Our Program
Real Change Doesn’t Happen All at Once, But It Starts Here
If you’re looking into Joshua House, there’s a good chance things aren’t in a great place right now.
Maybe this has been building for a while, or something just happened that made it clear things can’t keep going the way they have been.
You might be calling for yourself, trying to help someone you care about, or not even sure what you’re looking for yet, just that something needs to change.
You don’t need to have it all figured out to take the next step.
Something Better Is Still Possible
Joshua House is a long-term residential program for men who need space to step out of the patterns they’ve been stuck in and start building something more stable.
It’s not a quick fix, and it’s not meant to be.
Real change takes time. It takes consistency. It takes being in a different environment long enough for things to actually start shifting.
That’s what this program is built for.
What This Looks Like Day to Day
There’s structure here, but it’s there to support you, not to break you down.
There’s a rhythm to each day. Men live together, share responsibilities, and move through a routine that slowly replaces the instability that’s been running things before.
Over time, that structure starts to feel less like something being imposed and more like something that actually holds things together. A big part of that is the people.
You’re surrounded by other men who are working through their own stuff, who understand what it’s like to be there, and who aren’t going to let you disappear back into old patterns without noticing.
That kind of environment changes things.
Before coming to Joshua House, my life unraveled under loss, addiction, and grief, I lost my brother, my nephew, and my parents as everything around me fell apart. After heart failure left me sober in a hospital bed for the first time in years, I reached out to Joshua House, still angry and questioning God.
Through community and counselling, I’ve found hope and peace again, and today I trust that God is rebuilding my life from the ashes.
Michael Maus
How the Program Unfolds
This isn’t something that happens all at once.
Men move through the program in stages, each one building on the last. Not in a rushed way, but in a way that gives things time to actually stick.
It starts by stepping away from everything that’s been keeping life chaotic and getting grounded again. For a lot of men, that alone is a big shift.
PHASE 1 – THE CREEK
The program begins in a quiet, remote setting near Chilliwack Lake, where men step away from the chaos of addiction and begin the work of stabilization, structure, and reflection. It starts with getting grounded again, which for many is a significant shift.
PHASE 2 – COMMUNITY HOUSES
Residents then transition into one of our Abbotsford homes, where recovery continues within a supportive community environment. The focus turns to learning how to live differently, with structure, responsibility, and people who will support you and hold you accountable.
It’s not about getting through a program. It’s about leaving with something solid enough to keep going.
If you’re wondering what this could look like for you, let’s talk.
PHASE 3 – AFTERCARE
Graduates who are ready move into aftercare housing, where they begin working, attending school, and rebuilding independent lives. This phase is about applying what’s been built in real life, with support still in place during the transition.
Who This Is For
This program is for men who are ready for something different, even if they’re not completely sure what that looks like yet.
There needs to be some willingness to step into structure, to live alongside others, and to be part of the process.
Men also need to arrive 72 hours sober so they can fully enter into the program.
If you’re unsure where you fit in all of this, that’s okay.
That’s exactly what the first conversation is for.
What Happens When You Reach Out
You call, and you talk to a real person. There’s no complicated process to get started.
We’ll ask a few questions, hear what’s going on, and help you understand whether this is the right fit and what the next step could look like. If it is, we’ll guide you through getting here. If it’s not, we’ll do our best to point you somewhere that can help.
Sometimes even getting to a program can feel like a barrier. When it’s possible, we can help arrange transportation so that doesn’t become the thing that stops someone from taking the next step.
For Families and People Trying to Help
A lot of the time, the person making the call isn’t the one who needs the program. It’s someone who cares about them.
If that’s you, you’re not alone in trying to figure out what to do next. You don’t need to have all the answers before reaching out.
We can talk it through with you and help you understand what options might look like when the person you’re concerned about is ready.
You don’t have to carry this by yourself.
A Faith-Based Program
Joshua House is a Christian ministry, and that’s part of how the program is built.
Spiritual practices like prayer, reflection, and community gatherings are part of the environment here. At the same time, everyone comes in with different experiences and levels of comfort with that.
There’s space for that, and the focus is on growth, not pressure.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You don’t need the right words. You just need to start the conversation.
Most people wait longer than they should. Not because they don’t want help, but because they’re unsure, overwhelmed, or don’t know what the process actually looks like. That’s normal.
IF YOU’RE
LOOKING FOR HELP
You don’t need to have everything figured out. A conversation is the first step. We can help you understand what the program looks like and whether it’s a good fit.
IF YOU’RE
TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE
It’s not always clear what to do next. We can walk you through how the program works and what the next step could look like.
IF YOU WANT TO
SUPPORT THE WORK
Joshua House exists because people choose to get involved. Whether that’s through giving, volunteering, or partnering, there are practical ways to help.