Dick B. Interviews Doug Nunes of Calvary Church in Los
Gatos, California, on the January 11, 2013 Episode of the “Christian Recovery
Radio with Dick B.” show Here
On
Dick B.
Copyright Anonymous 2013. All rights
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You Can Hear
the Doug Nunes Interview Right Now
You may hear Dick B. interview Christian Recovery
leader Doug Nunes of Calvary Church Los Gatos (second interview) on the January
11, 2013, episode of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show
here:
http://mcaf.ee/fst43
or here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-recovery-radio-with-dickb/2013/01/12/dick-b-interviews-doug-nunes-of-calvary-church-los-gatos-2
Episodes of the "Christian Recovery Radio with
Dick B." show are archived at:
www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com
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Introduction to and Synopsis of Doug’s Interview
Our guest this evening is Doug Nunes, Director of Recovery Ministries of Calvary Church in Los Gatos, California. This is our second interview of Doug. We undertook it because of the great strides Doug has been making in the international Christian recovery movement--meeting with Christian leaders, pastors, and workers. We do this interview primarily because of the immense activity, organizational ability, and service to the Lord Jesus Christ that Doug has been involved in since we first met him not long ago.
Just prior to this broadcast, Doug sent a very important message. He said he particularly wanted to share “ABOUT OUR RECENT church-wide program that raised $195,000.00 for recovery ministries, Freedom House, and two global ministry projects.” He also introduced a theme you will hear him discuss: “After we get sober, we are much like other people, and we have adopted the theme that we are all in recovery from something—‘Sin.’”
Then, Doug emphasized these four major projects: (1) An International Recovery Ministry Conference. (2) Speaker Groups where those in attendance can learn about the Bible, the Big Book, and recovery. (3) Asking suffering people: “What question would they ask about the Bible and the decision to give to Christ.” (4) Calvary’s global ministry to Cambodia seeking to alleviate the suffering there from inadequate pure water, and also the church’s Freedom House for women who have been sexually abused.
Doug's Christian recovery work is a case study in how an energetic, devoted, recovered, former alcoholic-addict can rise up as a leader in his 12-Step fellowship and in his church. Recovered Christian believers like Doug can become privileged leaders who bless their pastor and church with a new broadened Christian recovery program and persuade both pastor and church of the importance of a care ministry that reaches out to alcoholics, addicts, codependents, homeless, and the imprisoned with a strong message that God can help them.
We spoke recently at Calvary Church in Los Gatos. This was in a special hall Doug persuaded his church to make available for recovery work. Doug has an office there. And when we spoke, the hall was loaded with an audience of alcoholics, addicts, 12 Steppers, recovering Christians, and others needing help. The topic was the history of A.A. and the Christian recovery movement.
Tonight Doug introduced some major themes which his efforts seek to emphasize:
(1)
There is a huge
and growing Christian recovery movement which should be open to all. Its
watchword should be “It’s not us and them when we are all like others in that
Romans 3:23 makes it clear that all have sinned.” This provides an important
corrective challenge to those who would divide. Thus the few Christian writers
who today are trying to warn Christians away from A.A. by claiming its
cofounders were not Christians—an unsupported canard; that A.A. is not a
Christian Fellowship—a status that has existed since 1939 when the doors were
open to all who suffered from alcoholism; and that the cofounders were sinners
in their exposure to spiritualism, New Thought writings, and other shortcomings—an
absurd wedge-driver which ignores the choice that all Christians have as
spelled out in Romans 8:1. They can be carnal Christians or Christians walking
by the spirit of God; but they have already been redeemed through salvation
when they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Then there are those within
A.A. who chastise, ridicule, and attempt to silence Christians and others who
are sharing their own experience with God, Jesus, the Bible, the gift of the
Holy Spirit, and Christian writings. To take this divisive approach within A.A.
is not only intolerant, divisive, and contrary to A.A.’s code of love and
tolerance, but can be likened to an absurd effort to divide a football team by
driving out those of this or that religious persuasion, ignoring the real
adversary against them on the football field.
(2)
In its own
bailiwick, Calvary Church is holding recovery meetings every single night, and
recently had a huge number of people accept Christ in the Sunday service.
(3)
Doug is about to
make a road trip after the inspiration of Ephesians 4:15. And we are helping him
with suggestions of some of the highly effective Christian recovery leaders
along his route. He hopes to learn much
of their effective techniques. And examples include David P. of Rock Church in
San Diego, Randy Moraitis of The Crossing in Costa Mesa, David Roman and Danny
Simmons of Freedom House in Costa Mesa, and Dr. Robert Tucker of New Life Spirit Recovery in Huntington Beach, and Rev. Joe
Furey of His Place Church in Westminster. He is making the trip to a number of
key successful church groups, recovery fellowships, and treatment leaders
who are reaching out the way he is planning.
(4)
Ken and I will be
meeting with Doug and other South San Francisco Bay recovery leaders during our
CROSSFlorida trip in early February. These include many in the San Jose area—a stopover
place for us.
(5)
There should be an end
to efforts to divide the members of A.A. and N.A. Sometimes newcomers are
blamed for mentioning wild and idolatrous deities. But it is up to Christians
in recovery to stand up, declare their freedom, and manifest God’s love in the
thesis that there is One God who has all power. Doug pointed to the Apostle
Paul who was willing to become all
dickb@dickb.com
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