Our Second Crackerjack Christian
Recovery Radio Interview with A.A. “Akronite” and Christian Recovery Leader
Mark Galligan of Ontario, Canada. Mark Explains How His AA Meeting in the Home
Applies “Old School” A.A. to the 12-Step Recovery Program Today
Dick B.
Copyright 2012
Anonymous. All Rights reserved
You Can Hear the Mark Galligan July 2 Interview Right Now
You may listen to the second part of Dick B.'s interview with Christian
Recovery leader Mark Galligan on the July 2, 2012, episode of the
"Christian Recovery Radio with DickB" show here:
http://goo.gl/cZiSu
or here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-recovery-radio-with-dickb/2012/07/02/dick-b-interviews-christian-recovery-leader-mark-galligan-2
Episodes of the "Christian Recovery Radio with DickB" show
are archived at:
Synopsis of Dick B.’s Radio Interview of Mark Galligan Today
Over and over each week, my son Ken and I receive emails and
phone calls from AAs, NAs, Christian recovery leaders, 12 Step Fellowships, and
others in the recovery arena asking virtually the same question and phrased as
follows:
I never heard in A.A. or learned
anything about how the early A.A. program conducted its successful meetings,
talked freely about God and Jesus Christ and the Bible, or even its
applicability available through A.A. General Services Conference-approved
literature today. I get rebuked in meetings if I mention these things. But our
group is hungry for more information about old school A.A. and about how to
establish and conduct meetings today that will study, discuss, and apply old
school A.A. now. Where do we start?
In our frequent Christian Recovery Radio interviews, we are
hearing from leaders all over the world who are telling us how hungry their
friends are for information, how much they want to start a study group, and how
sorely they need information and guidance as to how to go about it.
Mark’s second interview today lays out cold some very
significant facts about how his Canadian meetings are doing it with great
success today in house meetings with up to twenty men—half considered “newcomers”
and half considered “old-timers” who have substantial sobriety. And our listeners
can learn a lot from Mark’s talk. They can also get in touch with him as one of
the speakers in International Christian Recovery Coalition. And here are Mark’s
salient points.
The Meeting Focus:
Like early A.A. in Akron, the meetings are held in the home.
They are directed at initiating newcomers. The aim is to teach the place that
God and Jesus Christ had in early A.A.
And also the importance of the Bible in early A.A. The Bibles they use
are the King James Version—the “Good
Book” early AAs used—and the NIV for
a little more understanding of the language.
Mark believes they find no conflict in this usage.
The Tools They Use:
1.
The entire text of the original “Serenity Prayer” which
most have never heard; plus A.A. Conference-approved books, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, Alcoholics
Anonymous Comes of Age, As Bill Sees It, The Language of the Heart, and “Pass
It On.”
2.
The key tools are these:
The Little Big Book Dictionary-A Concordance
Anonymous Press
Study Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd
ed.--each second page
is blank and
enables notes to be made.
The
Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major
Talks—stressing Dr. Bob’s last major address where he points out
that the old-timers believed that the solution to their problems was in the
Good Book (their affectionate name for the Bible), and emphasized as “absolutely
essential” Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, 1 Corinthians 13, and the Book of James.
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers
Dick B., The Good Book and the
Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible, Bridgebuilders
ed.
The Conduct of the
Classes:
Members must commit to attending each week. They must do the
work. And they must be prepared for the subject matter to be discussed.
Each meeting starts with prayer. Then the text. And then a
review of what’s learned the previous week.
For the first three months, each newcomer must write down –
three pages a day – the first 164 pages of the Big Book, the Preamble, the
Forewords, and the Doctor’s Opinion. They are told that at the end of 90 days
they will have completed the 12 Steps. Their attention is called to the mention
of God, and descriptions of Him as Creator and Maker 326 times.
The Problems in Today’s
Meetings:
Mark points to the fact that one hears little about the
Twelve Steps. The meetings can be characterized as “group therapy.” “God” and “Jesus
Christ” are blocked out. A large percentage
are not interested in the topic. And there is a new brand of talk about “I”
“I” “Me” Me.”
The Growing Hunger and Action to Teach:
Mark’s group has taken the group to a deeper layer of
appreciating what early AAs actually did in their original Akron Christian
Fellowship. He finds newcomers hungry for the Word of God.
The Importance of
Quiet Time:
Consistent with what we are finding all over the world,
there is a great interest in the restoration of “Quiet Time.” Mark finds there
is very little talk about “prayer and meditation” and “Quiet Time.” It’s
missing. This despite the fact that A.A.’s own literature points out that
meetings were not considered important in early A.A., but that “Quiet Time” was
a “must.”
We called attention to some strong movements in that
direction. For example Rock Recovery Ministries of Rock Church in San Diego is
now featuring a new book by The Upper Room, titled Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions 2013. For some time, each
person in the group has taken the Upper
Room topic for the day, and then texts other members on what was learned
from it. Also, in Texas, Father Bill W., an Episcopal Priest who formerly
headed Austin Recovery, is now Chair of Episcopal Diocese of Texas Recovery
Committee which is undertaking a strong program in Houston and Austin to plan
an effective program of that nature. We also called attention on the program to
our popular title, Dick B., Good
Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A., 2d ed. (www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml)
which reports the historical roots of the Quiet Time practice, the specifics as
to how it was done (with opening prayer,
Bible reading, group prayer, seeking God’s guidance, discussion and/or sharing
by Dr. Bob’s wife Anne Smith from her journal Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939 (www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml), and
use of the Upper Room and other
devotionals such as The Runner’s Bible
and My Utmost for His Highest by
Oswald Chambers.
Conclusion: Mark
summed up by repeating the foregoing items, stressing that there was no room
for laziness in today’s recovery work, but there is plenty now for satisfy the growing
hunger. He again mentioned to important tools being used in the home meetings
in Ontario.
Gloria Deo
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