A,A. and First Century Christianity

A.A. and First Century Christianity

Dick B.

© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved

Early A.A. Was Consistently Called “First Century Christianity.” Why!

Two elements stand out when it comes to what the early Christians did.

            Daily: Mark 14:49 is one of the many instances where Jesus emphasized his daily

                        teaching in the temple: “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took

me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.”

            Daily Fellowship by the Apostles and Disciples after Pentecost. Acts 2:38-47:

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you and to your children and as many as the Lord your God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods; and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Those First Century Christians who were saved became the body of Christ, and members in particular

            In 1 Corinthians 12:13, the Apostle Paul declared:

                        “Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.”

Time and time again early A.A.’s fellowship was described as “First Century Christianity.” And the Akron pioneer AAs called themselves a “Christian Fellowship.”

These important themes constitute a major emphasis of International Christian Recovery Coalition, and were principal discussions in our three major conferences in California

The Dick B. Address to Assn of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors Conference, Palm Springs

	THE ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN ALCOHOL & DRUG COUNSELORS INSTITUTE Announces the 2011 Annual Christ-centered Addiction Professionals Conference to be held from Friday, September 30th TO Sunday, October 2nd at the Hotel Zoos in beautiful Palm Springs.

The Dick B. Address on October 2, 2011

© 2011 Anonymous, All rights reserved

·         The Growing Christian Recovery Movement and the Role ACADC Institute can play

The opportunity for our pervasive, informative, Christian Recovery Movement is now!

International Christian Recovery Coalition is adding daily the participants who, at

            no cost to themselves, are listing themselves in this world-wide fellowship

            www.ChristianRecvoveryCoalition.com

Conferences, talks, and interchange among Christian recovery leaders of all stripes

            are becoming commonplace – as evidenced at our recent summit conferences

            in Costa Mesa and Brentwood, California where panelists and speakers came

from California, Hawaii, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, South Carolina, and Delaware to share what they do and fellowship with each other.

           

·         A regular radio, webinar, skype, YouTube, podcast, and other media outreach will

soon enable information interviews of and talks by Christian recovery counselors, clergy, and recovery pastors; leaders of Christian recovery fellowships; owners and directors of Christian recovery treatment programs, interventions, detox facilities, after-care, and sober living programs; Christian chaplains, community resource outreach, prison and re-entry outreach, veterans outreach, codependency outreach, hospital outreach, at-risk populations outreach, homeless outreach, food, clothing, and shelter outreach; experienced and long-clean and sober 12 Step leaders; Bridge organizations; members of the International Christian Recovery Coalition Speakers Bureaus; leaders of libraries, archives, and memorial collections.

           

·         The newest programs and projects of International Christian Recovery Coalition can and will enhance the Christian Recovery Movement growth. And these include:

Revival of understanding and importance of the Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition;

            the Original Printer’s Manuscript which shows the changes in A.A. of 1939;

            the new Dover Publications reprint of the 1^st edition, with all the previously

removed personal stories, the original ideas, and the Dick B. introduction; and

            a work in progress that will soon be a First Edition Sponsor Guide.

More conferences, seminars, and resource materials

Publishing our materials in print-on-demand, electronic, and web-wide forms—materials

such as The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide and The Dick B. Christian

Recovery Resource Center Handbook

Expansion of the number of participants in the International Christian Recovery Speakers

Bureau.

·         Preparing as many as possible introductions, forewords, and appendices for each Alcoholics Anonymous, substance abuse, treatment, counseling, and Christian recovery history guide book, workbook, text, and article. Our role would be to encourage writers and publishers to begin their recovery items with accurate history of the real origins, principles, and practices of the Christian Recovery Movement and how to apply them today in whatever Christian recovery program or A.A. History work is undertaken.

·         Stressing, encouraging, expanding, and establishing Christian Recovery Resource Centers for entities and individuals world-wide. This so that each and every Christian recovery endeavor is also able to provide or steer alcoholics and addicts to reliable resources incorporating the role of God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in the origins.

