Participating in Alcoholics Anonymous as a Believing Christian

This will be the first of several reports on what our latest series of 17 meetings and conferences in California have suggested for Believing Christians and Their Widespread Participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and Twelve Step Fellowships.

1. A new information dissemination effort by International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com)

a) Searching out, listing, and enlisting "A.A. Friendly, Bible Friendly, History Friendly" A.A. and N.A. meetings, groups, fellowships, seminars, conferences, and literature.

b) Encouraging the strong recovery leadership now emerging in such places as Rock Church in San Diego, Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ in Escondido, Pacific Hills Treatment Centers in San Juan Capistrano, New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc. in Huntington Beach, Lifelines at The Crossing Church in Costa Mesa, His Place Church in Huntington Beach, The James Club in Norco, The James Club Fellowships in Covina, Good Book/Big Book Solution Seekers in Roseville, CityTeam Ministries and its many residential treatment centers on the West Coast, Turning Point at Cornerstone Church in Livermore, Serenity Group at Oroville Church of the Nazarene, recovery meetings at Auburn Church of the Nazarene, recovery meetings in Chico, Golden Hills Commmunity Church in Brentwood.

c) Conducting Christian recovery leadership workshops such as the one we conducted at CityTeam in San Jose. These will involve instructive talks to leadership people, discussion by them of what they have heard, and reports to the workshop at large of what they have learned and what they would change to improve Christian recovery outreach.

d) More area talks where travel, meals and lodging, and other expenses are funded and A.A. Friendly, Bible Friendly, and A.A. History Friendly audiences are willingly and eagerly seeking to know about "old school" A.A. and its applicability today. Thus we will be speaking at the conference of the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Institute, Inc. in Palm Springs this November, and an Awareness program at Betty Ford Center in February of 2011.

e) Continued efforts to sell and distribute our three major tools: "Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery"--a 4 DVD class that visually depicts the Christian origins, history, founding, original program, and successes of the original Akron program--as well as the changes made in 1939 and the applicability of the original program in recovery today. "The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide," 3rd ed., 2010 which is a thoroughly researched, reported, documented, and useful coverage of the Christian recovery movement from the 1850's through today--an essential documentation source for leaders. A new "Stick With The Winners" brief, simple, and highlighted workbook telling leaders and the afflicted exactly how they can present Christian recovery today in meetings, groups, fellowships, treatment programs, counseling, counselor-training, prison and jail outreach, sober and transitional housing programs, homeless outreach, VA programs, Military programs, and programs of such groups as the Salvation Army, Overcomers, Alcoholics Victorious, and Celebrate Recovery.

f) A planned "First International Gathering of Recovered Saints" on the Island of Maui. Leaders, their wives, friends, and kids will come to Maui at their own expense, enjoy the beauties and activitiews, and gather together for instructive workshops conducted by Dick B. and Ken B.

g) Continued intensive free information outreach via websites, blogs, facebook, twitter, widely posted articles, newsletters, emails, and phone conferences.

h) Funding efforts to meet expenses that will invite special sponsors, benefactors, a spiritual 40 club, onsite donations, and purchase of "Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery" classes (www.dickb.com/IFCR-Class.shtml) and "The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide," 3rd ed., 2010 (www.dickb.com).

i) Encouraging acquisition of and sending and distributing free old and new copies of vital A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature such as "The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous" (P-53) and "DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers" We strongly urge leaders, fellowship members, and others to purchase these two items and distribute them widely at no cost, and/or to send us the materials so that we can do that.

j) We will be doing a pilot leadership training program on Maui in partnership with the County of Maui Salvation Army.

k) We will continue to invite you to purchase boxes of Dick B. books at a very substantial discount and distribute them free to others in your friendship circle and area. Just a day or so ago, a good A.A. friend Rob O. brought a box of the Dick B. title, "Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth," 7th ed. He distributed them free and extensively at our great conference at Golden Hills Community Church in Brentwood, and came up to me to have their copies signed.

l) Lots more. Stay tuned. God Bless, Dick B., 808 874 4876, dickb@dickb.com, www.dickb.com