An Opportunity for Collaborating
Communities
Of
Christian Recovery Leaders
Aim
Enabling various and even diverse
communities to unite in Christian recovery options
Possible Varieties of Communities to
Survey and Hear From
·
A
like-minded group of Christian churches who want the help of others and also additional,
supportive recovery-oriented resources in their community
In larger venues, a community of churches in a single denomination
A Christian community of recovery-concerned pastors and ministers
A Christian community of recovery pastors and directors
A Community of Christian recovery fellowship and group leaders
[Examples: Serenity Group of Oroville Church of the Nazarene
Turning Point Group of Golden Hills
Community Church]
·
A
Christian ministry uniting Christians, Christian churches, and Christian treatment
programs, counselors, fellowships, and
sober-living facilities
[An example: Rock Recovery Ministry, Rock Church, San Diego]
·
A
Christian evaluation, intervention, detox, treatment, and after-care program,
uniting with churches, pastors, 12 Step groups, treatment programs, Christian
recovery fellowships, Christian sober living, sober clubs, and alumni groups
[An example: Celebrate a New Life, San Juan Capistrano]
·
A
Christian bridge program working with churches, Christian counselors, Christian
residential and outpatient treatment programs.
[An example: Manna House Ministries, Jamestown, Tennessee]
·
Christian
individuals or groups that organize groups promoting church attendance,
fellowships, 12 Step meetings, and Bible studies
[Examples: Russell Spatz, attorney, “Alive
Again,” “Lost Sheep,” Miami,
Florida;
Pastor Joe Furey and Roger McDiarmid,
His Place Church;
Executive Recovery Pastor Randy Moraitis, Lifelines, Cornerstone
Church, Costa Mesa
·
Christian
church-sponsored featured weekly recovery meetings that collaborate with
treatment programs, small groups, probation officials, parishioners
An example: Lifelines, The Crossing Church, Costa Mesa
·
12 Step
meetings that encourage church attendance, Bible study, Big Book study, A.A.
meetings, and Christian fellowship
[An example: Fr. Bill Wigmore, Chair, Episcopal Diocese of Texas
Committee, Austin]
___________________________________________________________________________
Programs and Suggestions to Hear About,
Evaluate, and Possibly Adopt
[Examples are (1) the
daily fellowships of First Century Christians as reported in the Book of Acts; (2)
the daily outreach of evangelists, rescue missions, Young Men’s Christian
Associations, Salvation Army, Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor; and
(3) the daily recovery gatherings of Old School A.A. pioneers of the Akron
Christian Fellowship]
·
A core
Christian leader, pastor, recovery professional, church, fellowship, treatment
center, sober living facility, 12 Step group, or group offering outreach to
prisons, homeless, veterans, hospitals, and support groups
·
A core
Christian community that is Bible friendly, church friendly, 12-Step friendly,
recovery friendly, and friends with friends of like mind
·
An
emphasis on conducting, or finding, or supporting, or referring suffering
members to:
Christian fellowships
Bible study
Prayer
11th Step practices
12th Step techniques
that will locate, help, support, disciple, and teach newcomers.
12 Step fellowships
Church sponsored Christian
recovery meetings
Home meetings
Family meetings
Breaking-bread meetings for meals,
coffee, snacks, barbecues, celebrations
Witnessing outreach
Conversions
Growth-oriented
service
A recognition that the components of
victorious Christian living and healing were:
Recognition of the problem and need to eliminate the problem forever
Belief in God
Becoming children of God through Jesus Christ
Daily fellowship with like-minded believers
Daily prayer, Bible reading, Quiet Time
Daily learning and obeying God’s will and commandments pertaining to
love
and elimination of temptation and sinful
conduct.
Daily thoughtfulness, actions, and focus on helping others be saved,
come to a
knowledge of the truth, and walk by the
spirit instead of by the flesh
Favoring church
affiliation, religious fellowship, and religious comradeship
Vowing to follow, practice, and continually
live by Christian principles.
Learning, resisting, and defending against
the wiles of the devil and the
biblical
armor available to do that.
Recognizing that successful recovered,
cured, Christian living calls for
knowledge of God and His will, the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, the
gift of the Holy Spirit; deliverance from the power of darkness; renewing one’s
mind to God’s promises, requirements, love, forgiveness, power, healing, and
eternal life.
Learning that the most common weapons of
the devil are focused on fear,
guilt, shame, anger, dishonesty, selfish behavior, ungodly thinking and
language, urging your keeping company with “slippery places” and “slippery
people,” and failure to keep one’s mind, tongue, and actions on things above;
and casting down devilish temptations, words, deeds, and actions
____________________________________________________________
Bearing in mind the
A.A. quip: “We are not a glum lot.” Success—the fruit of the spirit seeks and
embraces godly recreation; exercise; fitness; good nutrition; good hygiene;
useful service and behavior; constructive mental challenge and labor; love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
“A merry heart doeth good
like a medicine: but a broken spirit
drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
Gloria Deo
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