The needed expansion of this collaborative effort includes the following: Assessment

and qualification of both affected and afflicted persons; providing comprehensive resource information; Intervention, Counseling, Detox; Christian treatment that includes or refers to detox; counseling, family, children, and co-dependency facilities; Teaching about Christian healing, prayer, forgiveness, guidance, deliverance, Bible study, Quiet Time, Fellowship, Salvation, and the importance of God’s Word; Fellowships, 12 Step Groups, Teen Challenge, Missions, YWAM, Celebrate Recovery, alumni, after-care, and senior fellowships, transitional and sober housing; re-entry help as to veterans, military, and correctional release; abandonment, youth, senior, family, medical, homeless, at risk and chaplaincies; community recovery resources including churches, food, shelter, housing, clothing, medical help, mental health welfare, unemployment, job training, education, wholesome recreation options, wholesome music, theater, teaching, sports, community volunteer, services such as Big Brother, and business or union or trade groups.

·         Holding Renewal Conferences among leaders to discuss and improve: sponsorship,

counseling, treatment; prayer-Bible study-healing-Quiet Time activities; study groups; 12-Step history, A.A. history, and Christian Recovery Movement resources, guides, and programs; Bridge groups and Christ-centered fellowship effectiveness; counselor training and certification, training the trainers, literature resources and recommendations; long-term Christian residential recovery treatment such as CityTeam, Teen Challenge, and similar long-term Christian residential recovery programs.

·         These foregoing suggested efforts—(1) Media Christian Recovery presentations; (2) Christian Recovery Resource Centers and Persons (3) Expansion of International Christian Recovery Coalition participant listings. (4) Enabling us as consultants only to help introduce and write for and with you accurate descriptive forewords and introductions to books, articles, guides, workbooks, and web presentations of your programs; and (5) Renewal conferences and Bureau Speakers who can inform you—can go far in helping the growth, effectiveness, networking, information exchange, and program enhancement of ACADC Institute, Christian counselors, Christian treatment programs, Christian recovery fellowships, and community recovery outreach by Christians.

For further information, assistance, counsel, and resources, please contact my son Ken or myself at 808 276  4945, dickb@dickb.com, and PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837

Reviewing Who We Are and What We Do

International Christian Recovery Coalition
Reviewing Who We Are and What We Do
Our members: They read the statement. They provide a listing of their choice. They become participants. The fellowship is informal and free. We undertake projects:
A growing number of participants located all over the U.S. and abroad
A listing on our web of leaders, outreach folks, speakers, and participants
Christian Recovery Resource Centers
Websites, blogs, Facebooks, Twitter, Christian Forums, Social forums, Digg, Tumbler, Stumble Upon, Google Buzz, Google reader, Goarticles.com, SearchWarp, Hub Pages, Self Improvement Experts, Amazon, Bing, Rings, Links.
Encouraging networking, cooperation, and referrals among participants
Distributing books and literature on the origins, history, founding, original Christian A.A. program, its successes, the changes in recovery, and adapting today’s methods to “old school” Christian techniques.
Including as participants: Christian leaders, Christians in recovery, Christian recovery programs and pastors, clergy, detox and interventionist specialists, Christian counselors, treatment programs, after-care, sober living, bridge groups, authors, publishers, AAs, NAs, and Twelve Step people, sponsors, sponsees, study groups, prayer groups
Our Two-Part Mission Statement
"To glorify God by making known the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in the astonishing 75% and 93% success rates (overall, and in Cleveland, respectively) early A.A. claimed among ‘seemingly-hopeless,’ ‘medically-incurable,’ ‘real’ alcoholics who really tried to follow the original recovery program developed by A.A. cofounders Bill W. and Dr. Bob in Akron, Ohio, beginning in the summer of 1935."
"To glorify God by helping Christian leaders and workers in the recovery arena substantially improve their effectiveness in reaching those who still suffer by including accurate information about the original, highly-successful Akron A.A. program, its principles and techniques, and its historical setting into their recovery efforts."
The Theme of our September 17 and 24 California Christian Recovery Summit Meetings
“Using Akron-Cleveland Christian Recovery Model Principles to Enhance Substantially Today's Christian Recovery Efforts”
Gloria Deo