Dear M--- [Name removed to protect anonymity]
Thank you for writing. Your message is far too complex to enable an easy answer. But I
will start from certain points and invite you to phone me if I can assist
further. Here are the points:
1.
I would be delighted to have you list yourself—at
no cost—as a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition. It is
an informal fellowship of participants around the globe who want to help
disseminate the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in
the origins, history, Christian upbringing of A.A. cofounders, founding, and
original Akron Christian Fellowship program of 1935, and can play today for
those who want God’s help. Please check out the website www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com;
and, if you approve, send me a listing something like this: “M.....,
Recovered Christian, [your group or ministry ], mail address, city, state, zip,
phone, email, and any URL”
2. My reference set of 29 books was never meant to be read at
one chunk. It was presented as a bargain for a lifetime of usage. On the other
hand, many are eager with the question: “Which
book should I read first? And in what order should I read them?”
3. There are several answers: (a) If, as we
recommend, you organize a Christian Recovery Fellowship, the suggestions are
laid out in detail in our latest book, Stick
with the Winners! http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. It suggests how to
conduct such a fellowship; and it certainly is not at all similar to the
Celebrate Recovery fixed resources. (b) The set is also intended to be a reliable
resource for specific questions, subjects, or topics. In other words, if a
person has a question about A.A. roots in the Bible, or about the Oxford Group,
or about the books early AAs read for spiritual growth, or about how AAs
observed Quiet Time, there is a book for each of these, and many more topics.
(c) If one wants to know the basis for cure and healing of alcoholics and
addicts, there are three books that can be
helpful—Cured!, When Early AAs
Were Cured and Why, and The First
Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference. If one wishes to get a correct
take on how to take the 12 Steps, Twelve
Steps for You and By the Power of God
will do the job. (d) Some groups just pick a book like The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible and study
and discuss it line by line. (e) There are several important books on what and
how to study in terms of A.A., the Twelve Steps and the Bible—The James Club, Why Early A.A. Succeeded,
The Good Book-Big Book Guidebook, God and Alcoholism.
4.
I am very glad you wrote and for your eagerness
to move. We could certainly use a strong Christian recovery and Twelve Step location in your area.
Dick B., dickb@dickb.com, www.dickb.com, 808 874 4876
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