Thursday, June 25, 2015

Applying “Old School” A.A. in Today’s 12-Step Fellowships


Applying “Old School” A.A. in Today’s 12-Step Fellowships

By Dick B.

© 2011-2015 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

What the First, Original, Akron A.A. Program Was and Did

 

The Way the First 3 AAs – Bill W., Dr. Bob, Bill D. – Got Sober Before the Program. See The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010, pp. 57-59

 

            No Steps. No Traditions. No Big Book. No drunkalogs. No meetings as we know them.

            Each believed in God, was a Christian, asked God for deliverance, and received it.

 

The Summary by Frank Amos, Published in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, page 131

 

Five required points: (1) Permanent abstinence. (2) Surrender of one’s life to God. (3) Obedience to God’s will—eliminating sinful conduct, living love. (4) Growing in understanding through Bible study, prayer, seeking guidance, reading religious literature. (5) Helping others get well the same way. Two recommended points: (6) Social and

religious comradeship. (7) Attending a religious service once a week.

 

The Fourteen Practices of the Akron Pioneers, discussed in The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010, pp. 54-57

 

(1)   Qualifying the newcomer. (2) Hospitalization. (3) Belief in God, accepting Jesus

Christ as Lord and Savior. (4) Left hospital with Bible and instructions to “go out and fix drunks as an avocation.” (5) Most lived in residences of recovered Akron pioneers.. (6) Christian fellowship meetings every day. (7) Morning Quiet Time at Smith Home led by Dr. Bob’s wife. (8) “Regular” Oxford Group meeting each Wednesday with “real surrender.” (9) Extensive reading of Christian devotionals and literature. (10) Studying Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13 stressed.  (11) Instructions to reach out to newcomers. (12) Frequent socializing in the homes. (13) Members knew each other well, visited, phoned, kept address books. (14) Rosters kept of names, addresses, sobriety dates, relapses (if any), and successful pioneers.

 

The spiritual resources used in that first, original Akron A.A. Program – See Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History: The Old School A.A. You May Not Know, pp. 27-30, 85-92

 

(1)   The Bible; (2) Conversion to God through Jesus Christ; (3) Anne Smith’s Journal; (4)

Background ideas from (a) Professor William James, (b) Dr. Carl Gustav Jung, (c) Dr. William D. Silkworth, (d) lay therapist Richard Peabody, (e) New Thought writings of Emmet Fox, (f) Writings of Rev. Sam Shoemaker; (5) Christian literature Dr. Bob circulated, (6) Quiet Time, (7) Daily Devotionals, (8) Oxford Group 4 Absolutes and restitution practices, (9) Biblical training and Christian upbringing of Dr. Bob as a youngster in Vermont.

 

 

The major Christian influences that impacted on the work and plans of the cofounders. See The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., pp. 8–26.

 

(1) Evangelists and revivalists like Dwight Moody and Billy Sunday, (2) The Gospel Rescue Missions, (3) YMCA lay workers, (4) The Salvation Army, (5) Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor, (6) Oxford Group books, (7) Writings of Rev., Sam Shoemaker, Jr.

 

Documented 75% success rate of the original, serious, real alcoholics who really tried. See The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., pp. 77-85

 

            Dr. Bob’s own hand-written list of 1939, now in Rockefeller Archives, New York.

 

Where and What to Study and Learn

 

Bible – King James Version

 

            The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches, Their Last

                        Major Talks

            The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible

            The James Club and the Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials

            Why Early A.A. Succeeded (a Bible Study Primer)

 

Belief in God and the decision to come to Him through Jesus Christ

 

            Hebrews 11:6, John 3:16, 14:6, Romans 10:9

The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A.

Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book as a

Youngster in Vermont

            The Golden Text of A.A.: God, the Pioneers, and Real Spirituality

            A New Way In: Reaching the Heart of a Child of God in Recovery with His Own,

                        Powerful, Historical Roots

 

The Teachings of Dr. Bob’s Wife, Anne Ripley Smith – “Mother of A.A.”

 

            Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939: A.A.’s Principles of Success, 3rd ed.

            Children of the Healer: The Story of Dr. Bob’s Kids

 

The Influence of Professor William James and Dr. Carl Gustav Jung – Spiritual experience and necessity for conversion

           

            Real Twelve Step Fellowship History: The Old School A.A. You May Not Know

            The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A.

            “Pass It On”: The Story of Bill Wilson and how the A.A. Message Reached the World,       

                        pp. 381-286

 

Influence of William Duncan Silkworth, M.D. – Seemingly hopeless, “medically incurable”

 

            Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., pp. xxv-xxxii

            The Conversion of Bill W. More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A.

            The Liitle Doctor Who Loved Drunks: A Biography of William Duncan Silkworth, M.D

 

Christian Literature Circulated by Dr. Bob and at Meetings

 

            Dr. Bob and His Library, 3rd ed,

            The Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth, 7th ed.

 

Quiet Time – Bible reading, Prayer, Seeking Guidance, Anne’s Journal

 

            Good Morning: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation and Early A.A., 2d ed.

            The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works, 2d ed.

            Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Bible as a Youngster

                        In Vermont

 

Daily Devotionals

 

            The Runner’s Bible by Nora Smith Holm

            The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond

            The Upper Room (quarterly of the Methodist Church)

            My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

 

The Four Absolutes – Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness and Love

 

            The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous

            Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939,

 

The History of the Early Program

           

The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous

Real Twelve Step Fellowship History

            Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.’s  Spiritual Roots and Successes

 

Basic Ideas of Early A.A. Fully Available and Applicable Today as a Choice

 

Complete Abstinence from Drinking Alcohol of Any Kind

 

Qualifying the Newcomer

 

Hospitalization and possible detoxification

 

Surrender of one’s life to God, and becoming one of his children through Jesus Christ

 

Obedience to God’s Will – Eliminating Sin and Living Love

 

Growth in understanding: God, His Son, the Holy Spirit, Bible, commandments, salvation, healing, guidance, forgiveness, love, the renewed mind, dealing with the Adversary, prayer, thankfulness, fellowship, witness; and the return of Jesus Christ

 

            Study of the Bible – particularly Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, James, 1 Corinthians 13

            Individual and group prayer

            Seeking God’s guidance from the Bible and from His revelation

            Studying Christian literature on the Bible, prayer, thankfulness, love, forgiveness, healing

 

Intensive personal work helping others to get straightened out by the same path

 

Recommended social and religious fellowship and attending a religious service weekly

 

Making & Using Links Between the Founders & Present-Day A.A.’s Basic Text

 

Bible Basics: Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, 1 Corinthians 13, Book of Acts

 

Overview: Shoemaker’s definition of spiritual awakening: prayer, conversion, fellowship, witness

 

The Solution: Establishing a relationship with, or finding or rediscovering God now!

 

More about Alcoholism: Conceding the one’s innermost self that he cannot drink at all

 

How It Works: [the abc’s, ending] God could and would if He were sought

 

Chapter Five – Surrender, Inventory, Confession, Conviction, Conversion, Amends,

Continuance in Step 10, Prayer and Meditation in Step 11, Witnessing and Practicing the principles from the Bible through Step 12.

 

“Taking” the 12 Steps as Clarence Snyder Taught Them

 

Reading the First Edition Personal Stories – almost all of which are now deleted

 

Understanding the importance of fellowship with like-minded believers, worship

 

Spiritual Tools Bill W. Had Before Him When He and Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker Expanded Bill’s 6 Word-of-Mouth Ideas to 12 Steps

 

 

The Bible references and the references to sources are based on the verses and the writings the early AAs actually used – not some fabricated thoughts about relevant verses or ideas

 

Step One: Dr. Silkworth’s view of problem of Alcoholism; and Psalms 23, 91; “O God Manage Me because I can’t manage myself” prayer used by the Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and Anne Smith

 

Step Two: Hebrews 11:6; God either is, or He isn’t; and Power greater than ourselves from Anne Smith and Shoemaker; and Bill’s statements that only God could restore us to sanity.

 

Step Three: “Thy will be done” – Matthew 6:10; James 4:7 Shoemaker

 

Step Four: Inventory of faults using the Four Absolutes – Matthew 7:1-5; Anne Smith, Oxford Group, Shoemaker

 

Step Five: Confession of Faults – James 5:16, Anne Smith: to God, ourselves, another

 

Step Six: Conviction of Faults – Oxford Group

 

Step Seven: Conversion – John 3:16, Romans 10:9, James 4:10 - Shoemaker

 

Steps Eight and Nine:  Willingness and Restitution – John 7:17, Matthew 5:23-26; Shoemaker, Anne Smith

 

Step Ten: Continuance: Shoemaker, Oxford Group, Anne Smith

 

Step Eleven: Quiet Time – Psalm 5:1-3; Shoemaker, Oxford Group, Anne Smith

 

Step Twelve – Awakening (Matthew 7:20-29), Pass It On (Mark 16:15-20), Practice the Principles (Matthew 5:1-16, 38-48; Matthew 6:9-13, 33; 7:9-12, 16-20) – Shoemaker, Oxford Group. In summary: Ten Commandments, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Book of James, 1 Corinthians 13, Four Absolutes taken from Speer’s The Principles of Jesus.

 

Further Specific Suggestions for Christians and Those Who Want to Become Children of God in Today’s Fellowships

 

[The following are books by Dick B.; published by Paradise Research Publications, Inc.; described in www.dickb.com/titles.shtml; available through Amazon.com or Dick B.’s website www.dickb.com]

 

The Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible

 

The Good Book-Big Book Guide Book

 

Twelve Steps for You: Take the Twelve Steps with the Big Book, A.A. History, and the Good Book at Your Side, 4th ed.

 

By the Power of God: A Guide to Early A.A. Groups & Forming Similar Groups Today

 

(Big Book, Twelve Step, and Bible Study Groups; James Clubs; Bible fellowships, Christian Recovery Fellowships, Prayer Groups, Retreats, and Churches)

 

Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. www.dickb.com/Christian-Recov-Guide.shtml

 

Dick B. and Ken B. “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery 4 DVD’s and Guides


 

Dick B. with Ken B., The Dick B. Handbook for Christian Recovery Resource Centers (available to those participants in International Christian Recovery Coalition who establish Christian Recovery Resource Centers http://bit.ly/erD3tW

 

The comprehensive, 31-volume "Dick B. A.A. History and Christian Recovery Reference Set": http://www.dickb.com/DickB-Reference-Set.shtml.

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