Old School Christians in A.A. Workshops-Meetings

Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

on

“Old-School” Christian Recovery

Programs, Fellowships, Groups, and Meetings

By Dick B., Executive Director

The International Christian Recovery Coalition

www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com

© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

During and after our January 2012 meetings in Southern California, my son and I came to two important realizations:

1.      A major reason why the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” was so successful in helping “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “real” alcoholics who thoroughly followed the Akron program was that the fellowship was “living the Book of Acts.” (See especially Acts 1-6; and, in particular, note the focus on the word “daily” throughout Acts.)

[For the seven points of the pre-Big Book Akron program, see the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 131. For 14 key practices of Akron’s “Christian fellowship,” see Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3^rd ed., 54-57 (available at www.DickB.com).]

2.      Both meetings listed in the A.A. Meeting Schedule and Christian Recovery meetings not so listed could benefit greatly by increasing their emphasis on key ideas in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature which show early A.A.—particularly in Akron and Cleveland—as First Century Christianity in action. Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”), The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous pamphlet (Item #P-53), and DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, for example, contain many such examples.

Along these lines, my son Ken and I have just completed a new book we believe will be very helpful to those overseeing, participating in, or desiring to organize both A.A. Meeting Schedule-listed meetings and non-listed Christian Recovery meetings. The title is: How to Conduct “Old-School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature by Dick B. and Ken B. (available at www.DickB.com). This new resource provides details about how to organize or “fine-tune” both kinds of meetings by providing details on:

a.       How to structure meetings which emphasize A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature;

b.      Possible meeting topics (with many examples provided);

c.       Key sections of A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature focusing on the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.’s astonishing successes, and why numerous observers stated that early A.A. was like First Century Christianity;

d.      The highly-successful, seven-point, early Akron program;

e.       16 practices of the early Akron “Christian fellowship”;

f.       Christian efforts that preceded and influenced early A.A. and which were successful in helping alcoholics, addicts, and others with life-controlling problems; e.g., the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Salvation Army, Christian evangelists (such as Dwight L. Moody, Henry Moorhouse, Henry M. Moore, and Allen Folger), rescue missions (such as Calvary Mission in New York, where both Ebby Thacher and Bill W. accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior), and A First Century Christian Fellowship (also known as The Oxford Group, of which Rev. Sam Shoemaker was a chief American leader).  

We have also begun producing a number of videos based on the contents of the new book that will soon be available as part of a new class in a password-protected section of the www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com Web site (along with many free Dick B. radio presentations, audio talks, and other videos).

In order to share with International Christian Recovery Coalition “Participants” in other parts of the United States and in other countries, we will be holding a number of meetings in Oahu, Hawaii (March 22-25), Northern California (March 29-31), and Southern California (May 14-21), with the highlight’s being “The First 2012 North American Conference of the International Christian Recovery Coalition” at the new His Place Church facility in Westminster, California, Friday through Saturday, May 18-19, 2012. Conference details are available here: http://www.dickb.com/conferences/May2012_NorthAmericanConference.shtml. Hope to see you there!

In addition to sharing what we have been learning along the lines discussed above during our upcoming meetings in March and May, we plan on focusing a good deal of our efforts on learning about what various Christian Recovery leaders and workers in the areas we will be visiting have been doing. In particular,

What we would like to learn:

·         Your thoughts about how to present (with your own program and format)—in your training, meetings, talks, and materials—“old-school,” early A.A. “Christian fellowship” principles and practices.

·         Your suggestions about making this subject a plan for a group, a weekly meeting, workshops, training classes, fellowships, 12 Step programs, and talks.

·         Your comments on integrating your program into a mold that fits present-day 12 Step programs and ideas, that presents the “old-school” A.A. principles and practices, and captures the importance of daily activities patterned after those of First Century Christians in the Book of Acts and the “old-school” “Christian-fellowship” in Akron.

·         Special programs, formats, needs, problems, and questions you may have.

·         Your own present activities and desires, and how to integrate them with this subject

·         Whether you agree as to the value of a special group which offers or encourages daily fellowship among like-minded believers—including such activities as a weekly training meeting, a weekly Bible study, one or more 12 Step meetings, another’s Christian fellowship meeting, meals and feeds and coffee gatherings, outreach meetings, recreational events, and movies or films.

What we would also like to share with you:

·         What other Christian recovery programs, meetings, fellowships, and groups are doing around the world.

·         What we suggest about how to organize, format, and conduct an “old-school” A.A. Christian-oriented recovery fellowship and program

·         The options, contacts, resources, programs, and outlines presently available.

·         How you can, if you wish, conduct “old-school” meetings in such a way as to use a Conference-approved foundation, a procedure consistent with the Traditions, an autonomous status, and advance solid, truthful, accurate, comprehensive knowledge of the origins, history, founding, “old-school” Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship,” its successes, and their applicability to recovery today.

Gloria Deo

Preview: A.A. Old School Studies and Workshop

International Christian Recovery Coalition

Our Forthcoming Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

On

Old School Christian Recovery Programs, Fellowships, Groups, and Meetings

Dick B.

Our Planned Focus is on Four Varieties of “old school” Book of Acts Programs for those who want God’s help in overcoming alcoholism, drug addiction, and life-controlling problems.

·         Those already conducting 12 Step programs and wanting an “old school” A.A. Conference-approved foundations and approaches.

·         Those exploring, desiring, and planning to organize and present “old school” 12 Step programs without concerns about satisfying “conference-approved” or “Twelve Traditions” issues.

·         Those already leading or attending “ Christian recovery fellowships” and wanting to include “old school” A.A. First Century Christianity at work meetings

·         Those wanting to organize, lead, train others for, and learn the content for Christian Recovery programs or fellowships or groups or meetings that the elements, principles, and practices of First Century Christianity at work in recovery.

______________________________________________________________________________

The proposed fundamental resources include the group’s choice of the Bible, Specified “conference approved” literature, Explanatory books and articles and our new Guidebook and Films covering each proposed class

What we would like to learn:

Your thoughts about how to present (with your own program and format)–in your training, meetings, talks, and materials on learning and applying Old School Early A.A. Christian Fellowship principles and practices.

