Brief Highlights on the Two California Summit Conferences

Brief Highlights from

The North American Summit Conference Meetings of

the International Christian Recovery Coalition

Saturday, September 17, at The Crossing Church in Costa Mesa, CA &

Saturday, September 24, at Golden Hills Community Church in Brentwood, CA

# 1--The New Emphasis on the 1939 First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous:

Hazelden Foundation--one of the Sponsors of the Summit Conference Meetings--provided for display The Book That Started It All: The Original Working Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous, a beautifully-bound, uniquely-valuable book; and we were able to explain its early A.A. role.

Dover Publications--another of the Sponsors of the Summit Conference Meetings--just released its new title, Alcoholics Anonymous: The Original 1939 Edition, on September 15, 2011. This reprint of the first edition of the Big Book contains all of the original personal stories, and a 23-page introduction by Dick B. This Introduction explains: the origins of the First Edition; the importance of the personal stories (all but 3 of which were removed from subsequent editions); and the part the personal stories were intended to play in Bill Wilson’s “evidentiary” proof that the Big Book’s “Solution” had been tested and proven to work. Many of these first edition personal stories show the pioneers individually giving testimony verifying the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in their healings.

Forthcoming Sponsor’s Guide based on the first edition--Though it is still a work in progress, this annotated written and verbal study of the original program and several of its personal stories will enable sponsors to show newcomers and others exactly how the various segments can be understood and used in the manner intended by the founding AAs.

# 2--Panelists and Special Guests: Of particular note is the part played by the many panelists and special guests who traveled from afar to the Summit Conference Meetings. Our objective was to have experienced, long clean and sober, Christian leaders show how the mission of the International Christian Recovery Coalition is succeeding in their respective areas of endeavor.

Panelists included intervention and assessment experts, Christian recovery pastors and counselors, Christian treatment program owners, Christian bridge group leaders, Christian family counselors, sober living program leaders, A.A. historians, Christian recovery pastors, two members of the International Christian Recovery Coalition’s newly-established Speaker’s Bureau, authors, and experienced 12-Step Fellowship leaders and Speakers (and we will review their reports in a later release).

Special Guests: (1) Henry Lozano, Advisor to Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, to California Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown, and other government and non-profit agencies, and recently appointed as the director of Los Angeles Teen Challenge and Urban Ministries Initiative for Southern California. (2) Rev. Don Hall of Don Hall Ministries of Colfax, long associated with Teen Challenge, with YWAM, with street ministries, and churches he has pastored. (3) Rev. Cynthia W. Sloan, Program Associate, United Methodist Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV). (4) Father Bill Wigmore, Former President of Austin Recovery Ministries, Austin, Texas; Presently Chaplain; and with  Episcopal Diocese of Texas Recovery Committee  (5) Rev. Jerry J. Liversage, Jerry Liversage Ministries, Inc./ Responding Recovery Ministries.

# 3--Plans for Frequent (possibly weekly) Radio Interviews by Dick B., Executive Director of the International Christian Recovery Coalition, of advisors, outreach directors, participants, panelists, historians, counselors, denominational and historical curators, and leaders of the many Christian recovery fellowships, study groups, prayer and Bible study groups,  residential treatment, homeless, veteran, re-entry from correctional institutions and hospitals, at-risk youth facilities, and professionals in the medical, psychiatrist, psychological, counseling, clergy, pastoral counseling, chaplaincy, and recovery pastoral work.

# 4--Plans for consulting, writing, and training those engaged in writing books, workbooks, guidebooks, pamphlets, articles, and programs for recovery so that they may include our three-fold Christian recovery materials as introductions explaining the Christian origins of the recovery movement and Alcoholics Anonymous, utilizing the existing “Conference-approved” materials of present day fellowships, and explaining how the “old school” Christian recovery principles, practices, and programs can be applied in recovery today for those who want and seek God’s help.