Twelve Step Christianity teaches Christians in recovery to connect their faith with their program--and shows any Christian a clear path to a more intimate relationship with Christ. Genuine Christianity is more than a set of beliefs--it is a relationship with Jesus Christ that involves hearing His voice and following His directions. But how does one do this? What tools or spiritual disciplines enable Christians to live out their lives in dynamic submission to God's will? Perhaps no set of principles is better suited to help Christians hear God's voice and submit to His will than the Twelve Steps. As a Christian who practices the Steps, Saul Selby knows them to be an invaluable tool for living out the Christian faith. Selby brings his knowledge to bear in Twelve Step Christianity, which teaches Christians in recovery to connect their faith with their program--and shows any Christian a clear path to a more intimate relationship with Christ. Laid out in a workbook format, with room for readers to write answers and track their progress, Twelve Step Christianity explores the roots of Twelve Step spirituality, Examines the connections and distinctions between Christianity and Twelve Step programs and offers readers a deeper and broader understanding of the myriad powerful reasons for applying the Twelve Steps to their lives.
Twelve Step Christianity teaches Christians in recovery to connect their faith with their program--and shows any Christian a clear path to a more intimate relationship with Christ. Genuine Christianity is more than a set of beliefs--it is a relationship with Jesus Christ that involves hearing His voice and following His directions. But how does one do this? What tools or spiritual disciplines enable Christians to live out their lives in dynamic submission to God's will? Perhaps no set of principles is better suited to help Christians hear God's voice and submit to His will than the Twelve Steps. As a Christian who practices the Steps, Saul Selby knows them to be an invaluable tool for living out the Christian faith. Selby brings his knowledge to bear in Twelve Step Christianity, which teaches Christians in recovery to connect their faith with their program--and shows any Christian a clear path to a more intimate relationship with Christ. Laid out in a workbook format, with room for readers to write answers and track their progress, Twelve Step Christianity explores the roots of Twelve Step spirituality, Examines the connections and distinctions between Christianity and Twelve Step programs and offers readers a deeper and broader understanding of the myriad powerful reasons for applying the Twelve Steps to their lives.
The twelve step addiction recovery process often comes in many variations and interpretations; while each variation may focus on different aspects of recovery, they all stem from the groundbreaking work of Bill W. and Dr. Bob Smith, the founders of the organization known as Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve Steps to Spiritual Freedom: Understanding the Christian Roots of Twelve Step Programs aligns this 20th century construct with its roots in centuries old practices. This sensible approach brings together the deep spiritual tradition of Christianity to complement and support the hands-on, daily work of twelve-step programs. Interspersed with personal experiences, Understanding the Christian Roots of Twelve Step Programs identifies and contextualizes the natural connections between Christian mysticism and the wisdom of twelve step programs and makes this information usable for readers. With her intelligent and pragmatic approach, author Joanna Thyer speaks to those who struggle within twelve step programs and to the counselors, therapists, social workers, and family and friends who support their recovery efforts. Knowing the origins can make the journey through addiction recovery grounded, personal, and rooted in faith.
The Twelve Steps developed by Alcoholics Anonymous are powerful tools to transform the lives of people who struggle with addiction, co-dependency, and compulsive behaviors. Unfortunately, Pagans in recovery are likely to struggle with the Christian assumptions and language found in many of these programs. This book is intended to support a Pagan's participation in any Twelve Step program, by showing that the effectiveness and relevance of these tools does not depend on a specific religious or spiritual tradition. This book attempts to bridge the gap between the Christian and Pagan understanding of the Twelve Steps, while remaining faithful to the original Twelve Step process. The Pagan in Recovery is the result of Deirdre Hebert's ability to live her Pagan faith in the midst of a program with a deeply Christian heritage, and demonstrates that anyone, of any faith, can experience freedom from addictions, compulsive or co-dependent behaviors through this process.