            Your suggestions about making this subject a plan for a group, a weekly meeting,

workshops, training classes, fellowships, 12 Step programs, and talks.

Your comments on integrating your program into a mold that fits present-day 12 Step programs and ideas, that presents the old school A.A. principles and practices, and captures the importance of daily activities patterned after those of First Century Christians in the Book of Acts and the old school Christian Fellowship in Akron.

            Special programs, formats, needs, problems, questions you may have.

            Your own present activities and desires and integrating them with this subject

Whether you agree as to the value of a special group which offers or encourages daily fellowship among like-minded believers—including such activities as a weekly training meeting, a weekly Bible study, one or more 12 Step meetings, another’s Christian fellowship meeting, meals and feeds and coffee gatherings, outreach meetings, recreational events, and movies or films.

What we would like to tell you and enable you to learn:

            What other Christian recovery programs, meetings, fellowships, and groups are doing

            What we suggest about how to organize, format, and conduct an old school A.A.

Christian-oriented recovery fellowship and program

            The options, contacts, resources, programs, and outlines presently available

            How you can conduct old school meetings in such a way, if you wish, as to use a

conference-approved foundation, a procedure consistent with the Traditions, an

autonomous status, and advance solid, truthful, accurate, comprehensive knowledge of the origins, history, founding, old school Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship, its successes, and their applicability to recovery today.

Questions for a single anti-AA Writer

Does this writer attend A.A. meetings, groups, seminars, or conferences? Does this writer believe in God? Has this writer confessed with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in his heart that God raised him from the dead? Has this writer read the 43 books and over 850 articles published by Dick B.? I have.
Has this writer ever reached out to a newcomer in a meeting? Has he ever welcomed one? Has he ever given his phone number to one? Has he ever led anyone in Alcoholics Anonymous to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Has he ever spoken at an A.A. meeting, conference, or group? I have.
Has he ever read the multiple biographies and autobiographies of Bill Wilson, of Dr. Bob Smith, of Lois Wilson, of Anne Ripley Smith, of Dr. William D. Silkworth, of Clarence H. Snyder, of Grace Snyder, of Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., of Frank N.D. Buchman, of Mrs. Samuel Shoemaker, of Rowland Hazard, of Garrett Stearly, of Cebra Graves, of Frank Amos, of Norman Vincent Peale, of Ebby Thacher, of Father John C. Ford, of Sister Ignatia, of Father Ed Dowling, of Russell Firestone, of James D. Newton, of Eleanor Forde Newton, of Dwight Moody, of Ira Sankey, of F.B. Meyer, of Allen Folger, of Henry Moorehouse, of Henry Drummond, of Billy Sunday, of George Williams, of General Booth, of Jerry McAuley, of S.H. Hadley, of Francis Clarke, of Amos Wells, of Sherwood Eddy, of Henry B. Wright, of Robert E. Speer, of T.S. Elliott, of Ethel Willetts, of Carl Jung, of William James, of Judge Walter Smith, of Mrs. Walter Smith, of Gilman Wilson, of Helen Wilson, of Fayette Griffith, of T. Henry Williams, of Clarace Williams, of Henrietta B. Seiberling, of Sue Smith Windows, of Robert R. Smith, of Professor Weatherford, of B.H. Streeter, of L. Parks Shipley, of James Houck, of Victor Kitchen, of A.J. Russell, of Harold Begbie, of Stephen Foote, of Garth Lean, of Michael Hutchinson, of T. Willard Hunter, Cecil Rose, of Bunny Austin, of Harvey Firestone Sr., of Russell Firestone, of Bill Wilson's grandfather "Willie," of Dr. Tunks, of Joe McQuany, of Charlie Parmley, or of the Shoemaker circle in New York, the Shoemaker circle in Pittsburgh?
I have. In fact, I have interviewed most of these people, and read the books of most of them.
Has the writer ever spoken to A.A. secretaries, treasurers, General Service Representatives, Delegates, Trustees, archivists, and office workers? I have.
Has the writer ever personally met, talked at length with, and questioned A.A. newcomers? I have. Has he ever sponsored an AA? I have. Has he ever spoken at a Celebrate Recovery meeting, an Alcoholics Victorious conference, an Overcomers conference, an Overcomers Outreach, Inc. Conference? a treatment center, a Christian treatment center, a group of Christian Counselors, at Betty Ford, at Christian churches, to Christian recovery fellowships, to conferences of Christian leaders and workers from all over the world, to wardens, state and federal elected leaders and substance abuse research leaders, to officials, addictionologists, universities and colleges, interventionists, Hazelden executives and workers, Christian Protestant ministers, Jewish Rabbis, Roman Catholic priests, or pastoral counselors, or Salvation Army officers, or YMCA workers, or Christian Endeavor members and leaders, or rescue mission leaders and workers? I have.
Has this writer ever visited and researched at the Griffith House Library, Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont; or the Dr. Bob Core Library at North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, Vermont; or St. Johnsbury Academy; or Burr and Burton Academy; or the St. Paul's Library in Akron, Ohio; or the Seiberling Gate Lodge library in Akron; or the Episcopal Church Archives in Austin, Texas; or the Shoemaker Room at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh; or the Brown University Collection; or the headquarters of the Oxford Group in Washington, D.C.; or the libraries and collections of Oxford Group leaders such as George Vondermuhll, Jr.; or the Buchman home in Pennsylvania; or the offices and library of the Alcoholics Anonymous General Service Office in New York; or the Princeton Alumni archives; or The Pittsburgh Experiment offices and archives; The Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation leaders and its original "golf club crowd," or the Hartford Seminary Library; or the Bierce Library at the University of Akon; or the libraries at Dr. Bob's Home, or the present and retiredf archivists at Dr. Bobs Home, of the Akron Intergroup; or Golden Gate Seminary and San Anselmo Seminary in Marn County, California; of the records of Calvary Church in New York, Calvary Church in Pittsburgh, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Akron, of university professors and librarians?
I have. In fact I have donated over 30,000 books, manuscripts, papers, articles to them.
If John L. has answered no to twenty of the foregoing questions, or to most, or to all, there's a question for him. When are you going to start learning instead of opining, reporting instead of condemning, advocating instead of libeling, telling truthful facts instead of occasionally quoting some other anti-A.A. writer? If the answer is equivocal, evasive, negative, or confusing to us, then you have a lot of traveling, interviewing, reading, learning, and thinking to do.
Will he?

