An Answer to: "Who Are Christian Alcohol Rehab Centers For?"

An Answer to: “Who Are Christian Alcohol Rehab Centers For?”

Dick B.

Who are Christian alcohol rehab centers for?

It depends upon the Christian.

Many of the early Akron AAs were Christians, just like I was. But they drank too much, got drunk too much, got in trouble too much, and just kept doing it like the energizer bunny. Then they formed their daily Christian Fellowship of pioneer AAs, and they got well!

I went to rehab--after joining AA and having three gran mal seizures at a meeting and thereafter--because my doctor recommended it. And I'm very glad I did. I was sick. I was alcoholic. I shook like a leaf. My body hurt all over. I was confused, fearful, forgetful, and just plain sick. But the Center wasn't Christian. It detoxed me. It fed me. It chattered on about denial. And it released me after  30 days. Then. Yes then the trouble started. The wreckage of the past, the higher powers and nonsense gods of the AA rooms, an inept sponsor, unhelpful talk about spirituality, and sheer terror.

Finally, after a month of anxiety and shaking, I went to a VA psych ward. It wasn't Christian. And the anxiety and sickness continued until I finally turned to God in the fifth week. Life changed. I faced the music. I helped others. I prayed daily. I read the Bible daily. I tried to renew my mind daily with a focus on God’s Word and the promises and admonitions therein. And I dived into A.A. with the attitude that it was God who was my sufficiency.

Now suppose A.A. had been Christian or the treatment center had been Christian or the psych ward had been Christian!

Who would  they be for? Someone like me.

But, in my opinion, could only be called Christian if, and in the sense that, they: (1)

Believed in and taught about God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible. (2) Believed God can cure alcoholism if sought. (3) Taught about what God can do for those who seek Him in accordance with His will. (4) Taught the Christian that there was no condemnation for those who walked by the spirit and not after the flesh. (5) Taught that the Christian who wanted to prove that good and perfect and acceptable will of God by renewing his mind to God's Word and not conforming to the world would achieve vistory, prosperity, and health. (6) Emphasized the daily Christian walk of the Apostles, the early Akron Christian AAs, and those who truly yearned  to become new creatures in Christ and put everything in the walk of love.

Can this be? Our International Christian Recovery Coalition is devoted to telling that story to clergy, recovery pastors, treatment programs, physicians, therapists, Christian recovery fellowships, Christian counselors, Christian intervenors, Christian hospitals, and any 12 Step person or fellowship that wants God's help.

God Bless, Dick B., Exec Dir of International Christian Recovery Coalition. www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com

dickb@dickb.com

Gloria Deo