Your statement is clear evidence of just one of the many ways Celebrate Recovery is contrary to the scriptures. A man invited me to it, and some things I liked about it. The program has impacted adults and teens all over the U.S. and across . Free Will The closest AA meeting to you is 0.23 miles away and meets on Wednesday at 7:00 PM. However, in working with a lot of people, a structured program might be needed to help walk out that healing and recovery. Because Celebrate Recovery is based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and practiced in thousands of Christian churches without ever being questioned or held up to the light of scripture it is one of the most damaging forms of apostasy in the modern Christian church. It is my opinion that no believer will ever experience their freedom in Christ from a program. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. None. I now vow to never go back. The Pharisees, who largely set the religious/spiritual tone of the day, would have propagated the photo-negative of the Beatitudes, and, thus, an incorrect understanding of the believer. Lanagan has done a massive amount of research on A.A., and what his research has turned up is that A.A. co-founders Bill Wilson andDr. Bob Smith were deeply involved in the occult aka spiritualism. CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. [9][10] They may not use resources outside of the Bible and authorized Celebrate Recovery curriculum materials. WALLACE, N.C. , Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Focused Addiction Recovery (FAR), a behavioral health treatment center in Wallace, North Carolina, has officially opened its doors and is now . CR throws both the husband and the wife into the same category because it doesnt have a biblical definition of sin. Nowhere does Scripture suggest that we need to heal and recover from sin. (LogOut/ Actions Below are the biblical criteria I use when deciding whether or not to recommend a teacher, ministry, etc. So that you can study what Gods word actually says in comparison to those well known 12 steps. Celebrate With Us at Saddleback Church! 2 Cor. C-R also claims progress in place of Spiritual perfection as does A-A. When Christ preached the Beatitudes, he did not intend for them to be a protocol for recovery. Satan The facts Johnny states about Jesus life and that He sent the Holy Spirit are technically correct, but whats missing? page): Another issue made plain in the video is that Celebrate Recovery teaches a false gospel: At 3:24ff, speaking to lost people, Johnny gives an incomplete (and partially false) presentation of the gospel as a means of differentiating secular recovery programs from CR. Service All of the sources you recommend are simply another writing of yours. This article is kept continuously updated as needed. Celebrate Recovery State Representatives can also get your ministry group added to this site so others can get connected with you. People who are lost and involved in an AA program can step over to CR and meet Jesus. Michael English (born April 12, 1962) is an American Christian singer and record producer. That purpose has been to weaken the church, dilute the theology of Christians exposed to the 12 Step religion, and to point unbelievers away from Christ. Discover the spiritual truth behind A.A. here. Watch Pastor Johnny and Jeni explain what Celebrate Recovery is all about. Testimonies Sermons This interpretation, however, incorrectly understands the Beatitudes by removing them out of their context and interpreting them in an eisegetical manner. For those who have never experienced a hang up or addiction should not even be speaking!!! To attach 12 Bible verses taken out of context to a secular program is simply erroneous hermeneutics. Consciously choose to commit all my life and willto Christs care and control. The best first step to start a CR at your church is to contact your State Rep. Another great step when starting a CR is to attend a Training Conference. Living in a broken world we all deal with lifes hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from issues that control us. Hi Chad. He was instantly changed! A murderer can confess his crime, but feel completely justified in having done it, and be perfectly willing to do it again if given the chance. Print. The Good News of Celebrate Recovery? Generally, the program runs on a one-year repeating schedule. Hope others read this and become aware of this organization. Notice Johnny Baker (son of founder John Baker) and his wife Jeni start with the typical AA introduction: Johnny: Hi, Im Johnny and (rather than and Im an alcoholic) I struggle with Jeni: Hi Johnny!. Husband and I were drawn in by this CR group by someone in our old church both of us being recovered alcoholics, and saved, we went to one session. Holy Spirit The biblical means for helping a lost person deal with addiction is to call him to repent and believe the gospel, and, if he gets saved, disciple him in obedience to Gods Word. Thus, he comes to God, as nothing more than a head down, hand out, moral beggar, with zero moral/spiritual contribution to God except sin. Carson, 128, 132; D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 1:24; Charles Quarles, 39). Christians should have faith in the power of the gospel through God's word in scripture and should never rely on anything other than the gospel to reach those lost in the sin of addiction (which by the way you label as disease which is contrary to scripture - Galatians 5:19-21 clearly defines alcoholism and addiction as sin, not disease). Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) , Jesus clearly said the father had two sons. [2] The common argument from proponents of Celebrate Recovery when presented with the truth of the twelve steps heretical origins is that because bible verses are used along with the Twelve Steps in Celebrate Recovery it is a Christian program - this defense is ridiculous. And the gospel is what we all need. If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Alpha & Omega Home is dedicated to service, to God, our residents, and our community. There has never been an inward change that manifests itself by good fruit. [17] But the steps that are put together still have biblical basis, though the Gospel and the delivering power of Christ would need to be much more emphasized. As if man can free someone from the bondage of sin. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself,to God, and to someone I trust. in the 80s and 90s, I worked as a correspondence counselor for an ex-gay ministry. Its not that God isnt powerful, its that as an unbeliever you dont have access to, or a right to that power. Yet, CR adds the Twelve Steps to God's Word - even going so far as creating their own Bible with the Twelve Steps included! It was born out of the heart of Saddleback Church with Ricks approval and under his oversight, and, as you might expect, is fraught with unbiblical issues at nearly every turn. . October 2014, All So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! How very sad I feel for them (RW and co-authors). They tell sinners Jesus loves them, invite Him into your heart, make your decision, choose Jesus, get baptized, etc. Baker, John. I have seen addictions brought under control, have seen fathers helped with addictions then start going to church and bring their whole families and the whole family get saved. Recovery I have a question for you. Print. Words, "Any teaching that detracts in the slightest from the glory of God is not a biblical teaching.". Commentary, stories, and side notes have been added. Obeying the commands of scripture is not legalism - it's a major aspect of the Christian faith. I am involved in CR and I am not relying on the 12 steps. Declan Pierce, a DJ who hosts Block Rockin' Beats on Dublin-based station Today FM, thanked staff who helped him after a brain haemorrhage. God bless. I dont believe in being legalistic but perfection is seen by God as becoming mature and complete. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. CELEBRATE RECOVERY 12 STEPS AND BIBLICAL COMPARISONS. Amen Darrel, it is all unbiblical nonsense. Mormonism Reformed Theology Journal of Psychology & Christianity 22.4 (2003). Sin Anyway, thank you for helping me reach greater clarity about what we did. The Worst Part about Our Sin. Sunday. Over the years we adopted a 12-step model. Because Celebrate Recovery is based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and practiced in thousands of Christian churches without ever being questioned or held up to the light of scripture it is one of the most damaging forms of apostasy in the modern Christian church. SERENITY PRAYER. A mistake is accidentally calling your son by your daughters name, or taking the wrong exit off the interstate, or forgetting to carry the one. 5:48). This medical model of sin is completely unbiblical because it removes personal culpability and responsibility for sin, i.e. Very sad. Principle R2 is great if youre saved, since all Christians are supposed to be doing these things anyway. The organization was founded in 1991 by John Baker, a former alcoholic staff member of Saddleback Church with the support of Pastor Rick Warren. God does not bless heresy and worldliness. Addictions are not an easy thing to overcome. Luke 12:43-45. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Celebrate Recovery began 25 years ago with 43 people at California's Saddleback Church. Celebrate recovery is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. That is out and out heresy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. (And God doesnt use people to bring heresy to others except as a judgment against them.) Further, the purpose of this review is not to question whether the 2.5 million participants have felt that they were assisted with enslaving behaviors, nor to doubt the sincerity of individuals seeking to help, but, instead, to examine CRs claim to be biblically based. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Alcoholics Anonymous promotes idolatry through urging its adherents to believe in a God of their own understanding - which can be pretty much anything or anyone. A Way Which Seemeth Right at The Berean Call (This link is not a blanket endorsement of this blog or author, only this particular article. The second half isnt going to work for lost people because it doesnt biblically identify their problem, which is sin, not character defects. Or what changes would need to be made for you to be a supporter of celebrate recovery? THE RETURN OF CHRIST. Below is a comprehensive directory of AA meetings in Wallace, North Carolina. Not by a long shot. You mention Rick Warren added some scripture so it could be sold and marketed as celebrate recovery. I also do think the 12 Steps are an attempt to Christianize the worlds system, and is law teaching. Some of the best known can be found in the blue menu bar at the top of this page at myPopular False Teacherstab. Baker, John, and Richard Warren. Why do so many need a step based recovery program? Treating the one who sinned and the one sinned against as though theyre the same by placing them in the same recovery program is damaging to both because it teaches the sinner hes not responsible for his actions and has no need to repent, and it teaches the one sinned against that shes no different from the one who sinned against her. I am sorry to be blunt, but your entire comment reeks of the secular humanism that is the foundation of the program of Celebrate Recovery. We are in desperate need of an Elijah, Apostle Paul, John the Baptist, or Jonah type of man that truly has been regenerated by God, empowered by the Spirit, trembles at His word, and will stand up and proclaim the whole counsel of God as well as speak out biblically against nonsense like celebrate recovery! The fundamental truths of scripture are no longer taught, therefore we have superficial Christians who spew out theyre saved because they say they are and have NO clue what it means to be born again by God! I left God but he never left me. Baker, Celebrate Recovery Leader's Guide, 12). Your comment will be posted after it is approved. The word poor was used to describe abject poverty and a raggedly covered (if covered at all) beggar, cowered over with head down and hand out (TDNT, 6:886), while in spirit refers to our moral/spiritual state. John Blanchard, 54; James Boice, 74; D.A. The one thing that Rick Warren, CR, and even Mr. Davis have left out is genuine repentance and an explanation of the effects it has on the one who was given the repentance as a gift from God in the first place. 