Bill Wilson of A.A. - The Younger Years

Alcoholics Anonymous HistoryA.A. Cofounder Bill W.:
His Younger Years at a Glance

Dick B.
© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved.

The A.A. Backdrop

Bill Wilson was born in East Dorset, Vermont, November 26, 1895. His parents were married in the East Dorset Congregational Church. That church lay on the green between The Wilson House and the Griffith House. Bill was born, and his parents lived briefly, in The Wilson House. His paternal grandparents had been among the founders and attenders at the church. Bill was raised in the Griffith House by his maternal grandparents who considered the church their family church. Bill got sober in November 1934 and never drank again. He died on January 24, 1971. A.A. literature records: “All his life, Bill retained, as did Dr. Bob, a deep affection for and identification with the people of Vermont. . . . [H]e enjoyed sharing with friends many delightful anecdotes about his early years” [The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks (New York, NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1972, 1975), pp. 25-27]

Bill W.’s Unusual Christian Experiences as a Youngster in Vermont

From Bill W.: My First 40 Years: An Autobiography by the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous (Center City, MN: Hazelden, 2000); and Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc, 2006)

Bill’s Grandpa, Willie Wilson: Willie had been a founder, officer, and regular attender at East Dorset Congregational Church, owning Pew 15. He was also a chronic alcoholic. Before Bill Wilson was born, Grandpa Willie ascended nearby Mt. Aeolus, cried out to God for help, had a spiritual experience, rushed down to the little church, seized the pulpit, and said he had been saved. Grandpa Willie never drank again for the remaining eight years of his life. Bill Wilson’s mother told Bill this story over and over again [The Conversion of Bill W., 24-27, 115, 123]

Bill’s Witnessing of Conversion, Revival, and Temperance Meetings. Bill mentioned that, as a youngster, he had witnessed conversion meetings, attended revivals, and attended Temperance meetings. [The Conversion of Bill W., 8, 10, 26-27, 30, 32, 72, 74, 118]

Bill’s Maternal Grandparents Fayette and Ella Griffith. The Griffiths attended the East Dorset Congregational Church, and—with Emma Griffith, Bill W.’s mother—regarded the little church as the family church. Bill attended this church and its Sunday school during the period he was being raised by the Griffiths. His parents had separated. His mother had sent him to live with her parents. And Bill’s Grandpa Fayette enrolled Bill in the Sunday school next door where he attended church with the Griffiths [The Conversion of Bill W., 6-10, 24-32]

The Confession, Creed, and Teachings of the East Dorset Congregational Church: Our personal visit to this church with its long-time Treasurer and our inspection of the records showed that the church taught about salvation and the importance of studying the Word of God.

Bill’s Bible Study with Grandpa Fayette and with his friend Mark Whalon. There is now documentation that Bill Wilson studied the Bible with his grandfather and also with his friend Mark Whalon [The Conversion of Bill W., 6-19, 29-32, 71-75]

Bill’s Four Years at the Burr and Burton Seminary in Manchester, Vermont. Bill attended this Congregational-influenced Academy for four years, up to the time of his anticipated graduation. He went to the required daily chapel, just as Dr. Bob had at his Academy. Also, as required, Bill attended the Manchester Congregational Church each week. (And there is strong evidence that Dr. Bob had regularly attended North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, while attending his Academy.) Bill took a four-year required Bible study course at Burr and Burton. And Bill became president of the school Young Men's Christian Association; his girl friend Bertha Bamford became president of the school Young Women's Christian Association; and the two attended school YMCA activities, and daily chapel, together. [My son Ken and I gleaned most of this information from an extended interview of archivist Frederica Templeton of Burr and Burton, from the recent book she had written about the Academy, and from a review of the school’s extant archives and records. [See Frederica Templeton, The Castle in the Pasture: Portrait of Burr and Burton Academy (Manchester, VT: Burr and Burton Academy, 2005)]

The Unexpected Death of Bill’s Girl Friend, Bertha Bamford, and Bill’s Turning His Back on God for many subsequent years. Shortly before Bill’s impending graduation, Bill’s lady love Bertha died unexpectedly. Bill was devastated. He went into one of his many deep depressions. He never graduated from Burr and Burton. And he figuratively turned his back on God. [See Susan Cheever, My Name is Bill: Bill Wilson—His Life and the Creation of Alcoholics Anonymous (NY: Washington Square Press, 2004), 54-55.] For a number of years, he characterized himself thereafter as a “conservative atheist” or as an “agnostic.” [See Dick B., Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.’s Spiritual Roots and Successes (San Rafael, CA: Paradise Research Publications, 1997), 96; Alcoholics Anonymous (New York City: Works Publishing Company, 1939), 56-58; and Bill W.: My First 40 Years, 50.] This ended at Calvary Rescue Mission, where Bill went to the altar, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and wrote "For sure I'd been born again." Or it may have ended at or before his spiritual experience during his fourth hospitalization at Towns where he had his “indescribably white light” experience and never drank again. There Bill had experienced the presence of God in his hospital room and exclaimed: "So this is the God of the Scriptures" [Bill W.: My First 40 Years, 29-31; and Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W., 90-103].

We strongly believe that there are two vital starting points for any quest pertaining to Bill's younger years and Christian upbringing in Vermont. The first is Bill's autobiography "My First 40 Years" recently published by Hazelden. The second is "The Conversion of Bill W.," www.dickb.com/conversion.shtml

The wealth of documents backing up this picture can be found in "Turning Point" www.dickb.com/Turning.shtml.

www.DickB.com; DickB@DickB.com

Calif and Hawaii Old School A.A. Meetings Workshops

The Blooming, Booming Responses and

Expanded Plans of the Christian Recovery Movement

By Dick B., Executive Director

International Christian Recovery Coalition

Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

Just since our visits in Southern California in January of this year, we have had an increasing volume of messages from those wanting to participate in our planned meetings this spring. So the following is the way things are going and being planned as of February 29^th.

