#321 Highly Functional: A Collision of Addiction, Justice, and Grace with Craig DeRoche

The Good Citizen Podcast

At the age of just 34, Craig DeRoche was one of the youngest speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives. But his image was shattered when a secret struggle with addiction made an unexpected and unwelcome entry onto the public stage. In this interview, we discussed his book Highly Functional and the unvarnished truth of events that caused his catastrophic downfall and how he found freedom through Christ. We also discussed how God restored him and called him into ministry in the public square, including service as the President of Prison Fellowship and now the President and CEO of Family Policy Alliance.

Craig DeRoche is a man whose life and family have been completely transformed by Jesus Christ. Craig has been married to Stacey DeRoche since 1998. They live in Michigan with their three daughters and their dog Remington. Craig was one of the youngest persons ever elected as Speaker of the House in Michigan, and former president of Justice Fellowship, founded by Chuck Colson.

Craig has nearly 30 years of experience advancing the dignity and worth of all human life, religious freedom, and family values in public policy. For almost a decade, Craig focused on advancing the value of life through second chances and redemption for those in America’s justice system. Craig speaks to this personally in his published memoir, Highly Functional, detailing his fall into and triumph over addiction through surrender to Jesus Christ. Craig served as a member of the congressionally created Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Prison Reform that he and the members presented to President Obama, and he was invited to stand next to President Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office as he signed the First Step Act into law. Indeed, Craig has had the privilege of working personally with the last three presidents of the United States.

Craig is a frequent speaker and author and is regarded as a leading voice in American faith-based public policy. He has been published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fox News, Christianity Today, and dozens of other leading news agencies. He is also the author of the Christian small group study guide and book Outrageous Justice. In 2016, Craig was featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary 13th.

Key Takeaways:

• Link to his book: Highly Functional: A Collision of Addiction, Justice, and Grace.
• His remarkable testimony of a meteoric rise and then deep brokenness and how Christ restored his marriage and led him to ministry.
• The key work of Family Policy Alliance and how Christians can get involved in the family policy council movement.
• Why Christians should be involved in politics.
• Why Christians should especially be involved in public life in 2024.

The post #321 Highly Functional: A Collision of Addiction, Justice, and Grace with Craig DeRoche first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.