“An excellent new article by one of our International
Christian Recovery Coalition speakers who is out in the field harvesting
and articulating a valuable approach to all who need
help from
Christian leaders and workers.” Dick B.
11/10/11
Global Evangelism
ORT-2013
Project Proposal
Non-Christian Recovery Community Outreach
The purpose of the paper is to suggest ways to reach people in the
recovery community with the Gospel. This is sometimes done in a hostile environment.
However, it is also a great opportunity to meet people at a point of brokenness
in their lives, in a time when they are receptive.
There are a wide variety of recovery groups that use the 12 Step (see
attachment A) program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), originally developed by
Bill Wilson, Dr Robert Smith and others between 1935 and 1939. Due to the
success of the 12 Step methods it has become the standard for self help in
recovery from addictions of all kinds. Although the 12 Steps are biblically
based, in many ways the programs today do not reflect the original intent or
methods of the groups begun in Akron and Cleveland Ohio
One of the first off shoots of AA was Narcotics Anonymous (NA). NA was
begun due to a tendency in AA to not understand the needs of those addicted to
narcotics and other drugs. As our culture has changed, most people entering AA
today are dually addicted. Other off shoots from the original program include;
Gamblers Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Heroin Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous
and others. With the addition of these variations in the program came more
changes to the original intent of AA’s founders.
Many other changes have occurred in the
treatment of addictions since those early days. Treatment facilities have
practically become an industry. The options include palatial mansions with
doctors and therapists on staff for celebrities and other wealthy people, to
programs designed for the poor and those coming out of prison. Fees range from free to five and even fifty
thousand dollars a month. The method of delivery of treatment options is as varied
as the price ranges available. These include intensive inpatient treatment,
sober living environments, and out patient services. Although I cannot go into
in depth descriptions of each method in this paper, most of these methods are
12 Step friendly. Although some facilities are not 12 Step friendly, they tend
to use the same principles without actually using the 12 Step of AA. The
principles that have the most effective results, although many in recovery have
no understanding of this, are biblical.
Let’s take a moment to look at the original AA program as developed in Akron Ohio
The
Actual, Seven-Point, Original Akron
Summarized by Frank
Amos for Rockefeller
·
An alcoholic must realize that he is an
alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink
anything with alcohol in it.
·
He must surrender himself absolutely to God,
realizing that in himself there is no hope.
·
Not only must he want to stop drinking
permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery,
and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this
absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
·
He must have devotions every morning–a “quiet
time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature.
Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding.
·
He must be willing to help other alcoholics get
straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own
willpower and convictions.
·
It is important, but not vital, that he meet
frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a
religious comradeship.
·
Important, but not vital, that he attend some
religious service at least once weekly.
(DR. Bob and the Good
Oldtimers, p 131).
It is important for those of us in
the Christian Recovery movement to understand this history if we are to be
prepared to witness within the non Christian recovery setting.
Recovery Community Culture
The message about God has been distorted since those early days of the
12 Step movements. This can be distressing to the Christian in recovery, or it
can be seen as an opportunity. The
simple fact is that AA has changed no more then our American culture has changed
over the last seventy-six years.
These changes can be seen throughout our society and AA as well. There
has developed a clearly visible drug and alcohol culture which has also shaped
the culture in the rooms of AA and NA. With the advent of New Age thinking, we
can see this influence in the recovery movement as well.
Some people in the recovery community have had bad experiences with the
church. Others have been misled by pop culture and other influences to believe
many untrue ideas about the church. Some have legitimate concerns due to highly
publicized failures in the church. Others are just angry at God for the way
their lives have turned out. Still others want to be sober but do not want to
give up other sins they like, sins which are forbidden in the Bible. There are
a myriad of reasons why Christians can find a hostile environment in a non
Christian recovery meeting. Sometimes Christians have literally been shouted
down for expressing there views on spiritual matters.