The Basic Approach Is Announced in This New Guide

How to Conduct “Old-School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena

By Dick B. and Ken B. (2012)

There Is No “One Size Fits All” Plan

An A.A. or N.A. meeting listed with a local office may conduct and adopt a “Group Conscience” stand and also then establish a regular meeting founded on “Conference-approved” literature. A Christian recovery fellowship may choose to reach out to alcoholics, addicts, prescription drug abusers, and others with life-controlling problems. A Christian, Christian-Track, or other type of treatment program—limited by expense and time constraints—may decide to prepare “graduates” for the long haul beyond the discharge date. Groups like Teen Challenge and Celebrate Recovery may recognize and plan for the “daily” or “24/7” or Christian fellowship after-care needs of its Christian graduates or weekly meeting attenders in order to keep all of them in full bore recovery or recovered mode; continuing service to others; and sustained spiritual growth loop—all being often-accepted components of real, life-long, Christian healing, abundance, and ultimate salvation. Detox programs, interventionists, counselors, after-care facilitators, alumni gatherings, and sober living operators and managers may emphasize a variety of ways in which recovered “clients” or “students” can build on the strength of First Century Christian and early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” principles and practices.

Program Content Which Each Servant Can Adopt, Adapt, and Then Apply as Desired

The emphasis here is on fostering long-range deliverance, sustained fellowship and service, and effective and continued reliance on the power, love, forgiveness, guidance, healing, and will of God “in all our affairs.” Early Christian outreach extended first to the Jews. Then to the Gentiles. Then to both as members of the “body of Christ.” Included among these groups were the lost, the poor, the sick, the deaf, the blind, and even dead who were still being raised—just as Jesus had raised the dead.

The Present Plans for Implementing This “Old-School,” First Century Christianity Success Story in Forthcoming Hawaii and California Gatherings This Spring and Summer

And Here Is Where We Will Be Listening, Assembling, Teaching and Facilitating with You

[Details Still Need Further Attention and Firming, But This Will Show You the Plans]

For Maui, Hawaii:

County of Maui Salvation Army Partnership with our Coalition: to learn the existing 24/7 program at the Lahaina Outpost, The Salvation Army, 131 Shaw Street, Lahaina, Hawaii, 96761. (Initial two-hour meeting at our Kihei Office, Friday, March 2, Noon-2:00 PM)

Speaking on the Second Step and A.A. roots at a regular A.A. meeting in Kihei: followed by a meeting to discuss plans for a new “old-school” recovery meeting to be formed in the near future. (Saturday, March 3, 7:00 AM—with a private after-meeting)

For Oahu, Hawaii:

An evening meeting in Honolulu, Thursday, March 22 (6:00 PM) evaluating and initiating Christian Recovery Movement hands-on outreach to alcoholics and addicts in three different Christian recovery efforts: (1) The long-standing men’s outreach to alcoholics and addicts led by an NA-oriented Christian skilled men’s group leader. (2) The plans of this leader’s pastor who is extending outreach in Oahu as well in China, Japan, and the Pacific Rim. (3) The current work of an Oregon-based faith-centered Christian fellowship pastor in Germany and Europe. All three are looking for ways to utilize First Century Christian practices, to adapt early A.A. “old-school” fellowship techniques, and to present 12-Step approaches with individuals needing direct help and structured practices with long-term recovered Christian living as the aim.

For Cornerstone Fellowship—Livermore Campus, Livermore, California

Workshop/Participation/Study Meeting for all (Thursday, March 29, evening).

For Golden Hills Community Church, Brentwood, California

Workshop/Participation/ Study Meetings with Leaders and public (Friday, March 30,

afternoon and evening).

For San Francisco Bay Area, California –

Dialogue with leaders of recently renamed CityTeam International and its ministry to the

“lost” in Nicaragua and West Africa (Either morning, March 29, or on March 31).

In Kihei, Maui, Hawaii –

 A meeting of several days with Rob W. from Utah (April 2-6) – Planning and funding

In Southern California:

We will be in Orange County, California (arrive on Sunday, May 13 and depart on Monday, May 21). Quartered at the beginning and end at The Costa Mesa Marriott Hotel, and during the week at a private home in Orange County. The agenda for any and all includes the following planned:

Individual meetings with:

Rev. Michael Liimatta, City Vision College, Kansas City, Missouri

                        Wally Lowe, Christian businessman, Vero Beach, Florida

                        Russell Spatz, Christian attorney and speaker, Miami, Florida

                        Robert Turner, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

                        Gary Martin, Mariners Church, Planning regular “Old School” training meetings, Irvine, California

                        Pastor Joe Furey and Roger McDiarmid, His Place Church, Westminster, California (the location of our May 18-19 major conferences)

                        Rev. James Moody, Manna House Ministry, Jamestown, Tennessee

                        Bob Noonan, Marriage and Family Counselor, Orange, California

                        Danny Simmons, Sons of Thunder and Book Distribution, Costa Mesa, California

                        Rev. Bill Wigmore, Chairman of Episcopal Diocese of Texas Recovery Committee, Austin, Texas

                        Gary Moates, attorney, Houston, Texas

                        Richard Skolnik, Recovery Historian and believer, Nesconset, New York

                        Other local and out of area visitors and speakers

                                     

Conference on Friday evening, May 18 and all day Saturday, May 19, at His Place Church, Westminster, California: focused on participation, panels, workshop, classes, programs, questions and answers, and full leadership sharing

            [Orientation, Leader presentations, Panel, and Q and A – Friday evening;

                        Main Conference – Saturday all day – Music, prayer, Orientation by Dick B. and Ken B., lead speaker, orientation, leader speakers, and panel with Q and A.]

