A Suggested Guide
for Recovery Groups and Meetings Patterned on Early AA
Dick B.
© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved
P. O. Box 837
Kihei, HI 96753-0837
(808 874 4876)
email: dickb@dickb.com
URL: http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml
Introductory Comment
For the past three of four years, and particularly in 2011,
scarcely a day goes by that someone does not
phone, fax, email, or mail me a request on how to start a Big Book/Bible
Study Group in AA, How to hold an old-time, early AA meeting, What to do with a
recovery group started by a church, a para church, or a group of AAs who want
to focus on the early AA Christian Fellowship, reliance on the Creator, Bible
Study, and the old fashioned prayer meetings@
as they were frequently called.
Each communicant has a different agenda, a different
point of origin, and a unique recovery group or church community background.
Hence, I have found it helpful to have each person
supply me directly with the following:
1.
Their name, mail address, phone number, email, and website,
if any.
2.
A brief statement of their alcoholism or addiction
story.
3.
The length of their continuous sobriety or freedom from
addiction.
4.
Their religion, church or group, and religious beliefs.
5.
Whether they believe in the Creator, have accepted
Christ, and are willing to lead.
6.
Their familiarity with the Big Book, taking the Twelve
Steps, and a fellowship
7.
The name, address, religion, and faith beliefs of their
pastor or priest, if any.
8.
The number of people they plan to reach at the
beginning.
9.
The immediate
financial resources they have for acquiring start-up literature.
10. Whether they have read my books, and, if any,
the books they’ve read.
When the foregoing have been answered by phone,
email, or other communication, I welcome personal calls by phone to discuss
moving forward and initial guidance.
Specific Suggestions
Suggested Format for Recovery Group
Meetings
Open the Meeting as Follows:
This is the regular meeting of the
(i.e.) “The James Club of Maui”
My name is xxx, and I am your secretary
We will open the meeting with a
moment of silence to do with as you wish
Followed by a prayer; and the
secretary or chosen person prays (i.e.)
“Heavenly Father. We ask in the name
of Jesus Christ for your blessing on this meeting of those who are here to
overcome their life-controlling problems such as alcoholism, addictions, and
other dependencies. We ask that your wisdom and guidance show us your will for
our lives, your way to victory, and how we may glorify you in all that we do
here.”
This group patterns its work after
that of the first Alcoholics Anonymous Group, which
was formed in Akron,
Ohio, The early A.A Christian
Fellowship in Akron; stressed the Bible; was known as AA Number One; was a
Christian Fellowship; and relied on the Creator to overcome the problems of the
members. To the same end, we’ll review several verses from the Bible that
guided them in their work:
God’s love: For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life@ (John 3:16)
God’s will: Who will have all men to
be saved and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth (1 Tim 2:4)
God’s word of faith: That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that
God raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved (Rom 10:9)
His Word is truth: Sanctify them through
thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17)
Faith in God: But without faith it is
impossible to please him; for he that cometh to
God
must believe that he is and that he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: (Heb 11:6)
Obeying God: Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of
patience that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the
promises (Heb 10:35-3 6)
God’s Two Great Commandments: Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. On these two commandments
hang all the law and the prophets (Matt
22:37-40)
Forget not all his benefits: Who
forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy
diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from
destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Who
satisfieth thy mouth with
good things; so that thy youth is
renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:3-5)
The Gospel: And he [Jesus] said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shalt
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up
serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover: (Mark 16:15-18)
Early AAs believed that the solution
to all their problems was in the Good Book--the Bible.
The Book of James was their favorite.
In fact, A.A. co-founder Dr. Bob declared that James, Jesus’ sermon on the mount,
and 1 Corinthians 13 were all considered absolutely essential. The Society
considered it vital that they seek, find, know, and establish a relationship
and fellowship with God. Also vital that they study the Book of Acts to see
what Christians could and should do by reason of
the teachings and accomplishments of
Jesus Christ before he ascended to heaven to be at the right hand of his
Father, Yahweh, the Creator.
Tonight’s session will be divided
into three parts.
First, I will select someone to read
(i.e.) the first two (or more) chapters of James.
Second, I will select someone to read
the guide prepared for us by A.A. historian Dick B. concerning these two
chapters and the A.A. program.
Third, I’ll open the meeting briefly
for comments and discussion on these items.
We will then have a period where each
of us in the group may pray to God and to seek His guidance and healing in
respect of our own lives.
Then, we ask that newcomers raise
their hands so that we can get to know you. Please talk to someone after the
meeting, give them your name and phone number, and get theirs so that you may
call them for prayers, help, and support. During the period you are working
with The James Club of Maui, keep company with believers whether in shopping, recreation, sports,
church, meetings, schools, meals, and so on. See Acts chapters 1 through 4 for
what they did in the First Century that sustained their believing and carried
the message.
For those who have not yet been born
again of God’s spirit, please either see your pastor and do so with that person
if you wish, or see me after the meeting; and we will have a brief ceremony
where individually you can confess Jesus as your Lord and confirm in your heart
that God raised him from the dead. This was called a “real surrender” in early
AA.