Other cultural issues in modern recovery include
things that Christians find distressing such as, foul language, anti-Christian
bigotry, sexually suggestive behavior, lewd joking, 13th Stepping
(entering romantic relationships), and odd conceptions of “a” god. AA
misconceptions of God include: the group, a light bulb, a door knob, and many
others. This is an out growth of the phrase “God as we understood Him” in Step3
and Step11. “God as we understood Him” came from an Oxford Group saying, “Give
as much of yourself as you understand to as much of God as you understand.” This is just another thing that has been
distorted from the original meaning. With this knowledge the Christian can
point out the true intent of “God as we understood Him.”
These things are considered perfectly
normal to many in recovery. However it can be very confusing to the new comer
and frustrating to the Christian. These
issues and more have left a vacuum and an opportunity into which Christians
stepped with the advent of the Christian Recovery Movement.
Since the origins of the twelve step
programs were Christian in nature, it is easy to make connections between the
programs and the teachings in the Bible. With a little knowledge of these
historical origins, Christians in recovery can have a great impact on the lives
of fellow recovering persons on the journey to wellness. The question is: How
do we go about outreach to the recovery community? Do we attempt to mold
recovery to the church culture or do we come along side in the rooms of AA and
NA and work within that culture? I believe the answer to these questions is “Both!”
Christian Responses to Twelve Step Recovery
There are many responses by
Christians to Twelve Step Recovery. They are as varied as the denominational
differences we see throughout Christendom today. Some are very wrong, and some
are just differences in the approach each Christian community takes in the
ministry to which God has called them. Some take a mold recovery to the church
culture approach, and others come along side the existing recovery program and
work within the recovery culture. Some methods are a blending of both.
I will not spend much time on the
Christian approach which is totally against twelve step recovery programs. In this approach you will hear things like the
twelve steps are against God, God is not present at AA and NA, or AA and NA are
a cult. This approach drives AA and NA folks away from Christ and encourages
Christians who have had their feelings hurt at AA or NA to be completely
negative and legalistic about the two programs. In my opinion this destroys a testimony
that could have been leading people from AA and NA to the Lord.
Taking a more middle ground on this are ministries that tend to get AA’s
and NA’s to conform to church culture. I find that these ministries can be
quite successful and that this is not a huge detriment to helping folks in
recovery find Christ. Since there are many options, the net result is often
positive.
Here are some of the things I think can hold us back in Christian
recovery ministries. Referring to AA and
NA as secular. First of all in the strict definition of the word, secular
refers to anything devoid of reference to god or spirituality. For many Christians,
the word secular simply means non Christian. This tends to be a general
understanding in the church. However those outside the church such as AA’s and
NA’s do not have this understanding and can find it demeaning and insulting.
Another controversial issue is How AA’s or NA’s introduce themselves
prior to sharing at a meeting. Hi I’m __________ I’m an alcoholic (or addict).
I understand the theological reasoning behind the Christian dismissal of this
introduction. I do believe we are new creations is Christ. But I am also
reminded of Paul ’s statement in 1
Corinthians 9:19-23. Although this is not necessarily always controversial, strict
enforcement of how people introduce themselves can make AA’s and NA’s feel
unwelcome.
The last one I often hear is this “You
can’t get sober without Christ.” Personally I know many people who have
done just that, people with many years of sobriety who don’t know Christ as
their personal savior. As a matter of fact these folks tend to be one of my top
priorities as I witness in the recovery community. It is true that one will not
have a life as joyous and free as he or she could without Christ; and, of
course, in the end, not knowing Christ is disastrous. But to say that you can’t
get sober with out Christ simply is not true. There are not many things more
exciting to me then leading a brother in sobriety with many years of clean time
to the Lord. All of a sudden ten or more people will have a Christian sponsor.
What a blessed impact this has on the lives of people in the recovery
community. When we say “You can’t get sober without Christ,” we look either
ignorant or dishonest to those in AA or NA. This again hurts our testimony in
the recovery community.
Working within
the Culture
1Corinthians
9:19 -23 19
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to
win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win
the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I
myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21
To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am
not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not
having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I
have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save
some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share
in its blessings.