           Working with individual and group Christian Recovery leaders on formats and content for regular meetings, guides, videos, Conference-approved literature, and other resources on how best to employ all these to help directly those suffering alcoholics and addicts rely on God for help today; to learn the First Century Christianity practices in Acts of the Apostles; to learn how early “old school” A.A. practiced these principles with such great success; and to suggest how these foundations can be or are being used today hands-on.

The Actual Programs We Will Be Outlining, Discussing, Formatting, and Planning

·         A program of your own fashioning on How to Train, Teach, Cooperate, and Disseminate Christian Recovery programs, conference information, and media—programs that will emphasize God’s power and Christian recovery efforts.

·         Sample suggested programs suitable for and tailored to each particular Christian, treatment, sponsorship, and supportive approach and area.

·         Training the Trainers so that others may pick up the torch and move it forward.

·         Distributing free literature through benefactors.

·         Continuing dissemination by blogs, forums, newsletters, videos, radio, audio, conferences.

Coming Shortly: Dates, Places, Times, Contacts, Programs, Subjects, and Resources

To produce effective results, in the most compact way, we will welcome your phone calls and emails in advance; welcome any literature or suggestions you have; welcome your donations to help defray expenses; and welcome any particular approach you wish to take with your own program, practice, fellowship, and church.

DickB@DickB.com

Gloria Deo

"A First Century Christian Fellowship" - Model for Recovery Today

A First Century Christian Fellowship

Major Sources for Observing Early A.A.’s Apostolic Principles, Practices, and Resemblance to First Century Christianity at Work

By Dick B.

© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

A Common Observation about “Old-School” Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous History: A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob called the first A.A. group (known as “Akron Number One”)—founded on July 4, 1935—“a Christian fellowship.” [DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), 118]

Of the five Rockefeller people—including John D. Rockefeller, Jr—who met the early AAs, listened to Dr. William Silkworth, and read the report that Frank Amos had given to them in February 1938, all said something to the effect, “Why this is First Century Christianity at work. What can we do to help?” And they did help.

But long before that, Christian evangelists were telling New Englanders and many in other parts of the world how the Apostles not only found salvation, but taught and lived Christianity—healing drunks, addicts, and derelicts along the way.

And then there was the Oxford Group and that American sparkplug of its early period, Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. Bill Wilson called Shoemaker a “cofounder” of A.A. Bill discussed the proposed Big Book and Step contents with Shoemaker. He even asked Sam to write the 12 Steps, but Sam humbly declined. Yet the very language of the 12 Steps paralleled Sam’s teachings—teaching founded on basic ideas in the Bible that Dr. Bob said were the foundations for the Steps.

Shoemaker and many other early Oxford Group people called their life-changing group and groups “A First Century Christian Fellowship” and defined what that phrase meant to them and their groups.

“A First Century Christian Fellowship”

At the times Bill W. (1934-1937) and Dr. Bob (1933 until at least 1939) were involved with the Oxford Group, it was actively using the name “A First Century Christian Fellowship.” And here are some of the ways people described the personal work with others of members of that important A.A. predecessor, the Oxford Group.

In his popular book, Life Changers, Harold Begbie (who had written Twice Born Men and much more about General William Booth and the Salvation Army) described the Group this way:

Above all, the Group was a Fellowship—a first-Century Christian Fellowship controlled by the Holy Spirit. [Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 31]

We discuss and cite precise sources for the following statements:

. . . Frank Buchman’s formation of what he and his friends called “A First Century Christian Fellowship.” Buchman had said, “It is an attempt to get back to the beliefs and methods of the Apostles.” He said, “We not only accept their beliefs, but also decided to practice their methods” [Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 286]

In Life Changers, author Begbie also wrote:

Since those words were written he has paid a visit to the United States in company with F. B, . . .

----

In his last letter written from America he tells me that he is entering with others into “A First Century Christian Fellowship,” explaining that they wish to get back to the type of Christianity which was maintained by the apostles—“We not only accept their beliefs, but are also decided to practice their methods.”

           

He announces in detail the elemental beliefs of a First Century Christianity. He believes in:

The possibility of immediate and continued fellowship with the Holy Spirit—guidance.

The proclamation of a redemptive gospel—personal, social, and national salvation.

The possession of fullness of life—rebirth, and an ever-increasing power and wisdom.

The propagation of their life by individuals to individuals—personal religion.

            Out of these beliefs proceeds the method of propagation:

Love for the sinner.

Hatred of the sin.

Fearless dealing with sin.

The presentation of Christ as the cure for sin.

The sharing and giving of self, with and for others.

“We are more concerned,” he writes, “with testifying to real experiences, explicable only on the hypothesis that God’s power has brought them to pass, through Christ, than with teaching an abstract ethical doctrine.”

Rev. Samuel Shoemaker spoke of the Group as “A First Century Christian Fellowship” as follows:

The Spirit can communicate His truth to a spiritual fellowship of believers in ways He cannot communicate to individuals: it is another phase of Christ’s meaning when He said that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. He is wherever a believer is; but He is present in heightened reality in the fellowship. [Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous, 293]

In his first significant book, Realizing Religion, Shoemaker had the following to say about the days “when the Church had martyrs in it.” Shoemaker wrote at page 67:

I believe that originally this was the spiritual impulse, entirely apart from considerations of ecclesiastical order or the founding of a brotherhood by Jesus, which welded Christians together in the days when the Church had martyrs in it. The value of united prayer and worship, of inspiring and instructing a group bent on one object, the constant impact of the words and the interpretation of Jesus, has often been dwelt upon. . .

The Acts of the Apostles

In Acts chapters 1 to 6, there are a number of descriptions of what the First Century Christians did, what they had received, and how they fellowshipped together. Here we will just quote two segments.

The first from Acts 2:38-43, 46-47:

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. . . .

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 The second segment from Acts 4:29-32:

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.

By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. . . . And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

The Keys to Applying First Century Christianity in Recovery Programs Today

Our latest title is:

How to Conduct “Old School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena.

