipolar disorder. For many, the Mission’s daily routines and clear boundaries seem intimidating at first. But for Stephanie, the structure became her safety net.
“Routine keeps you on the right path.” For Stephanie, that daily rhythm was exactly what her mind needed to stabilize.
She expected a cold, clinical institution. Instead, she was surprised to find a supportive environment that offered a unique balance of autonomy and accountability.
At the Fikso Family Center, she found an entire community of women learning how to respect one another, set healthy boundaries, and lean heavily on faith and peer support to navigate their mental health.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” We get the privilege of watching that transformation happen right before our eyes, both spiritually and physically.
Today, Stephanie is flourishing. The physical toll of the streets is gone—she has gained healthy weight, her appearance is vibrant, and her mental stability is restored. More than that, she has found real camaraderie and a deep sense of belonging among her sisters in recovery. What makes Stephanie’s success so profound is her newfound wisdom. She isn’t just looking to jump back into her old life at full speed. She wants a simple, healthy life. Before coming to the Mission, her manic episodes caused deep pain to the people who loved her most. Now, as she prepares to eventually rejoin drug and mental health court advocacy to help others, she is doing so with a strict commitment to her own boundaries to protect her recovery and prevent relapse.
Stephanie’s story is a beautiful reminder that when we stop working our own broken plans and surrender to the structure, accountability, and grace that God provides, miracles happen. She is no longer a victim of her diagnosis; she is a woman with a plan, a purpose, and a restored future.
Your partnership makes stories like Stephanie’s possible. When you give to the Gospel Rescue Mission, you aren’t funding a temporary handout—you are investing in deep, structural life transformation. Thank you for standing with us!
We’re In the Transformation Business
Most people hear “Gospel Rescue Mission” and think beds, meals, clothing, and emergency service. Those things matter, but they are not what makes our ministry unique. What we actually do is help people acquire the character, habits, skills, relationships a spiritual foundation necessary to remain independent long after they leave our program. In other words, our real product isn’t shelter. The real produce of the Grants Pass Gospel Rescue Mission is transformation. This shows up in several areas that often get buried beneath stories about immediate needs.
We solve problems most people never see. The public sees homelessness. Our staff sees suspended driver’s licenses, unpaid fines, missing identification, employment barriers, addiction recovery, broken family relationships, lack of budgeting skills, fear, shame, and hopelessness. Much of our work is helping residents navigate dozens of invisible obstacles that prevent independence. This is a remarkable service, but it is difficult to photograph and therefore doesn’t always get highlighted.
We teach life skills, not just provide services. Hearing the word “Mission” can lead people to imagine charity. What we are really doing is character building. Responsibility, accountability, work ethic, financial stewardship, conflict resolution, emotional maturity, and Biblical principles that support good living. Our ministry calendar, chapels, work programs and residential expectations are all designed around character formation. That’s what the Bible calls discipleship and that is different from traditional social services.
Our long-term outcomes are extraordinary. Less than 3% of our graduates ever need our services again. In our field this is a truly astonishing outcome. It’s truly exciting to tell the world when we house someone. It’s a harder story to write about someone still being employed, still housed, and still independent years after they’ve graduated however, that is the real story.
Our staff are mentors more than service providers. Many nonprofits communicate what they give away. The Mission’s greatest asset is not its beds or buildings. It is the people who walk alongside residents every day. The public sees a shelter. Our residents experience a community of people who believe they are capable of more than their current circumstances. That is a very different message.
We are creating taxpayers, employees, neighbors, and church members. We often describe the Mission as helping people become “independent, productive citizens.” It’s easy for this message to get overlooked. When the trend of shelters is to measure how many people they feed, we should be measured by how many people no longer need charity for a meal. This is a fundamentally different outcome
The Gospel Rescue Mission is not in the shelter business. We are in the transformation business. We provide shelter, meals, and safety, but our true work is helping people develop the character, skills, faith, and stability necessary to live independently for the rest of their lives. This is the theme that sits underneath every portion of our organization from our residential programs to our Thrift Stores, to MissionView Village, to Homeless Joe. The common thread is not relief; it’s restoration and independence.
Welcoming Jason Kotsios to the Mission Family
We are incredibly blessed to introduce the newest member of our leadership team, Jason Kotsios, who has stepped into the role of Director of Development. Jason’s journey to the Mission is a beautiful testament to God’s providential timing. After a long career in the secular workforce—most recently working at RVTD—Jason found himself praying for a deeper sense of vocational and spiritual fulfillment.
Mirroring the profound truths found in Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God, the Lord caught hold of his heart through a series of undeniable promptings. Alongside his supportive wife, Debra, Jason stepped out in bold faith, leaving behind professional comfort to return to the active ministry roots he cherished years ago as a church deacon. The Holy Spirit is already using this transition to reshape his perspective on our community, moving him from seeing homelessness as a secular irritation to viewing it as a landscape ripe for genuine Gospel transformation.
As Jason settles into his role, our faithful supporters can expect to hear from him as he begins reaching out to connect personally. He is eager to get to know you and share how your partnership drives the Mission forward—moving entirely away from temporary, toxic enablement and investing in permanent life change that turns program participants into independent workers, taxpayers, and thriving neighbors.
You will have a wonderful opportunity to meet Jason in person at our upcoming Restoration Dinner fundraiser at Edgewater on September 11th from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. We invite you to join us, bring your friends, and welcome Jason to the family. And if you happen to get him talking after the event, feel free to ask him about his fifteen years mastering Filipino martial arts or his skills in sleight-of-hand magic—just don’t let his illusions distract you from the very real work God is doing through his leadership!
We Invite You to Our Fall Fundraiser!
Join us for an encouraging evening featuring a wonderful dinner, uplifting live music by the Mercy Duo, and deeply moving personal testimonies from residents whose lives are being transformed by Christ. We will also share vital updates on our MissionView Village project, an affordable 55+ community designed to restore housing dignity to our seniors. Because this is our premier fundraising event of the season, the evening will culminate in a direct ask for funding and an exciting, auction-style “paddle raise.” Every dollar directly funds life-changing restoration right here in our community. Doors open at 5:00pm and tickets are free. We look forward to seeing you there!
