Perry Noble preaches at Elevation Church after less than a year of falling to alcohol

Perry Noble, the former pastor of NewSpring Church, has returned to the pulpit at Elevation Church over the weekend after less than a year of being treated for alcoholism.

Noble, who was fired from his post at NewSpring last July, revealed on social media that he preached a sermon at Elevation Church on Saturday and another one on Sunday, Independent Mail reported.

The former pastor recounted how honored he was to be back at the pulpit, and he expressed his appreciation for the help extended to him by Elevation Church pastor Steven Furtick.

"In July of 2016 I thought I would never preach again! I allowed myself to be deceived by the enemy and depended on alcohol more than Jesus!" Noble wrote on Facebook.

"However...during this entire time Steven Furtick hasn't been someone who 'had my back' but rather has stood by my side and been a source of encouragement, friendship and has been willing to tell me what I needed to hear," he added.

Noble revealed his plans to get back into the ministry back in September after he spent 30 days in a treatment facility in Arizona. He stopped posting on social media for awhile at the request of his therapist, but he later revealed a few details about his alcoholism that led to his firing.

The former pastor admitted in October that he became discouraged by the challenges he faced in his marriage, and he turned to alcohol instead of seeking help.

In December, he announced his plan to return to the ministry to serve as a church and business consultant. He said that serving as a pastor at NewSpring was no longer an option for him, but he said he will keep praying for the church.

Noble said that he wanted to use his 16 years of experience at his former church to "encourage, challenge and advance" other ministries.

Last month, Noble addressed concerns about whether he was coming back "too soon" after his struggles with alcoholism. He pointed out that the Apostles Peter and Paul have made big mistakes, but they kept preaching the Gospel. He explained that he does not want to live his life "full of regrets," and he encouraged others to not let other people hold them back from what God has called them to do.

"If God has put something in your heart, don't sit around and wait for the approval of people who don't believe in you in the first place. You stay up too late, and you do what God called you to do," he said.