As a trained professional, you undoubtedly realize some of the gaping holes both in A.A.
And in most Christian efforts—inadequate or non-existent emphasis on the healing power
And love of God, inadequate one-on-one personal work, inadequate resources, lack of
Information about the roots of Christian recovery, hostility toward A.A. or toward
Christian approaches, limited Christian efforts in time, love, service, and pervasiveness..
To make it simple, I know from my own experience with seizures, despair, loneliness,
Hostility to God by friends, and confusion on hearing about the illusory higher power
That I had difficulty as a Christian getting well from alcoholism and addiction in A.A.
While at the same time needing all the help I could get in the following facets of
Full recovery and healing.
Here are the ones we emphasize today: (1) Assessment (qualifying the newcomer). (2)
Medical diagnoses and possibly detox. (3) Referral that is hostile to none but informative
As to all. These needs may involve being in the hands of Christians who know about and
Can assist in (4) Intervention. (5) Counseling. (6) True Christian treatment programs. (7)
An historical element showing the Christian foundations of recovery. (8) After care,
Sober living, (9) Thorough participation in fellowships like A.A., Christian Recovery
Fellowships like the one you are planning, even adjunct help from such places as
Celebrate Recovery, Alcoholics Victorious, Overcomers Outreach. (10) Bible study.
(11) Fellowship with like-minded believers. (12) church. (13) prayer groups. (14)
Assistance to and information about housing, finances, food, clothing, re-entry
From prison, overcoming homelessness, veterans programs, vocational and trade
Training, pursuit of ged and perhaps higher education, locating employment, AND
(15) Working with others—the star accomplishment of A.A. and its precursors
Salvation Army, Rescue Missions, YMCA brethren, evangelists, Young People’s
Society of Christian Endeavor, and even the Oxford Group. (16) Legal, medical,
And pastoral help.
The point is that no one person or program or entity can possibly provide all
Of these. Certainly neither most churches and A.A. meetings and Christian
Fellowships. We need training for the trainers—which is what we try to do
Via every possible outreach—books, articles, websites, blogs, Facebook,
Twitter, forums, conferences, seminars, meetings, radio, TV. We also need
For the trainers to learn the solid Christian roots of the recovery movement
In the late 1800’s and the way in which A.A. grew out of these roots. We
Also need for trainers to inform their “clients” or “patients” or “newcomers”
Of the dangerous pitfalls of listening to and harboring idolatry, New Age
“spirituality,” humanism, nonsense gods, anti-A.A., anti-religious, anti-
Christian comments. And then for each trainer to link his particular area
Of endeavor in the Christian recovery arena to those of others in our
Coalition – all over the world www.ChristianRecoveryFellowship.com.
I invite you to comment, email, or phone and to join us. And the starting
Point is to allow yourself to be listed – at no cost to you –as a participant
In International Christian Recovery Coalition. To do this, you need only
Read our mission statement www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com. Then
Approve or submit a listing something like this:
“Dr. Don Hall , Jr., (ministry or recovery arena), (mail address with zip), city and state, phone if desired, email, URL”
By now my son Ken is probably sending you our material on the next steps to
Take, one of which is to try to make one of our two California
Meetings (September 17 or 24). The other is to start on the road to
Information, formation of your program, acquiring the tools, establishing
A Christian Recovery Resource Center
To network with those who can provide what you do not have or who may
Want what you do have.
God bless,
Dick B.
Author, 42 titles & over 650 articles on A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition
(808) 874-4876
No comments:
Post a Comment