AA Collaborative Meetings in Christian Recovery Arena

An Opportunity for Collaborating Communities

Of

Christian Recovery Leaders

Aim

Enabling various and even diverse communities to unite in Christian recovery options

Possible Varieties of Communities to Survey and Hear From

·         A like-minded group of Christian churches who want the help of others and also additional, supportive recovery-oriented resources in their community

In larger venues, a community of churches in a single denomination

A Christian community of recovery-concerned pastors and ministers

A Christian community of recovery pastors and directors

A Community of Christian recovery fellowship and group leaders

[Examples: Serenity Group of Oroville Church of the Nazarene

                                            Turning Point Group of Golden Hills Community Church]

·         A Christian ministry uniting Christians, Christian churches, and Christian treatment programs, counselors,  fellowships, and sober-living facilities

[An example: Rock Recovery Ministry, Rock Church, San Diego]

·         A Christian evaluation, intervention, detox, treatment, and after-care program, uniting with churches, pastors, 12 Step groups, treatment programs, Christian recovery fellowships, Christian sober living, sober clubs, and alumni groups

[An example: Celebrate a New Life, San Juan Capistrano]

·         A Christian bridge program working with churches, Christian counselors, Christian residential and outpatient treatment programs.

[An example: Manna House Ministries, Jamestown, Tennessee]

·         Christian individuals or groups that organize groups promoting church attendance, fellowships, 12 Step meetings, and Bible studies

[Examples: Russell Spatz, attorney, “Alive Again,” “Lost Sheep,” Miami,        

                                            Florida;

                                            Pastor Joe Furey and Roger McDiarmid, His Place Church;

Executive Recovery Pastor Randy Moraitis, Lifelines, Cornerstone Church, Costa Mesa

·         Christian church-sponsored featured weekly recovery meetings that collaborate with treatment programs, small groups, probation officials, parishioners

An example: Lifelines, The Crossing Church, Costa Mesa

·         12 Step meetings that encourage church attendance, Bible study, Big Book study, A.A. meetings, and Christian fellowship

[An example: Fr. Bill Wigmore, Chair, Episcopal Diocese of Texas Committee, Austin]

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Programs and Suggestions to Hear About, Evaluate, and Possibly Adopt

[Examples are (1) the daily fellowships of First Century Christians as reported in the Book of Acts; (2) the daily outreach of evangelists, rescue missions, Young Men’s Christian Associations, Salvation Army, Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor; and (3) the daily recovery gatherings of Old School A.A. pioneers of the Akron Christian Fellowship]

·         A core Christian leader, pastor, recovery professional, church, fellowship, treatment center, sober living facility, 12 Step group, or group offering outreach to prisons, homeless, veterans, hospitals, and support groups

·         A core Christian community that is Bible friendly, church friendly, 12-Step friendly, recovery friendly, and friends with friends of like mind

·         An emphasis on conducting, or finding, or supporting, or referring suffering members to:

Christian fellowships

Bible study

Prayer

11^th Step practices

12^th Step techniques that will locate, help, support, disciple, and teach newcomers.

12 Step fellowships

Church sponsored Christian recovery meetings

Home meetings

Family meetings

Breaking-bread meetings for meals, coffee, snacks, barbecues, celebrations

Witnessing outreach

Conversions

Growth-oriented service

A recognition that the components of victorious Christian living and healing were:

Recognition of the problem and need to eliminate the problem forever

Belief in God

Becoming children of God through Jesus Christ

Daily fellowship with like-minded believers

Daily prayer, Bible reading, Quiet Time

Daily learning and obeying God’s will and commandments pertaining to love

and elimination of temptation and sinful conduct.

Daily thoughtfulness, actions, and focus on helping others be saved, come to a

knowledge of the truth, and walk by the spirit instead of by the flesh

                        Favoring church affiliation, religious fellowship, and religious comradeship

                       

Vowing to follow, practice, and continually live by Christian principles.

                       

Learning, resisting, and defending against the wiles of the devil and the

                                    biblical armor available to do that.

                       

Recognizing that successful recovered, cured, Christian living calls for

knowledge of God and His will, the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit; deliverance from the power of darkness; renewing one’s mind to God’s promises, requirements, love, forgiveness, power, healing, and eternal life.

                       

Learning that the most common weapons of the devil are focused on fear,

guilt, shame, anger, dishonesty, selfish behavior, ungodly thinking and language, urging your keeping company with “slippery places” and “slippery people,” and failure to keep one’s mind, tongue, and actions on things above; and casting down devilish temptations, words, deeds, and actions

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Bearing in mind the A.A. quip: “We are not a glum lot.” Success—the fruit of the spirit seeks and embraces godly recreation; exercise; fitness; good nutrition; good hygiene; useful service and behavior; constructive mental challenge and labor; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”     Proverbs  17:22    

dickb@dickb.com

Gloria Deo