Thursday, July 05, 2012

Dominic D. Interview of Christian Recovery Groups and AA


The Dick B. ChristianRecoveryRadio.com Interview on July 5, 2012 with Christian Recovery Leader and A.A. Member Dominic D. of the Cornerstone Fellowship—Livermore Campus Recovery Groups

On


Dick B.

Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

An Extremely Helpful Talk on How to Conduct a Winning Christian Recovery Fellowship

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You May Listen to this Important Interview Right Now:

You may listen to Dick B.'s interview of Christian Recovery leader Dominic D on the July 5, 2012, episode of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show here:

http://goo.gl/cDb3K

or here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-recovery-radio-with-dickb/2012/07/05/dick-b-interviews-christian-recovery-leader-dominic-d

Episodes of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show are archived at:

www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com

Synopsis of the Dominic D. Interview Today

Undoubtedly, the most important aspect of Dominic’s talk is its nuts and bolts disclosure of exactly what a vigorous and growing Christian Recovery Fellowship is doing right now at the Cornerstone Fellowship—Livermore Campus, in Livermore, California. It will bless those who want to know the answer to “How Do I Start A Group in Conjunction with my church? There is no one-size-fits all pattern. But those who listen will hear invaluable facts about how one area is doing it with great success today!

One question often raised about recovery groups today is that there is a proliferation of “court-card” people being sent to A.A. Some seem to think this is contrary to the A.A. idea of “attraction rather than promotion.” But Dominic joins a large number of alcoholics and addicts in recovery—some already interviewed on our radio show--who received a “nudge from the judge” (as he calls it) and then, by what Dominic believes was “divine intervention” in his case, eventually dive in to the A.A.  program and succeed in the manner they succeed at Cornerstone in Livermore, California.

What Can I Do to Establish and Conduct a Christian Recovery Group with My Church?

This is a question that has been asked of Ken and myself with increasing frequency over the past six months. And we believe that four important tools are emerging for your “spiritual tool kit” that will provide the answers you need.

·         Listen to the Christian Recovery Radio Interviews by Dick B. that are now going full speed ahead with Christian Recovery Leaders around the world. Dominic’s talk today provides an excellent model. And, in the archived interviews, there are others talking about their successful approaches.

·         Acquire the Dick B. and Ken B. Stick with the Winners How To Conduct More Effective 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena, 2012.

·         Acquire the Dick B. “Stick with the Winners!” 27-Video Class that complements and illustrates live the process described in the guide. Just one video at a time is good medicine and easy to swallow.

·         Acquire the Dick B. and Ken B. The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide: Historical Perspectives and Effective Modern Application; and the new Fourth Edition is now about to be released and available.

Here is Dominic’s Description of the Cornerstone Fellowship Approach

Dominic first went to Alcoholics Anonymous, but after 10 years of unsuccessful sobriety   efforts, he changed course. He began his new recovery march with Christian facilities in Southern California. Specifically with Christians at Saddleback Church and Celebrate Recovery. But he soon reached the conviction that a meeting a week in a church at the beginning of recovery is not enough to build a successful recovery effort, smash the old addictive behavior scene, and establish a walk with God and Jesus Christ and build a spiritual life.

In 2004, Dominic became a member of Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore and was invited to establish a 12-Step Christian Recovery Ministry. It was not and is not an alternative to A.A. Instead, it is a bridge to Christian recovery and a complementing Church support of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Originally, there were two meetings a week.

One started out as a “Good Book/Big Book Workshop” that flourished. Then it became permanent with a regular Thursday meeting. The meeting is open to those in the church as well as those seeking recovery in A.A. And the approach it has used involves the following efforts:

·         Reading through the Big Book – page by page. And reading parallel Scripture stories and verses. They use the Life Recovery Bible because it has an index, making it easy to find the parallels in the Bible. The group is small and therefore allows open discussion covering the Spiritual Roots of A.A. and their connection to the Big Book and Steps.

·         A study of the 89 “musts” in the Big Book, and a comparison with the commandments of Jesus in the Bible.

·         A study of prayers in the Big Book and parallel prayers in the Bible.

·         A study of the “Promises” in the Big Book and parallel promises of God in the Bible.

·         A study of Christian recovery long prior to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The other group is “Turning Point.” This is a larger group that is more like an A.A. meeting. Dominic regards it as a hybrid A.A. opening and closing with prayer—as early AAs did.  They read Scriptures and freely talk about the Bible and Jesus Christ and their walk with Jesus. On the first Monday of each month, they invite outside speakers, often from other churches—a recent example being Dale Marsh, Recovery Pastor at Oroville Church of the Nazarene who also leads recovery groups in his church. The second Monday, they do a Step Study.  It is like a teaching in the sense that an experienced AA shares his experience with a Step and shows how to do it.

The remaining meetings are “topic’ meetings. The lead shares and then covers the parallels. After the share, they read the 12 Steps and Bible parallels; and Dominic believes there is “rich sharing.” Those attending consist of A.A. church members and other Christians plus those seeking God. There is a fair number of newcomers.

There are two Women’s 12-Step meetings per year, and men’s workshops as needed.

Dominic summarizes the essence of the program as follows: They invest in others where they are at. They do their best to love God and love others. They try to live this in their daily lives. He believes it should not be called “teaching” but rather sharing about Jesus Christ and his love and how he transforms lives. They regard themselves as front row by standers. There is an impact on newcomers coming from reaching out, meeting them, bringing them to church and the Big Book and the Bible and helping on their journey with Jesus Christ. They either stay sober and in church and working with a sponsor. Or they return for more.

Dominic closed with three points: (1) Cornerstone is engaged in networking with other Christian recovery leaders and fellowships. (2) It does so to share and to learn. (3) It is now considering use of the  Guide written by Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, Compiled and Edited by Dick B., and titled Our A.A. Legacy to the Faith Community: A Twelve-Step Guide for Those Who Want to Believe.


Gloria Deo


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