Celebrate Recovery IS: A safe place to share; A place of refuge; A place of belonging; A place to care for others and be cared for; A place where respect is given to each member; A place where confidentiality is highly regarded; A place to learn; A place to demonstrate genuine love; A place to grow and become strong again; A place for progress Wilson, or Bob for that matter, never professed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, never mentioned repentance, or that the only Way to the Father is through the Son. Baker went on to study at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary and serve at Saddleback as volunteer, staff member, pastor, and elder as Celebrate Recovery grew across denominations and ministry networks. The ministry is "group based." All groups are gender specific and use the Small Group . for the living to the dead?(KJV). The topical groups vary by site, and some. There were malign and mischievous ones of all descriptions, telling of vices quite beyond my ken, even as former alcoholics. Negative and positive thinking. I believe sin is a sicknesses. 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. 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. BE SOBER-MINDED. Forty years sober in AA.Yes,I believe everything you said about both programs.I Am a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is evident as you compare each step with the scriptures. While I want everyone to come to know Jesus Christ our Lord, it is ultimately their decision. Also on the part of forgiveness, we ar encouraged to also forgive God. Call us today at 800-256-3490 to begin your journey. When someone is in AA, it is no different than someone being in Hinduism. Wow. So, below I have steps 1-3, and 12, all of which were quoted directly from 12-Steps and 12-Traditions. Even the very symbol that is used on the AA book is very occultic, as seen from the pictures provided. Satan manifests as an angel of light, and his workers as ministers of righteousness(2 Cor 11:14). 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 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. 27). It reminds me of a favorite passage of mine: Hebrews 11:25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. Dangers of Celebratory Occasions in Recovery Most people in recovery will be prepared for their sobriety to be tested when times are hard. I did not continue on with AA, and I am thankful for that. The most common reason why people relapse after a period of sobriety is that they become stuck in recovery. This is why it is so important to know who we are listening to when it comes to worship music, and where that music is originating from. 1 Cor 6:9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? I sat down with my bible on my lap, that I could not open, but with Scripture memorized, and words that I knew to speak. We will all stand before the judgement seat of the Lord, and give an account of our lives. I also believe in the deliverence of it. We will be held accountable for the truth that we were given, and at the expense of our flesh, rejected. Romantic relationships can be a great source of happiness in sobriety, but they can also be the source of great pain. Contact the group directly to see if these are offered. There was initially some resistance, as I have witnessed with so many others, as this becomes a crucial point for many, as they take that step in obedience. For more info click on church name after choosing a province or territory. The truth is that my life was saved. No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. St Boniface Church-Franciscans. All rights reserved. People who have experienced this deep form of sin sickness God has used and helped people through these programs. All those in A.A. are "recovering" alcoholics, who, according to A.A., never completely recover. 6 Mar 2015. Dependence as a means to independence. Defiance is an out standing characteristic of alcoholics. You may want to celebrate any, or all, of the following milestones in recovery: (Don't celebrate too much here because you are VERY much at risk still for relapse in the early days of recovery. Hello Patrick, thanks for reading and commenting. Colossians 2:8 states: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the . 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Whatever my point of willingness to believe and have faith to walk in and with him is where he meets me. They literally drain us and leave us feeling fatigued, unmotivated and even depressed. a sermon that goes along with our Celebrate recovery ministry, covering the different steps. Through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I was told to throw them away. I was informed that the lead woman of the group would not be there(the same one who had pulled me aside), and that I would be speaking first when the group began. Ive been attending CR (and volunteering on the welcome team ) for about a year. I will say too, that these programs do sometimes act as a religion and Ive seen that for myself, but just as when I go to church or study my Bible, I have to let God guide me away from the false preachings and allow Him to give the message that is meant for me. (Pgs 8-9). I dont agree with that. Action its keyword. Praise God for that revelation to you. 60 Kearney Dr Ajax, Ontario, L1T 4N2 It also anti-christ as it denies Yeshua/Jesus as the Only Way(1 Joh 2:22-23, Joh 14:6). 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. I can assure you, that it is not the Holy Spirit. During the past 25 years, some 20,000 churches in the United States have reportedly used CR, with some 2.5 million people having completed the program. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? SPEAK TO SOMEONE TODAY. 2. All things including our evil ways will work to the glory of God somehow, and that is something I do and must believe in my journey. Misuse of willpower. Willingness is the key. Yeshua is still in the healing and deliverance ministry. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. I then took out my bible and began to read until both I and my time was finished. Other than that they all denied Him, and His Word, and praised the 12-step program, based upon AA. 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. 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. I was immediately confronted after the meeting, and then again when I arrived the following week, as I was pulled aside by the lead woman of the group. Sign up for our newsletter: How shall we let God into our lives? Love that has no price tag. As above, I will be going through steps 1-3, and 12, and directly quoted from CR website: 1 ) We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. TSF is the law of the land. Celebrate Recovery. I love hearing peoples stories and the work God has done through the cross and his saving grace in others lives. Celebrate Recovery (CR) meets at 6 p.m. Saturdays at Good Shepherd Church, 2341 S. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, featuring dinner, a big meeting and small open share groups. Love that has no price tag. There is nothing greater than the blood of the Lamb, the true Creator of the Heavens of the earth, and the King of Kings Lord of Lords, Yeshua. 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. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous. Thanks for sharing brother. As such, the potential for a relapse to occur is very high. 