Celebrate Recovery's DNA

Romans 4:5 says,

^" So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

1 Coorinthians 12:12-13 says,

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body,

 being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized

 into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; 

and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

______________________________________________________

Celebrate Recovery has been around now for years.  How did it come to be?  What is is it?

The year was in 1991 when a man named John Baker, inspired by Rick Warren preaching at Saddleback church wrote a 13 page letter to Rick Warren about the vision God gave him for creating what now has become "Celebrate Recovery," a 12 Step recovery program formulated for Christians.  John Baker, according to the article at Saddleback.com, said he was unable to share about his faith in Jesus Christ at his "secular recovery meetings" and that he was equally uncomfortable sharing about his struggle with alcohol in his men's Bible study group, so he came up with a third way,  He wrote to Rick about it; Rick liked the idea and said, "Great John, do it."

The rest is history.  Read How Celebrate Recovery Started, at Saddleback.com,

Rick's acronym for RECOVERY is clever, full of alliterations to please the senses and it serves to relate the 12 Steps of the Alcoholic Anonymous program with "scripture," (read it here.)  Oddly, nowhere does it mention Jesus.  For a "Christian" organization, this seems highly irregular, maybe even a bit of a problem; Jesus is supposed to be the central figure in Christianity, but he is not here. One would think that faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, would be one of the steps to recovery.

Perhaps it is to simply be, "understood,"by the participant   After all, the program is for Christians who think to insert "Jesus" on their own initiative, so it does not need to be explicitly about Jesus Christ in the group materials... right?  The Christian just connects-the-dots and understands that God is mentioned, and Jesus is God... and that "spiritual experience" in Step Twelve means being 'born again" though faith in Him.

There is another problem though.  Much like every church program that RickWarren orchestrates,  this particular church program, created to rescue people from destructive, even sinful behavior isn't free.  In fact, it generates a lot of commerce, and looks like a means of marketing products in church for profit.  A person needs much more than your church pew Bible to participate in the program, you need some bucks. for buying Celebrate Recovery books.

First you will need the Celebrate Recovery Bible. The large print hardback edition published by Zondervan, is at least $30.00 possibly as much as about $45.00, if not bought on a special deal.  The soft-cover regular is at least $16.00!  Then there are the books and journals you need to read and use: Stepping Out of Denial, (the users guide number 1 that you must read when being a participant in the program,) Taking An honest and Spiritual Inventory, (the users guide number 2 that you must read when being a participant in the program,)  Getting Right With God, (the users guide number 3 that you must read when being a participant in the program,) Growing In Christ (the users guide number 4 that you must read when being a participant in the program.) The money making doesn't stop there with the special Zondervan produced bible, or the four books you will use in the program.  There is a plethora of things you will be convinced to use and/or implement for your church members   if you are a pastor, when you do buy into this trademarked program developed by John and Rick.  

There's some great sales  pitches for this product too.  In fact, listen to this convincing statement by Rick as he convinces us that the program is soundly "biblical." and tells how Celebrate Recovery reveals the "biblical truth" and "principle" of what it is that make us well:

"This recovery program utilizes the biblical truth that we need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally.  It is built around small group interaction and the fellowship of a caring community. There are many therapies, growth programs, and counselors today that are built around one-on-one interaction.  But Celebrate Recovery is built on the New Testament principle that we don’t get well by ourselves.  We need each other.  Fellowship and accountability are two important components of spiritual growth.  If your church is interested in starting small groups, this is a great way to get started. "

                                                                                                                                   - Rick Warren

Rick Warren, A Message From Rick Warren, celebraterecovery.com

Question:  According to Rick, what do we need in order to grow spiritually and emotionally?  Funny.  He doesn't mention the Word of God... even though Jesus said we live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  Then there is also the testimony of Peter in 1 Peter 2:2.   Celebrate Recovery, (CR) says instead that "we need each other."  Also missing is mention of Jesus and how he heals us and sets us free.  Why is that?  The program is not really Christian or for that matter very different from Alcoholic Anonymous if the name of Jesus is not lifted up or at least one of the Steps to "recovery."

And let's look at the group guidelines for Celebrate Recovery (CR).... how CR operates and what it does.  Simplified, the guidelines are directives to:

1.  "Keep your sharing focused on your own thoughts and feelings."  Participants are to limit their speaking time to less than five minutes.

2.  "There is no cross talk."  (There is explanation given to tell us what this means, but basically it means "having a conversation between two people that excludes all the others.")  By eliminating "cross talk" everyone is focused on listening, being respectful,  (and maybe even encouraged to be unresponsive as the others are sharing, but one must wonder why it is called, "cross talk," (a wording that reminds one of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified for our sin,) and why "cross talk" (as it is called,) is not "allowed."