In a small number of pages, this new book—very succinctly and very specifically—covers the ground above and then shows how the successful “Christian fellowship” practices of the First Century and of the early A.A. group in Akron can be applied today and fully supported by Conference-approved literature published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. And how those who join together in Christian fellowship can attain healing and a whole life in the same way the Apostles did and that the old school AAs did.

Gloria Deo

The Faith of A.A. Cofounder Expressed in his 1939 Interview

A.A., Religion, "Your Faith" 1939 Interview of Dr. Bob

---

[This is the "Faith" article which A.A. literature had said was lost. AAs speculated that Dr. Bob wrote the article. He didn't. He was interviewed by Defoe in September 1939 for "Your Faith" Magazine. And the interview disappeared from view for years and years as far as AAs were concerned. Yet in the interview, Dr. Bob told how he read the Bible with patients. He told how they came to trust God. He told how he had been cured by prayer. He spoke about the healings of Jesus Christ. And he was talking about the many drunkards whom he had been able to help once he himself prayed, turned to God for help, and was cured--a priceless article free of the editing and revision of others who might have doubted!]

I Saw Religion Remake A Drunkard
by D.J. Defoe
September 1939 "Your Faith" Magazine, page 84

Through Liquor, this physician had lost his practice, his reputation and his self-respect. Then one night in a gathering in a private home, he found the way of escape.


WHEN a doctor starts drinking, he's usually on the skids for keeps. His profession gives him so much privacy, so great exposure to temptation both from liquor and from drugs, and his need of a stimulant to lift him from depression becomes so extreme, that many a good doctor has dropped into oblivion for no cause other than his own thirst for drink.

I could tell you about more than one doctor who came to no good end through liquor. Their stories are alike in their early furtiveness, then a brazen attitude of liquor - might -do-things-to some-men - but - I'm-different, then a broken desperation to try to keep up appearances and pretend nothing has happened, and finally exposure—and failure—and disgrace. One brilliant ex-surgeon a suicide; another exile from home; two others forgotten by their friends; so runs the history.
But Dr. X handled his liquor problem differently. He came close enough to degradation to see how the jaws of hell reaching out for him. But then something interfered and saved him.

Today Dr. X—and I dare not give his name, or even the name of the city, for reasons you will soon discover—is alive and happy and is probably a better and more popular doctor than ever before. What saved his life and reputation? What force made him into a new man?

It was simply religion, brought home to him in a way he could use it. Simply the new habit of living his religion, and the discovery that he could utilize the power of prayer.

We used to see Dr. X around a lot. He was cheery, straightforward, friendly, and successful. His field was a particularly intricate form of surgery and he did well at it.

Then for quite a while we missed him. I saw his wife now and then, and noticed—even a man can things like that—that she seemed a little shabby and not especially happy.

We began to hear ugly rumors. That's bad for any doctor. We heard he was losing his practice. When a doctor begins drinking, not many people are willing to trust their own lives to his skill with a knife.

Last year I met Dr. X for the first time in several years. He was a new Dr. X. Straight as an Indian. Clean eyes. An honest I-can-lick-the-world look in his face. He gripped my hand in a vise and said hello in a way that gave you something to tie to.

We were at a party. Someone offered Dr. X a drink. Then I remembered what had happened to him and wondered what he would do.

"I don't drink," he said evenly. "Some men can take a drink, or two drinks, and stop. I can't. I had that ability once, but not now. If I'd take as much as a swallow of alcohol now, I'd disappear—and you wouldn't see me for three weeks."

From him and from others I got his whole story, a bit here, a bit there. Here it is.

He had been drinking for longer than anyone but his wife suspected. For a while he was able to keep the matter a secret. But he missed a couple of appointments and got into some trouble. First his competitors knew it. Then his friends around the hospital got wise. Finally even his oldest patients began to leave him.

He had always been dignified and aloof, and when he was straight you hesitated to go up to him and tell him he was drinking too much. Usually he drank alone, silently, hungrily, in a sodden fashion of one who wants to forget. Just a deadly, steady sopping up of the poison. It was ghastly. In his saner moments he must have known the way he was headed. But a stubborn pride—and pride of that sort in a wayward person is a terrible thing—held him from seeking help.

Finally a friend he trusted got him to attend a little meeting in a living room one evening. It was a simple affair. Not dress-up at all. Here was a factory foreman who looked happier than almost anybody in town. When the time came to talk he told how he had been cured of drunkenness by prayer. His wife told how unbelievably happy their life was now. They didn't have much money—you could see that—but they had something that money alone had never brought them. They had love, and self-respect, and they had each other.

Dr. X was surprised to find that everyone in this little group had some sort of a fight to make, and had won. He began to look at these people in a new way. They had been weak and now they were strong. Unconsciously he began to envy them.

He surprised himself by starting to say something. He admitted he had a tremendous hunger for liquor, and sometimes it got him down. He found that just merely talking about his trouble seemed to bring relief. As long as you conceal your difficulties, no one can help you. But once you bring your trouble out in the open, you can invite help and encouragement from friends. And you can benefit by the strengthening power of prayer.

Merely getting on his knees and asking for help wasn't the whole story of Dr. X's reformation. Many a drunk knows there's a wide difference between promising to go straight and sticking to it!

What enabled him to hold fast to his resolution was the discovery that he, who had just started to climb back to sobriety and respectability, had the ability to help other desperate and disheartened drunks to live decent lives too.

In fact, that's a big part of the cure. When Dr. X gets an inebriate started on a new life of decency, he sees to it that the man gets on his feet now and then and talks to other people in the same predicament. Telling yourself and the world that you're going to go straight helps you to remind your subconscious mind that you are going straight.

There have been a lot of ex-drunks that have come within Dr. X's influence since that fateful night he was turned back from a drunkard's grave. Forty-three of them, no less, owe their new lives to him. He'll leave a party or a dinner, almost leave an operation, to go and sit up all night with some drunk he probably never saw before but who he knows needs help.

He has worked out a little system. Usually he puts the drunk to bed in a hospital, where he can sleep off his liquor quietly but can't get any more. There the sick man—for a drunk really is a sick man—receives regular care, and hot meals, and also some measure of discipline and restraint. There he has privacy, and time to think.