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! Ive seen Gods fruit in AA and CR as anything Good comes from God. Barb, thank you for commenting! for less than $4.25/month. Perhaps, in learning these truths, God might want you to share this with others; and yes, while you are correct, it might, and probably will offend. Go and see for yourself. See ya, Baker said. However, unlike negative energy that simply attaches itself and hovers over us like a dark cloud, energetic parasites feed on our energy. 23No one who denies the Son can have the Father; whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. This is a process of maturity and growth in the Lord. Substitution of A.A. as Higher Power. The Bible tells us to hate sin and evil, to cut it out of our life. From that point forward, I was actually prohibited from bringing or reading my Bible in the group. My faith was empowered, as I knew it was my time to speak His Words. 20:2). I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. Or perhaps a sort of alternative that is more Christ centered such as Celebrate Recovery? The Dangers of Dishonesty in Recovery. (KJV), John 10:7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. I say dont throw out the baby with the water. I am praying for God to show me what he wants me to do. It's important to realize relapse is more of a process as opposed to a mere lapse in judgment. Hi Kellie, They have been talking up the step study lately and there is pressure to join. Celebrate Recovery is a proven 25+ year old Christ-based 12-step program based on the Beatitudes. His whole purpose of me going there was to gain insight into these areas, help those who He placed across my path, and then expose and confront the lies of it. Recognizing these dangers will help you avoid a possible problem in the future. Needless to say, CR has had a major influence on the church. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. I was not her sponsor for too much longer after that, as Father had other plans for me, and later led me to go to a program called Celebrate Recovery. This is the very definition of deception, to appear one way, but with the intention to do another. Are these 12 steps in alignment with the Scriptures? 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.(KJV). So, it is important to keep ourselves pure from false doctrines and teachers. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. To find out if these will be offered at your group, please call the contact number. The atmosphere had changed, and I could sense the Spirit strong with me, and guided my every step. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to author and APearlinthevineyard.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Romans 12:1. If you are a Christian in recovery and currently attending a twelve step program whether it be Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Hunger for Healing or any of the other assortment of spin off programs, please take the time to consider the following information. 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. This was actually the point of my blog post. I dont doubt that God is using those willing, to draw people away from this into the truth. I was a facilitator for CR at my church. Create a safe place for hurting teenagers to overcome life's challenges by launching a Celebrate Recovery ministry-The Landing-for the students in your church, with the The Landing: Celebrate Recovery for Students Kit.. It is based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory. 3. (Pgs 5-6), Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.Joy of living is the theme of the Twelfth Step. When I was very young in my faith and had little discernment into things and practices I was doing, I had gone to get a different kind of massage called a chakra massage. Christian Fellowship has an active missions program. The program seems to tip-toe around sin and evil instead of calling it out as such. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. While I understand that you may feel comfortable at your current church, perhaps the Lord is encouraging you to take a step forward in faith and maturity and be out of your comfort zone. And Love indeed had a pricethe price that Yeshua paid with His own life. It is no different than saying once a thief, always a thief, or once an adulterer always an adulterer. It is a bafflement that many professing believers would condone and endorse such a program knowing the full thoughts, intentions, and beliefs of AA and its origins. 2) We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Problems of intellectuality and self-sufficiency. I dont go to CR meetings like I used to but at times I still go. So with that said, we all have to start somewhere and often its on the wrong path before we truly find our Lord. God loves and sent His Son to die for us all. Analyzing Celebrate Recovery (C.R.) (1) The Bible declares that drunkenness is a sin but those in Recovery believe it to be a disease. The ouija board got moving in earnest. 314-267-4456. When we have the fear of the Lord, we fear less of how others might react, and more on doing what is right before Him. Forest Brook Community Church. Please check directly with each church to find out if they are running during Covid-19. These were also women who professed His Name, one even ironically being from Saddleback. A perpetual drunkard, is being in perpetual sin, and those who do so, do not inherit the Kingdom. None of these women, spoke to me again, nor did I ever go back to Celebrate Recovery, as my assignment there was done. It is for anyone who has a "hurt, hang-up, or habit" within the community at large or our own church body - not restricted to only people struggling with an addiction. 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. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. The ministry has also expanded to serve the incarcerated, as the program became adopted by state prison systems in New Mexico, California, and beyond. As the story goes, Warren replied, Great, Johngo do it! and the program soon launched at Saddleback. This tried and proven recovery system uses the traditional methods of issue groups, sponsors, accountability partners, and community to build recovery for those struggling with addictive habits, codependency, childhood hurts, and other life experiences that affect our peace. Once the flesh is crucified it will no longer desire it. In other ways I know both programs have brought people into their recovery process and even drawn them to Jesus. They know that it worked for them, and thats the greatest story they have.. How should a Christian view addiction? This immediately goes against the first 2 of the 10 commandments, as it promotes the worship of any or all other gods, and idolatry(Ex 20:3-6). Yes, you are correct in that we should never simply believe anyones word at something, and I am not offended if you do not believe my testimony. Just as those in Acts burned their magic arts, so should the Alateen/Alanon and AA books be destroyed. I lived at AA and Alanon meetings for years and was helped tremendously and then almost completely stopped. However, I knew what Yah had spoke to me, and He said that I shall be the first to speak. 25 years ago, Saddleback Church launched Celebrate Recovery with 43 people. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes.