This program is being run at my home church and I love the church (Biblical teaching) and dont want it to feel awkward. The Dangers of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and Celebrate Recovery. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. There did not come a time when there was an exception for drunkenness. The Participant Guides are designed to create movement through the steps as each person is on a healing journey that creates new understanding and hope through the work of the Holy Spirit, and not . What followed was the fairly usual experienceit was a strange mlange of Aristotle, St. Francis, diverse archangels with odd names, deceased friendssome in purgatory and others doing nicely, thank you! Jesus must be rescued from a pedestrian and parochial orthodoxy that demands he monopolize the deity.. It is a tactic of the enemy within the thoughts of men to say well, how can this be bad, if I have seen good in it. Because even darkness can appear as something good, that is why Eve took a bite of the forbidden fruit. Never believe one persons opinion about something. Why must every A.A. hit bottom? The desire of alcohol is a lust of the flesh. Romans 7:18. The program seems to tip-toe around sin and evil instead of calling it out as such. We are all broken and in need of a Saviour; my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,. All rights reserved. A new state of consciousness and being is received as a free gift. Sign up for our newsletter: So with that said, we all have to start somewhere and often its on the wrong path before we truly find our Lord. Hi Kellie, If you chose to eat ten candy bars every day and to never brush your teeth, they would start rotting out. Satan manifests as an angel of light, and his workers as ministers of righteousness(2 Cor 11:14). Just as those in Acts burned their magic arts, so should the Alateen/Alanon and AA books be destroyed. This is also used in such other passages like: 1 Peter 5:8Be sober-minded and alert. Contact the group directly to see if these are offered. I was a facilitator for CR at my church. The ministry has also expanded to serve the incarcerated, as the program became adopted by state prison systems in New Mexico, California, and beyond. It was not until a few years ago that I really started to know the truth about AA, as well as other recovery groups with a foundation in AA, that even profess to be Christian alternatives. Some Celebrate Recovery groups offer childcare: "Celebration Place" for kids and "The Landing" for youth. This is evident as you compare each step with the scriptures. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. The Celebrate Recovery Bible has been designed to work with the resources developed and tested in the national and international ministry of Celebrate Recovery. So, below I have steps 1-3, and 12, all of which were quoted directly from 12-Steps and 12-Traditions. I prayed about matters, and asked Him what His will was for me to do, and how to instruct this woman. In fact, there are many programs and practices that may appear to be beneficial to the mind and body, yet when we test those practices against the word of God, they are proven to be false. Too many pastors use an academic model in which they simply lecture their congregations. Baker was raised in Collinsville, Illinois. We believe in spreading the gospel throughout the whole world. 3 ; Recognize that Im not God. Celebrate Recovery founder John Baker, who turned his testimony recovering from alcoholism into a biblical 12-step program used by more than 7 million people, died unexpectedly on Tuesday at age 72. John Baker continues to be the primary author of The Celebrate Recovery curriculum and materials (quoted from Wikipedia). What is spiritual awakening? When I was in CR (Celebrate Recovery) which I talk on within most of my post and testimony, is that God used me to bring His Light and truth to the darkness that both AA/CR have as a foundation. Celebrate Recovery Bible by Zondervan Staff (2007, Hardcover) (4) $9.99. Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord(BSB), Mark 16:15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature(KJV), 1 Cor 6:20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods(KJV). Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! This is a process of maturity and growth in the Lord. Barb, thank you for commenting! Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered ministry of discipleship and healing designed to help adults and families overcome different struggles in life as they grow together in a relationship with God. Celebrate Recovery is for adults 18 years and older. Giving that asks no reward. This is my concern also for you, in that you are highly esteeming a program over that of the Word, which is the same spirit that I encountered while attending my last day of CR. Show me the Buddha worshiper or the person whos higher power is a rock, and I can pray that God will use me and give me the wisdom through His Spirit to share Gods Word and the Good News with that person. We have also been to Indonesia twice . What does the Bible say about addiction. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. They'll say, "I don't know anybody that doesn't need recovery" where I often chimed in, "I don't know anyone who doesn't need Jesus." Through much prayer, and acquiring the Fathers will, the Spirit instructed me when I needed to go back, to finish what He had begun in me. The Saddleback Church pastor developed the popular Christ-centered 12-step program for hurts, habits, and hang-ups., Image: Courtesy of Saddleback Church / Edits by Christianity Today. It was still a deep tissue massage, which helped me to relax, and relive my sore muscles, however, I was engaging in a practice that is contrary to biblical practices. So much in Christianity today is not based on Christ's teachings as much as it's based upon the ideas and theories of mankind. Once they are settled in their new . So, I was immediately led to Acts 2:38, and the Spirit had me to start at repentance. Dishonesty in recovery is dangerous because: It is a common relapse trigger. Having said that, this review (completed largely with the help of Matthew Mumma) will demonstrate that CR contains two major problems: (1) Though claiming to be biblically based, its teachings are often constructed from a misuse of Scripture and an erroneous hermeneutic. Gender-specific Groups meet for issues with anger, co-dependency, chemical addiction food addictions, sexual integrity, survivors of abuse, grief, and life issues. AA is just another false religion, trying to go in another way: We have no desire to convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be acquired(Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, pg. Celebrate Recovery founder John Baker, who turned his testimony recovering from alcoholism into a biblical 12-step program used by more than 7 million people, died unexpectedly on Tuesday at age 72. 12) Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs. 4 I dont doubt that God is using those willing, to draw people away from this into the truth. I am only going to provide, and go over a few of the steps, as I think it would be to exhaustive to go over every single one. We all have issues that may be interfering with our fellowship . Leviticus 19:31Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD(YHWH) your God. So, I dont think we really have differing views on this, as you can be led into a church, program or group to share the truth of Gods Word, without necessarily being a partaker in it. Celebrate Recovery meetings rarely focus on the fact that continuing to drink can result in death. One of my last few meetings, the Spirit had come upon me so strong during my 5 minutes(we were only ever allowed to speak for 5 minutes) of talking that I exposed and rebuked the lie of Alcoholism being a disease, confronting it as the sin of drunkenness, that the saying once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic is a lie from the pit of hell, and that the the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ can set us free from all bondage, and that His Word says that we no longer need to be identified with our sin, once it has been repented and been crucified with Christ. TSF is the law of the land. Go and see for yourself. Celebrate Recovery operates as an extension of Fellowship Bible Church, a unique congregation focused on healing. When someone is in AA, it is no different than someone being in Hinduism. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Celebrate Recovery. So, in that dim lit room, and with 10 women around the table, some of which, for the last 12 months I had cried and prayed for, my 5 minutes began. We admitted we were powerless over alcoholthat our lives had become unmanageable.Who cares to admit complete defeat? Thank you for sharing. Is Celebrate Recovery a biblical program? (Acts 17:30) At such time we can no longer claim ignorance and will be held accountable to such. 20:2). Creation of C.R. Staff was great, attentive to our needs and" more. All those in A.A. are "recovering" alcoholics, who, according to A.A., never completely recover. There is a saying I have heard often, which goes something like this, John touched more people with the healing power and grace of Jesus Christ than anyone else that I have ever known personally and one of those lives was mine, wrote Celebrate Recoverys national director and national training coach Mac and Mary Owen. Importance of an open mind. Recovery signals a dramatic shift in the expectation for positive outcomes for individuals who experience mental and substance use conditions or the co-occurring of the two. No person has the same journey and everyone has something to recover from. 3. However, we are commanded within the Scriptures to Hold fast to sound doctrine(2 Tim 1:13) and Test all things, holding on to what is good(1 Thes 5:21). Thank you, Patty for sharing your thoughts and comment on this matter. Throughout scripture, Yeshua/Jesus tells us to not be deceived, and in order to obey that command, we have to be willing to test the practices, programs and doctrines we have accepted into our lives. The Scriptures make it quite clear that these practices are contrary to the way of the Lord(YHWH). Thirty years ago John Baker turned the ruins of his life over to Jesus Christ and God transformed him from a driven businessman with an addiction to alcohol, a failing marriage, and alienated children to a Christ-follower with a passion to help others with their hurts, habits, and hang-ups through the principles of recovery, wrote Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church and a mental health advocate. Dependence as a means to independence. Many of these events are documented in the books of the history of AA, as well as Wilsons official A.A. biography. According to the Scriptures Alcoholism is defined as drunkeness, so if you profess to be an alcoholic, or once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, then you are stating to be a perpetual drunkard. This is why we are told to come out, Be ye separate, Be holy, as He is Holy. There is simply no way to put into words how I love John and will miss this kind, creative, brilliant and faithful man., Evangelical leader Johnnie Moore, whose family previously belonged to Saddleback Church when living in California, remembered Bakers commitment to saving the lives of the people whom God loves., He became a doctor of hope for those whose lives were caught in vicious cycles of guilt, shame, and failure. C. C.R. Once I was done with 6-7 weeks of rehab, I went back to my base in Italy, and continued on with a program through the military. Download Celebrate Recovery and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you have a drinking problem in 2014, or a drug problem, or a gambling problem, your medically, socially, culturally, and politically mandated solution is a set of 12 . BE SOBER-MINDED. Please check directly with each church to find out if they are running during Covid-19. It was designed as a program to help those struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups . Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a national, Christ-centered self-help program hosted by local churches to help people struggling with addiction or other life-controlling issues. See more ideas about celebrate recovery, recovery, recovery quotes. How should a Christian view alcoholics? I cannot guarantee that it wont be awkward, and you might even lose those you thought were your friends. He wrote out a vision for what would become Celebrate Recoverys own version of the 12 steps, each one paired with a teaching from Scripture, and shared it with Rick Warren back in 1991. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. The truth is that my life was saved. I began slowly and shared about the woman Yah first had me sponsor, and I recited Acts 2:38, and I went through the 10 Commandments, and what sin is, and what repentance is. They are drunk, but not with wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. What partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?