3.  "We are to support one another, not fix another."   So do not even offer a scripture to encourage someone else.The guidelines tell us that this would be considered "fixing.")

4.  "Anonymity and confidential are basic requirements." Like Vegas, what happens and is talked about in group stays in group... (with exception of the threat of injury to others or personal harm.)

5.  No "offensive language" allowed. (Might be bad practice for a church group to "allow" such a thing as profanity.)

How is this different from Alcoholics Anonymous? (A.A,)

It is not different, except maybe it's stand on the use of profanity in meetings. CR does not allow profanity, A.A. does.   Click on the highlighted terms to see some examples of what AA says in regards to "sharing," (1.)  "cross-talk" (2.)  Support and "fixing",(3.)  anonymity and confidentiality (4.) and profane language.

 A.A.meetings,  based upon the 12 Steps and Twelve Traditions concepts, is not a small entity.  It's a worldwide organization of people serving people.  Shrouded in anonymity  these intergroups span the glop while being composed of undisclosed members, who work to promote AA and other anonymous entities addressing various addictions or problems, like overeating, narcotics abuse, familial abuse, sexual addition, shopping addictions, gambling addictions, meth using....and other drugs or substances, but the more well known is related to alcohol abuse.  Putting a name with the organization is difficult, for as the name says, they are, or at least prefer to remain, "anonymous."

 The structure of A.A. is interesting to learn about.  It is something called an intergroup.  It's a hierarchical organization, or so they say.  The motto for AA is, "Recovery, Unity, Service,"  (as in "service to the World.) This is achieved, they believe, by using the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts originally propagated by their founders, with the sole purpose being  service the world. 

 According to AA literature, there are Twelve Concepts for World Service, the first concept being that the ultimate authority resides in the collective consciousnesses of the fellowship. While seemingly secular in nature, AA is actually quit religious.  They have a rich history with what was known at it's beginnings as "The Oxford Group," or the Moral Re-Armarment Society.   The Lord's Prayer is often recited at meetings.  People make reference to God in whatever manner they like, acknowledging there is a power higher than themselves, but Jesus .. or any other religious figure is never the dominate God they talk about.   When it comes to Celebrate Recovery, (and Life's Healing  Choices, another Rick Warren recovery intergroup concept ) It's pretty much the same as A.A.- that is, religious in nature.. or rather Christian in speech, but done without making Jesus the focal point of of the Celebrate Recovery program... the thing needed for for healing from addition.  In fact it substitutes people and the group concept... the collective consciousness in place of Christ alone.

Instead of being built on Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of faith, relying on the love of God in Christ, proclaiming that in order to grow the Word of God must be heard and understood, Rick says,

"This recovery program utilizes the biblical truth that we need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally.  It is built around small group interaction and the fellowship of a caring community. "  

Instead of Church being that caring community whereby we have fellowship with that communitybeing focused on faith in Jesus Christ, being the body of Christ, CR, kike A.A.  a whole new entity... with it's own DNA.  It's a  a parachurch, an intergroup within the Christian community of Church,  accountable "to Christ, the local church and the model of Celebrate Recovery established at Saddleback Church.

......................................................................................... And as for service to the intergroup,

"For Christians, service is not something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time.  It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came “to serve” and “to give” — and those two verbs should define your life on Earth, too.  ”   -Rick Warren                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                We Are Commanded To Serve God by Rick Warren, purposedriven,com;  2012

" Why would God pour more maturity and wisdom into a stagnate reservoir? Following the same thought, the last thing many believers need is to go to another Bible study; What they need are opportunities to serve - where they can exercise their spiritual muscles. Your example will teach the members of your congregation to shift from an attitude of “serve us” to "service."   -Rick Warren

                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                    Transform your congregation through service, by Rick Warren, June 2, 2004 

 "But as we mature in Christ, the focus of our lives should increasingly shift to living a life of service. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who’s going to meet my needs?” and starts asking, “Whose needs can I meet?” Do you ever ask that question?" 
                                                                                                                                           We Are Commanded to Serve God  by Rick Warren, August 19, 2009

"Your call to salvation included your call to service. They are the same." 

A Christian Who Doesn’t Serve Is a Contradiction by Rick Warren August 12, 2009 

"Anyone can be a servant.  All it requires is character."
" It is possible to serve in church for a lifetime without ever being a servant. "~ Rick Warren

                                                                                                                                                 We Serve God by Serving Others By Rick Warren 3/26/2009

“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant” (Mark 10:43 MSG). "

We Serve God by Serving Others By Rick Warren 3/26/2009

That''s odd...    .

Jesus actually said,  

^"...but whoever wishes

to become great among you 

shall be your servant;"

 (Mark 10:43 NASB)  

Compare this to :

“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant”

                               

...and Jesus also calls us friends.

(John 15:15)

Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing..."

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