Bruised Reed

Bobby Dodd is no stranger to addiction. He is also no stranger to Christ-centered recovery. That is why he and his wife, Jessie, who was also rescued from a life of addiction, launched a recovery ministry for men with a similar background.
Bruised Reed Ministries is an 18-month discipleship program in eastern Georgia that allows men to experience restoration through a relationship with Jesus Christ and then transition to a fully rehabilitated lifestyle.
Through Bruised Reed, the Dodds offer a recovery path like the one they took themselves. Bobby came to Christ while in jail, and his Christian discipleship journey to recovery began by graduating from a ministry much like Bruised Reed.
“[While I was in jail,] a dear saint shared the gospel with me,” Bobby said. “In that jail cell, when he was sharing the gospel, he gave me a hug. It’s hard to believe, but I was 44 then, and that was the first hug I’d had in 44 years. …
“My life wasn’t very nice,” he added. “I was abused. … But when that man hugged me … I felt the love of Jesus Christ through him.
“At that moment, ministry was birthed in me,” Bobby told The Stand. “I didn’t know it fully then, but I look back now, and I can see the Lord’s hand was all on my life that day when He saved me.”

Made for ministry
After 28 years of drug addiction, including eight years in prison, Bobby was freed from his past and found new life in Christ. He soon met and married Jessie, who had also completed a Christian recovery program, and they began doing jail ministry together, which they continue today.
Through their jail ministry, they work with various recovery programs, both locally and long distance.
“Over the past three years, my wife and I have been able to place 300 individuals – men and women – into discipleship homes across Georgia.”
But the Dodds still felt the need to do something more direct, especially for the men reaching out to them for help.
So, in November 2024 – after much prayer – the Dodds opened the doors to Bruised Reed Ministries, a recovery home that accommodates 12 men. Now, with the recent acquisition of a second property, Bruised Reed can serve an additional eight men.

Targeting the heart
For a duration of 18 months, 20 men are led through discipleship courses, educated with job training skills, and taught life disciplines – all to foster lasting recovery and a personal relationship with Christ.
Many of the men come to Bruised Reed seeking freedom from addiction, but the Dodds are quick to get to the heart of the issue.
“We look at addiction – porn addiction too, but we look at any sin that can be a problem,” Bobby explained. “So, if somebody is bound with anger … [and] has no control [or has issues] with authority – these are all linked to sin that is in the heart.”
Many of the men find their way to Bruised Reed through direct referrals as well as through the Dodds’ connections with other local recovery ministries. Still others come through their jail ministry.
“When we go into the jails and somebody has that willingness to say, ‘I’m done, and I’ll do whatever it takes,’ then we give them a chance,” Bobby said.

Making the change
Once the men enter Bruised Reed, they spend the first eight to nine months in an intensive discipleship program. They are not employed outside of the ministry but instead volunteer three times a week at Bruised Reed’s Christian Life Center, where they learn life skills.
“We have a structured regimen here,” Bobby explained. “We wake up at 5:30 in the morning. We’re seated by 6:00. We have an hour-long devotion to the Lord, and then we [practice good] hygiene, [do] chores, and [eat] breakfast.”
They spend much of their remaining time in discipleship sessions led by local pastors and area churches, and they participate in service opportunities.
“We also use a curriculum called Think Life Change (study.thinklifechange.com), which is a biblical counseling program from Flat Creek Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia,” Bobby added.
The next stage of the 18-month program is spent transitioning individuals to outside work. They continue living in the home during this stage, while paying a small amount of rent and learning to tithe, budget, and save money. At the end of this phase, a man may move out if he wishes to, but he is not required to do so.
“We don’t tell them they have to leave,” Bobby said. “We don’t look at an amount of time; we look at their spiritual growth. Our goal is to get [these men] plugged into the local church and point them to Jesus.
“That’s [what] we do.”