Literature is available for purchase
or order at the table in the rear. Be sure to read your Bibles and pray each day. Our next
meeting will be on _____________.
We will close the meeting by joining
hands in a circle and saying the Lord’s Prayer, which will be led by
__________. Thank you all for coming. Please join us again.
Suggestions for Members of the Group
Suggestions for the individual to
follow daily:
Abstain. Under no circumstances,
indulge in your temptation problem - alcohol, drugs,
cigarettes, lust, over-eating, etc.
Be sure to seek medical help for
withdrawal, sweats, shaking, etc.
Thank God for all his blessings, name
them and for all blessings that you already have.
Ask God in the name of Jesus Christ
to heal you of your illnesses, to guide you away from temptations, to forgive
you for your mistakes, to guide you and instruct you to safe habits, friends, places,
and activities.
Determine that you will change your
life by following God’s commandments as they
are set out in the Bible.
Renew your mind in your reading,
thinking, speaking - filling it with simple ideas
such as those in Philippians 4:8, 1 John 4:8, and Ephesians 1:19.
Call other believers for prayers,
company, joint reading, activities, recreation, meals, l
Begin immediately finding someone you
can help even if it is by phoning them,
giving them rides, joining them for
an activity, reading the Bible with them, or simply keeping fellowship with
that person. Urge them to come with you to The James Club of Maui among other
meetings.
Don’t give up! Don’t give in. Read
James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you
Suggested reading for individuals or
the group:
Read slowly, bit by bit, the Gospels,
Acts, and go on with Romans, etc.
Read
Dick
B.’s Why Early AAs Succeeded (a Bible study guide)
Use it, beginning at Chapter 4, for
individual Bible study or
Group Bible study.
Dick B.’s The James Club: The Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials
Read Psalms such as 23, 31, 56, 91;
Proverbs 3:5-6.
Filling your hours:
A job, volunteer work, exercise,
sports, wholesome recreation, school, reading.
Heed the old AA adage: Don’t get too
Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.
A Sponsor: Ask someone who has a sound
Christian life to be your contact and sponsor.
Keep in touch. Share your problems as long as your contact provides you with prayers, Bible segments to read, and
positive solutions - not just sympathetic
listening, or some secular experience or solution.
Other Meetings Your
Group Can Hold
First, consult the Creator for
guidance as to content and leader.
.
1 meeting a week resembling the above original AA meeting
1 meeting a week on early AA History
1 meeting a week simply reading the
Bible - using the Bible study primer
1 meeting a week teaching the Big
Book chapter by chapter
1 meeting a week studying a step and its origins (using my Twelve Steps for You Book)
1 meeting a week on Steps 10, 11, 12, particularly explaining what is
involved in
a real Quiet Time: (1) Born again of
God’s spirit. (2) Reading from the Word.
(3) Prayer to God with thanksgiving,
praise, seeking guidance, seeking healing,
seeking forgiveness, asking help for
others. (4) Asking for revelation from God
for any message He wishes to give.
(5) Using devotionals like The Upper Room,
The
Runner’s Bible, My Utmost for His Highest.
Read the Big Book instructions on
Steps 10 and 11
As to Step 12,
(1) Note that the original spiritual
experience was acceptance of Christ
(Romans 10:9), being born again of
the Spirit (John 3:1-8), and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts
1:1-8). Then walking by the Spirit of God and not the flesh.
(2) Note that the message that was to
be passed on was: God has done for me what I could not do for myself.
(3) Note that the primary principles
to be practiced are those specified in
1 Corinthians 13, the Ten
Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), the two Great
Commandments love God and love your
neighbor (Mark 12:28-31);
Serving (Mark 10:42-45); and
witnessing (Matthew 28:18-20).
Dr. Bob cited all the foregoing
verses. He emphasized that the steps could
be simmered down to their essence -
love and service. He concluded his personal Story by assuring AAs that Your
Heavenly Father will never let you down.
Twenty-five years later, Rev. Sam
Shoemaker was addressing A.A. conventions and
declaring that a Aspiritual awakening@ involves four things: (1)
Conversion. (2) Prayer. (3) Fellowship,
and (4) Witnessing.
Suggested Resources
Your Group Should Acquire
1. As many copies of the Big Book (4th
ed.) as there are members
Plus at least one reprint of the 1st
Edition, and Poe’s Concordance
to the Big Book.
2. As many Bibles (preferably King James
Version) as there are members Plus Young’s
Concordance to the Bible.
3. A reference set of the Dick B. 29 Titles -
with discounted price.
4. As
many of the following Dick B. titles for each as there are members (available at a 50% discount plus s & h)
The
Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible.
The
Good Book-Big Book Guidebook
Why
Early A.A. Succeeded (Bible study primer)
When
Early AAs Were Cured. And Why.
Good
Morning: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation
Twelve
Steps for You
The
James Club and The Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials
Gloria Deo
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