"But you can't do much for a man until he hits bottom and bounces back up, can you?" I asked.
"A man doesn't necessarily have to hit bottom, but he has to come close enough to it to see where he's going if he doesn't stop drinking," replied Dr. X quietly. "And he's got to want to be helped before we can do much with him or for him"

When a drunk in the hospital starts to sober up, Dr. X closes the door and starts to talk to him.
"I know where you hide your bottles," he'll say. "I know every sneaky little thing you do to get liquor

when you're not supposed to have any. I've been there myself. And I want to tell you, my fine young friend, it's getting you nowhere. You're rotten. You're ashamed of yourself. Now let's do something about it."

So there in that white, silent hospital room they read the Bible together. Then they pray. Very simply. First the Doctor, then, falteringly, the man himself. He finds his voice gains in confidence. He finds it is easy to talk to God, and talk out loud. He finds a huge load is lifted off his chest. He begins to feel he could hold his head up again. He gets a fresh look at the man he might be. The whole idea becomes real and feasible to him. He becomes enthusiastic and eager about going straight. He promises to read the Bible, and Dr. X leaves him.

Then, like as not, the sick man slips up, and badly. Success is not that easy. Those nerves that have been accustomed to bossing the mind and the body can't be straightened out without a last tough fight. The patient begs for just one more last little drink, and when the nurse refuses, he is angry at Dr. X and may storm about and threaten to go home. Fortunately, the foresighted Dr. X had carefully removed the patient's pants and shoes and locked them up in his own locker in the surgeons' room of the hospital.

And then, because he knows the fight the sick man is going through, Dr. X comes back in time to bring new comfort and new cheer and to again call forth the searching and ever-available help of prayer. And in a couple of weeks the man, rested and refreshed and with the eyes alight as a result of decent living, goes home to his friends and his family that had almost given him up for dead.
"No, I don't dare let you tell about this," Dr. X said to me when I asked him for a signed interview.

"We can't publicize these cures. These men are outside the realm of every day medicine. They have tried everything and been given up as hopeless. We don't succeed every time ourselves. We can't brag. Every case is a new battle."

"But if word got out that we can do anything at all for a drunk, then derelicts would come into this town by the TRAINLOAD. We couldn't handle them. We couldn't handle a dozen. Two is a lot. One at a time is plenty. I can't talk to one of these fellows for more than an hour or two without feeling spent and tired, unless I talk like a parrot, and talking like a parrot wouldn't do them any good".
"Do you remember when Christ turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched me?' and some woman confessed she had touched his robe because she wanted to be cured? Christ felt some of his power pass out from him at that touch. It's the same way with helping people. You're giving something. It tires you.

"We fellows who are doing this sort of thing feel we have hold of something, but we don't dare use our names in connection with it. Look up the new book, Alcoholics, Anonymous which we helped write. We studied around for a long while to find how we could tell our story without using our names. That book was the answer. It tells some actual stories—my own among them—but no names are given. Even the publisher doesn't know our names."

"But Dr. X," I insisted, "Why not let these drunks pay you something for what you do for them? After all, they have been a burden to their friends. You put them back where they can earn a living again and live a decent life. You deserve any kind of fee you want to charge."

"No, we can't commercialize the idea," the doctor said firmly but kindly. "That would spoil everything. We've got to keep our work as a gift to anyone we are able to help.

"Moreover, I'm not sure we could set up a sanitarium and cure people effectively in any wholesale manner. I'm convinced this idea has to grow, one cure at a time."

I tried to argue still further. "But Christ was willing to let folks invite him in for supper and the night," I suggested. "You and your wife have food to buy, and rent to pay, and overhead expenses in the way of taxes and insurance and shoes for your daughter. It's your own fault if you don't let these reformed drunks help pay their own way."

"I'm satisfied," he said with a quiet smile that permitted no debate. "My wife and I are happier than we have ever been in our lives. We can keep going very nicely as long as I get a few operations from time to time, as I am doing. I'm doing a good job of living, and am happy," he ended.

Then he handed me this final thought. "I have found that no one can be permanently happy unless he lives in harmony with the rules set down in the Good Book," he said. "Try it some time! You don't need to wait till you're down and out before you ask for help. There's help waiting for you right now, if you just ask God to help you."
† † †
The gifts of friendship have only the value that
friendship gives them.—The Advance.
YOUR FAITH

The Real "Power" Behind Alcoholics Anonymous

The Real "Power" Behind Alcoholics Anonymous is the power of God. See our blog titled: "The Real "Power" Behind Alcoholics Anonymous" God Bless, Dick B. www.dickb.com