Wrongly Diagnosed exposes the true source and nature of addiction that has been hidden, denied, and disbelieved. It provides correct information as it relates to God and recovery using the Word of God. It reveals the misrepresentation of God in the twelve-step program and exposes the deception of its concept of spirituality and a higher power. Wrongly Diagnosed is an unflinching look at the true nature of addiction. Pastor Johnson gives the reader an inside look at this national tragedy and the path he has found to healing. This book is the work of a refreshingly honest and engaging writer who repays the time you invest in him with substantial hope. Sharilyn Grayson, Freelance Editor As a co-dependent, and mother of four children married to a cocaine addict, I found this book to be extremely enlightening into the issues and struggles of an addict. It is insightful, informative and an honest look at what an addict goes through during and after their addiction. Monica Grier Wrongly Diagnosed is biblically sound with information that helps to identify our true source of power to be free from addiction, which is Christ. It has revealed to us, the strategies of Satan's counterfeit behavior. The masking and delusional practice of lies and deception orchestrated by our adversary the devil. Pastor Maria Salas, Joshua & Caleb Ministry. Bell Garden, CA John Johnson is an ordained pastor, a Certified Alcohol and Drug counselor RAS, CSC. He was the Co-founder and Director of the Wings of Healing Alcohol and Drug ministry at Greater Bethany Community Church in Los Angeles, CA 1991 to 1999. Freed from $300-$400 a day heroin and cocaine habit. In 19 Years of recovery, he has never had one day of withdrawals, cravings or a desire for drugs.
This book explores the relationship of clergy to Twelve Step programs. Field research of pastors in the Florida Keys found that they are unsure if addiction is a disease or a sin, and whether the Twelve Steps are based on Christianity. Lessons learned include the validity of both traditional Twelve Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Christ-centered programs such as Celebrate Recovery, the coherence of sin and disease explanations of addiction, and the significance of modern addiction theory. The specific outcome of this study is the development of a course syllabus for clergy on addiction recovery through Twelve Step philosophy.
Based on reader feedback to his original volume published in 2004, Parkhurst offers a revised edition with 12 new readings on the Serenity Prayer and how each part of the prayer corresponds with the 12 Step Program.
Do Christians need recovery? Or is recovery something needed by the church itself? Addiction—whether to a substance or to a behavior—is a problem within faith communities, just like it is everywhere else. But because churches are rarely experienced as safe places for dealing with addiction, co-addiction, or the legacy of family dysfunction, Christians tend to seek recovery from these conditions in Twelve-Step fellowships. Once they become accustomed to the ethos of vulnerability, acceptance, and healing that these fellowships provide, however, they are often left feeling that the church has failed them, with many asking: why can’t church be more like an AA meeting? Inspired by his own quest to find in church the sort of mutual support and healing he discovered in Twelve-Step fellowships, Stephen Haynes explores the history of Alcoholics Anonymous and its relationship to American Christianity. He shows that, while AA eventually separated from the Christian parachurch movement out of which it emerged, it retained aspects of Christian experience that the church itself has largely lost: comfort with brokenness and vulnerability, an emphasis on honesty and transparency, and suspicion toward claims to piety and respectability. Haynes encourages Christians to reclaim these distinctive elements of the Twelve-Step movement in the process of “recovering church.” He argues that this process must begin with he calls “Step 0,” which, as he knows from personal experience, can be the hardest step: the admission that, despite appearances, we are not fine.
This book explores the relationship of clergy to Twelve Step programs. Field research of pastors in the Florida Keys found that they are unsure if addiction is a disease or a sin, and whether the Twelve Steps are based on Christianity. Lessons learned include the validity of both traditional Twelve Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Christ-centered programs such as Celebrate Recovery, the coherence of sin and disease explanations of addiction, and the significance of modern addiction theory. The specific outcome of this study is the development of a course syllabus for clergy on addiction recovery through Twelve Step philosophy.
Dick B. is a writer, historian, Bible student, retired attorney, and active recovered member of A.A. He has sponsored more than 100 men in their recovery. Dick has devoted 18 years of his life to researching the spiritual roots of A.A. and has now published 33 titles on the subject with more to come. His special attention to the early Akron program which had a documented 75% success rate among seemingly hopeless, medically incurable real alcoholics who went to any lengths to establish their relationship and fellowship with the Creator has made this a landmark study resource of students of Old School A.A.--students who want to utilize the program and achieve the successes of the 1930's.