“In Paul ’s cultural flexibility he never compromised the
absolutes of the gospel message. Some scholars have felt that there is a
disparity between Paul ’s principles
and his practices as recorded in Acts. However, it was only in cultural matters
that he was flexible to avoid offense to the gospel and totally consistent with
his principles as stated above.” (What in the world is God Doing p.276).
The basic principles of AA are governed by the 12 Traditions (see
attachment B). These principles tend to be followed to greater and lesser
degrees at any given meeting. The idea of the Traditions is to regulate to some
degree the method and management of the meeting environment. These loose
regulations leave much room for interpretation and confusion. The Traditions do
make it clear that all are welcome no matter what they believe, or what religious
background they come from, including none.
This is attractive to many seeking help. If we are to operate within the
Traditions, which is conforming to the culture, it becomes inappropriate to be
preaching Jesus constantly in the AA or NA setting.
Using a good working knowledge
of the history of the Christian foundations in the early recovery movement and
following Paul ’s example we have an
excellent opportunity as Christians to have an effective witness. As one of my
early Christian mentors in AA still reminds me, “AA is the best fishing hole in
town!”
The following list of AA slogans and
sayings came directly from the bible or were heavily influenced by the bible.
As we witness within the confines of the Twelve Traditions these slogans and
sayings can be leveraged into conversations about Christ.
Just for Today / One Day at a Time ------------ Matthew 6:34
First Things First ---------------------------------- Matthew 6:33
Faith with out works is dead. -------------------- James1:20
We were reborn. ----------------------------------- John 3:3
Thy will be done. ---------------------------------
Matt 6:5-13
The Lords Prayer ---------------------------------- Matt 6:5-13
Not only do we have these and many other
sayings inspired by the Bible, we also have the founders’ own accounts of how
AA began--such as the following quote from Dr Bob. “But we were convinced the
answer to our problem was in the Good Book. To some of us older ones, the parts
we found absolutely essential were the Sermon on the Mount, the thirteenth
chapter of 1 Corinthians and the book of James.” (The Cofounders of Alcoholics Anonymous / Biographical Sketches / Their
Last Major Talks / Pamphlet P-53 p13).
Also, in the same
publication, we find: “I didn’t write the twelve steps. I had nothing to do
with the writing of them. But I think I probably had something to do with them
indirectly. After my June 10th episode, Bill came to live at our
house and stayed for about three months. There was hardly a night that we
didn’t sit up until two or three
o’clock , talking. It would be hard for me to conceive that, during
these nightly discussions around our kitchen table, nothing was said that
influenced the writing of the Twelve Steps. We already had the basic ideas,
though not in terse and tangible form. We got them, as I said from out study of
the Good Book.” (The Cofounders of
Alcoholics Anonymous / Biographical Sketches / Their Last Major Talks /
Pamphlet P-53 p14).
The list of AA slogans, and the two quotes
from Dr Bob, are just a small sampling of the biblical influence on the Program
of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are many more to be found throughout AA
literature. Another excellent source of information about AA’s biblical history
is books by AA historian Dick B in his over forty publications about AA
history.
The Practical Application
Now let’s consider the practical
applications of this knowledge. First of all let’s discuss Christ Centered
Recovery. At Serenity Group we constantly use the knowledge of our AA roots to
connect people to Christ. We teach AA history classes at least twice each year,
and I use AA history throughout the opening devotionals each week. In our small
groups we instill the value of the recovery movement and use of the Bible throughout
the discussion. Our Serenity Bible is an excellent way to help those interested
in Jesus to see how their recovery fits with the Bible and God’s church. Many
have come to know Christ and become able to relate their relationship with Him
to their healing in the recovery process. Recovery is so much more fulfilling
with Jesus, the true higher power personally involved in our lives.
One of the other values that helps us be
more effective is our desire to instill the feeling of being “ok” to be at a Christ Center
An often heard criticism of AA and NA is
that it is all a bunch of whining. Let’s face it; people are dealing with very
difficult issues if they have entered a recovery program. There will be much
discussion of some depressing circumstances in people’s lives. We counter this
with a time of praises during the opening devotionals before we break into
small groups. This is sometimes the most inspiring part of the evening. Here is
a little example of what I am talking about. One evening there were two lady
newcomers. Of course, there are always new comers at the meeting. During the
praises, they got up and walked out. One of them was clearly quite upset. Once
we were breaking for small groups, they came back in and emphatically demanded
to speak to me. I was a little nervous as I thought we had offended them. I was
surprised by her question that followed.
The lady asked, “Is this real? Are these people really this happy?” At this point, a sense of relief came to me
as I could see the Holy Spirit was working on them. As one of our small groups
leaders passed by, I asked her to share a bit of her testimony. I am a strong
believer in ladies sharing with ladies. I stepped back for a few minutes and
let them interact. Shortly our ladies group leader was praying with her. As the
prayer came to a conclusion I asked the newcomer if she would like to accept
the Lord. She answered “Yes.” We prayed again. If we can help folks to relax
and understand that we are not at odds with others in the recovery community,
folks seem to be more receptive.
One other thing we insist on is taking
announcements for any and all recovery events in Oroville. Although AA and NA
will not announce Serenity events, we take that in stride and just love on
them. The next thing you know people are telling everyone what we’re doing out
of a sense of fairness. A supreme value is that we love God and love others
especially in the Recovery Community of Oroville.
Next let’s consider participation in AA
and NA meetings. One thing we always do is respect the rules (The Twelve Traditions).
Even though in my heart I want to stand and shout about Jesus from the roof
tops, this would only destroy my ability to reach those I am trying to reach.
It is quite easy to intertwine scriptural principles with the program. It is
also easy to use quotes from AA approved literature which proclaim Christ. As
long as it’s AA approved, there is not a problem. Although some don’t like it
when I do this, I am acting within the spirit of the 12 Traditions.
There are other little things we can do as
Christians to reach our brothers and sisters in recovery. I like to say things
like “I finally decided to just go with the same higher power at Dr Bob and
Bill Wilson”. That one always gets someone asking questions after the meeting.
Likewise I can say something like “I always like to use the same book that Dr
Bob always read when he did his 11th step work”. You might have
guessed, that book is the Bible. It is not hard to be a bit creative and loving
to make great strides for the kingdom.
I will never forget one of the finest
compliments I ever got at an AA meeting. This grumpy old time AA guy who was as
tough as nails came up to me and stuck his finger in my chest. I didn’t know
what was coming next. He looks me in the eye and says “Hey, you’re the guy who
leads the Christian meeting that respects us.” Only a short time later he
became very ill. Before he passed, one of our Serenity guys lead him to the
Lord in the hospital. I am so glad that I get to see him again on the other
side of eternity. He was a member of AA for over twenty years before he
accepted Christ.
Vision for the Future
When our people know our recovery history,
it gives them a sense of empowerment to operate within the meetings throughout
the community. In the past many Christians abandoned AA and NA because of the
treatment they received for their opinions about the Bible and Jesus Christ.
Our goal is to teach them to couch their discussion of Christ and the Bible in
the historical context, and to do so with humility. When we do this, things
change.
It is our desire that everyone in the
recovery community of Oroville gets the chance to hear about Jesus. We want
them to know that in truth He is the author of the recovery movement. We want
our lives to represent Him to them. My friend and Mentor Brother Al who likes
to call AA the best fishing hole in town also likes to tell me that Christians
cannot give up on AA. He reminds me that
we may be the only Jesus that many in recovery may ever see.
The results are impressive. At Serenity we
are usually around 150 in attendance on a regular night. On our dinner /
speaker night we usually run over 250.
We draw from at most a population of about 27,000. It has been estimated
that Nation wide statistics claim that about ten percent of the population is
in active addiction. If half of them are seeking recovery, which I doubt, that
means we are reaching over ten percent of our local recovery community on a
regular night and over twenty percent on our dinner / speaker night. The other
impressive result is that at any given AA meeting. half of the folks in the
room will be Christians. Only a few years ago almost no one in the room was
Christian. Without our trying to change the culture of AA, the culture changes
when half the people there are Christians.
We love to use this little motto from St
Francis of Assisi
“Preach
the gospel everywhere you go, if necessary, use words.”
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