Faith within A.A. Blog

This first faith in aablog should have a broader title. That title might be called Faith Within A.A. The reason is that I am one of those people who is not troubled by the supposed conflict between AAs today and the Christian Fellowship that was the A.A. of the pioneer founders of A.A. The reason is that I have devoted 18 years of research and now 31 published titles, 170 articles, and many audio blogs to unearthing and publicizing the early A.A. history. Why? Because I am a Christian and discovered piece by piece A.A.'s diverse "religious" roots and also its roots in the Bible. I learned that I could remain confused about the difference between God and some nonsense "higher power," between religion and and illusory "spirituality," and between going to meetings and coming to God through Jesus Christ. I learned too that there are really two different A.A.'s as well as two different streams that ultimately led to the one program that was not written or published until 1939 - four years after the founding. This has caused many an AA, Twelve Step adherent, therapist, counselor, historian, and treatment program to opt for the 1939 program as embodied in A.A.'s Big Book. The problem is that it was early A.A. that had the documented 75% to 93% success rate among seemingly hopeless medically incurable real alcoholics who gave the program their best shot. They claimed cure. They claimed and relied upon the power of Yahweh our Creator. And, for the most part, they insisted on acceptance of Christ. In quick summary: One root was United Christian Endeavor and the North Congregational Church of St. Johnsbury, Vermong. It was from this backdrop, that A.A.'s Akron co-founder got his Christian baptism, his focus on prayer, his reliance on the Creator, the importance of the Quiet Hour, the vital necessity for Bible study, and the principles of conversion, love, and service. These ideas formed the basic principles and practices of the only A.A. in existence in 1935--Akron Group Number One. This group was called a Christian Fellowship, had a five point mandatory program of abstinence; reliance on the Creator and acceptance of Christ; obedience to the Word of God through walking in love and eliminating sin; growing in fellowship with the Father, His son and other believers through Bible study, prayer, and guidance; and intense work helping other alcoholics to get straightened out. There were additional practices such as morning quiet time, religious companionship, church attendance, and hospitalization which were optional. And the program was completed in 1938 and summarized by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s agent Frank Amos. We have the reports, and A.A. published them in part in its DR. BOB and The Good Oldtimers. By 1937, they were able to count 40 pioneers who had worked their program--50% had been continuously sober for up to two years; 25% had relapsed but returned to go forward; and 25% were "showing improvement." The program could be described also in this fashion: It took place largely in the homes, and once a week in an "Oxford Group" meeting which was far from resemblance to the existing program of Frank Buchman and Sam Shoemaker. Some Oxford Group ideas were followed as part of the Christian life-changing ideas of the four absolutes, the inventory and confession, conviction of the need for change, and making restitution. The ideas can appropriately be described in a broad sense as being taken from religion, medicine, and the experience of one alcoholic working with a newcomer. With the success under their belts, the tiny group commissioned co-founder Bill Wilson to write a book that would enable the message to be carried widely to help people in many places. With that we turn to the second, totally different root. It could said to have begun when businessman Rowland Hazard (a real alcoholic) sought psychiatric help from the famed Dr. Carl Gustav Jung. Jung imparted to Hazard the theory that Hazard had the mind of a chronic alcoholic and could probably be cured by conversion. Jung was familiar with the many accounts by famed American psychology professor William James of Harvard who had reported on the many conversion cures most of which had taken place in gospel/rescue missions. Wilson himself had heard temperance and revival meetings and sermons about conversion and alcoholic and had seen his own alcoholic grandfather Willie Wilson's miraculous healing on Mount Aeolus in Vermont after which Willie proclaimed he had been saved and never touched a drop of booze thereafter until the day of his death. Hazard's story, coupled with Hazard's involvement with the Oxford Group, was passed along to another real alcoholic Ebby Thacher. Thacher heard the conversion theory; he had read the James accounts; and he was lodged in the Calvary Rescue Mission in New York City. There Thacher was converted and healing by acceptance of Jesus Christ at the altar call. Thacher passed along to a still drunken Bill Wilson the details. Wilson had been hospitalized at Towns Hospital several times and been told by his own psychiatrist William D. Silkworth, M.D., that Jesus Christ could cure him, specifically "The Great Physician."
Wilson also went to the altar at the Rescue Mission, made a decision for Christ, wrote that he had been born again, proceeded drunk to his final hospitalization at Towns Hospital. There he decided to call on "The Great Physician" for help. Wilson had his own conversion experience much like the one his grandfather had experienced. Wilson asked his doctor and wife if he had been healed; and both declared he had a genuine conversion. Wilson then spent most of a day devouring the William James book and concluded that he Bill had indeed experienced a genuine conversion. He never drank again. Wilson affiliated himself with the Oxford Group and its leaders, picked up on their "carrying the message" theory of personal work, and raced from Oxford Group meetings to the Rescue Mission to Towns Hospital seeking out drunks and preaching to them that "the Lord had cured him (me, he said) of this terrible disease, and that he just had to keep on telling people." His success was nil, probably because most didn't want to hear his preaching or believe him. He even endeavored to pass along Oxford Group life-changing ideas but to no avail. And then came Bill's visit to Akron where Bill and Dr. Bob worked through the summer of 1935 to develop a program based largely on the Bible and incorporating the simple principles Dr. Bob had learned in his youth. And then came phase three. Bill was authorized to write a book about the program. But he didn't. Knowing far more about the Oxford Group and its leaders Frank Buchman and Rev. Sam Shoemaker, Bill wrote his "Big Book" basic text which really codified Oxford Group principles--some twenty-eight in number. He summarized the program in Twelve Steps, whose language came largely from the teachings of Rev. Sam Shoemaker. And the program did not at all resemble the Akron program because it discarded conversion as the solution; it adopted a vague "higher power" idea; it eliminated Bible study, Jesus Christ, morning quiet time, religious comradeship, specific references to the Creator in the Steps, and even ignored Sam Shoemaker's definition of the spiritual awakening which Wilson said was needed for cure. Shoemaker had taught that a spiritual awakening involved Conversion, Prayer, Fellowship, and Witness; yet all specific reference to these was omitted while at the same time adopting Shoemaker's language. In addition, the Big Book and Steps drew on medical theories of Dr. Silkworth while omitting Silkworth's views on cure by the Great Physician. It adopted an "alcoholism-can't-be-cured" thesis of a lay therapist named Peabody who himself died drunk. It added some metaphysical phrases from New Thought writers. It adopted phrases from the William James book such as "surrender," "higher power," and the like but omitted conversion and cure. Wilson threw out the materials he had learned and used from the rescue missions and Salvation Army. And most were made happy by being allowed to include personal stories of how they had established their relationship with God.
Today, A.A. is still a religion, albeit a self-defined one. It is certainly not a Christian fellowship. It welcomes people of all faiths, no faith, diverse faiths, and rank atheists. Its support structure is extremely valuable and much to be envied and utilized. Its availability and freedom from cost is appealing. And its avowed purpose of helping the newcomer who still suffers offers real hope and assistance to those in despair. But what of faith withing A.A.?
It is here that A.A. falls short is is plummeting fast. Yet there are tens of thousands of us in A.A. and Twelve Step Fellowships who are Christians, who believe in God and the integrity of the Bible, and who rely on fellowship with the Father and His son for healing, forgiveness, and guidance. Despite this, many people of faith (specifically Christians) feel intimidated, unwelcome, and heretical in the view of AAs simply because they have faith. I believe that this faith within A.A. needs to be buttressed by a knowledge of its history, its real early successes and principles, and universal tolerance, love, and service.