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. Spriggs, J. David, and Eric Sloter. Im 54 years old . Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Scripture Alone [5] Promotional materials assert that over 5 million people have participated in a Celebrate Recovery step study in over 35,000 churches. What changes would need to be made for me to be a supporter of Celebrate Recovery? Wouldnt it be wise for these people to attend meetings like CR and have a program to help them learn how to live a life free of sins that destroy lives and familys ? Gods Sovereignty Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling our life. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." Even Jesus had struggles with the religious leaders in his life. It cannot be done without repentance, faith, and regeneration in response to the biblical gospel. The bottom line / Get help from other Christians / Jesus told us to help others find the narrow way. The eight principles upon which CR is derived are as follows (the principle is stated, followed by the corresponding Beatitude): Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. Biblically, theres no such animal. March 2017 November 2014 So similar, in fact that each Principle is followed by a notation as to which of the 12 steps it corresponds to. And, although it should go without saying, the Beatitudes arent about hurts, addictions, or recovery. Secrets grow in the dark and die by the light. January 2017 Encouragement Print. Celebrate recovery is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. Articles. Those who are saved know these things from day one of their regeneration. November 2015 Its utter hypocrisy.) Jesus was clearly teaching that once saved always saved. Proverbs b) The pastor, teacher, ministry, or trend cannot currently and unrepentantly be partnering with, yoked to, or frequently appearing with false teachers. Also, look who comes first here in this line of confession not God, but self. Law Sin is always immoral and frequently intentional. Mistakes are, by definition, unintentional and usually morally neutral. I am a sinner like everyone else walking this rock we live on. Instead, Jesus teaches that one certain evidence of the true believer is a poverty of spirit. Initially, he was a member of his family's singing group, and later a member of The Gaither Vocal Band. Celebrate Recovery is sponsored and supported by Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, Austell, GA. Would you be ok with Celebrate Recovery if they stopped using the familiar 12 steps as a reference and only used the scripture verses? The 12 steps allows the lost to develop their own relationship with what may be described as the god of their own understanding in the beginning but for those who migrate over to Celebrate Recovery they do so because they discover that Jesus is the one who saved them. Gods Sovereignty For example, Principle 5 (V in the acrostic) corresponds to steps 6 and 7 of the secular 12 steps. To exclude this is only done if we take it out of scripture and then live without being perfected as seen by God. February 2016 A local Celebrate Recovery ministry should follow the policies of their local church and continue to be grateful for their continued support. The Twelve Steps in no way bring glory to the Lord and false teachings cannot be combined with the word of God. Fellowship A ministry or trend cannot allow or encourage any of these things. The question we must ask ourselves is, should Christians get involved in a program that stems from A.A.s twelve steps? There is NO man made program that can free a sinner from his/her bondage to sin, theres only ONE who can set us free from the grasp of sin, for sin overpowers all sinners. Addiction Apostasy Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. No one has the ability, nor should they attempt to face their hurts on their own. Print. Predestination Have you ever heard him or anyone connected to RW/CR say For sin shall not have dominion over you? John Baker is the one that wrote the curriculum taught by Celebrate Recovery. Continue reading, 12-step program, Addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous, Beatitudes, Celebrate Recovery, Context, Eisegesis, Eric Davis, Exegesis, Healing, Hermeneutics, John Baker, Matthew 5:3-12, Recovery, Rick Warren, Sin. So, on the macro-level, CR has taken a worldly philosophy and attempted to Christianize it slightly in order to appeal to the lost, which, again is typical of the way Saddleback the original seeker driven church tends to operate, and which, as I mentioned earlier, is unbiblical. Thus, CR claims that the Beatitudes are principles for addiction recovery. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover. (LogOut/ I recommend against any teacher, ministry, or evangelical trend that violates one or more of these biblical tenets. Are we to avoid all womens bible studies and Christian book studies as well? The pastor or teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly be living in any other sin (for example, cohabiting with her boyfriend or living as a homosexual). Therefore, Celebrate Recovery will not attempt to dictate any doctrine or policy to a local church. Exposing Recovery - THE WAY MINISTRY CHURCH The Truth about Recovery from a Biblical Perspective There is a common assumption and belief in the recovery industry that the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are Christian in origin. That CR adapts worldly means and methods is abundantly evident below in the video introduction to CR (found on the CR websites What is Celebrate Recovery? Jesus Christ The biblical means for helping a saved person who is committing the sin of drunkenness is to follow the steps of church discipline (beginning with a one on one call to repentance and restoration) commanded in Matthew 18, and if he repents, disciple him in obedience to Gods Word. For this reason, Jesus brings clarity to the scene with these corrections. Sins. Instead, the Beatitudes are descriptions of kingdom citizens; of individuals having been saved by Gods grace. Thanks for stopping by! Most do not read their Bibles, and so these two programs become their false gospel. Since CR claims to be Christian in nature, biblical (13), grounded in Gods word (12), and[b]ased on the actual words of Jesus rather than on psychological theory (12), it deserves to be evaluated as such. We made far too many compromises with the world, and very few people experienced true freedom from homosexuality. Thats unbiblical. If you participate in Celebrate Recovery you have to reject the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 because you are relying on steps and a program from outside of scripture that contradicts scripture. Sin is primarily rebellion against God. ; Hear LIVE and first-hand from years of expertise and wisdom on how to run a Celebrate Recovery effectively with practical tips from our team. To state that addictions have been brought under control is utter foolishness. Sinful Desire Each person has their own unique relationship with Jesus based on how the Holy Spirit translates the scripture to the individual, each person is free to seek outside sources for guidance on how to translate scripture and when they listen to a sermon or read a study it is that individuals responsibility to test the message against scripture and since we are all unique we dont have a right to determine that the other persons belief is wrong simply because it doesnt perfectly match our own. We also know that God can and does work through others to help us. In his review, Davis informs us that CR is founded on eight principles taken from the Beatitudes and has similarities to the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.. [4] Celebrate Recovery is one of the seven largest addiction recovery support group programs. 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. I have noticed that almost all CR attendees who have quit one addiction just turned to another. Living Water Ive been six months dry today. 1 Founded 25 years ago by pastor Rick Warren and the Saddleback Church in California, it started with just 43 people but now has groups in 29,000 churches all over the globe with more than 3.5 million . Word of Faith 5:3) is not a recovery principle, teaching that Im not Godpowerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable (9). The question is not, Does Celebrate Recovery work?. ISSUE PAMPHLETS. April 2015 2.5 principles. The prophets of Baal all believed in Gods existence and power (right before Elijah slaughtered them all). To claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection is not only unbiblical but could lead to spiritual uncertainty and backsliding. No sound theologian would tell you that is proper. Repentance and faith. Trials CR is just a humanistic self-help program. RW does speak of repentance, and the Jesus is the only higher power. Anything thats not biblical in the CR program should be pointed out and discussed but to claim you know who Jesus has not saved is very dangerous. Needless to say, CR has had a major influence on the church. Contrary to what the powers that be at CR think, that is not a good thing. If you arent a Christian and you need help with any sort of addiction or other problem, let me give you step 1 of Jesus program for addressing that: Repent and believe the gospel. Thoughts Starting a Celebrate Recovery is an exciting step for your church! In this particular segment, Johnny skips directly from Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sin, rose again, and lives now, to He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. That is a false gospel. The scriptures have not been changed. Sin is breaking Gods law and rebelling against the holy God of the universe. Alcoholics Anonymous has served its purpose, says Lanagan. Humility Ill just let Scripture speak to those points: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me [Jesus] before it hated you. Designed for those with "hurts, habits and hang-ups," as its slogan says, CR offers biblically-based encouragement and hope for change. Believing that God exists, that you matter to Him, and that Hes powerful is not the same thing as being born again by repentance and faith in Christ. Where in scripture is Jesus referred to as a generic "Higher Power"? John Baker and Rick Warren of Saddleback Church created the program in 1991 to help people with various addictions. January 2016 Proper Perspective Inspiration Eric Davis of The Cripplegate analyzes the popular packaged addiction program, Celebrate Recovery (CR) that many churches have adopted. The Bible puts those two people in two different categories and addresses them discretely and justly. CELEBRATE RECOVERY GLOSSARY OF TERMS. There are over 35,000 churches currently with a Celebrate Recovery ministry. They present a works-based gospel, which is no gospel at all. Heresy Our staff is up-to-date and knowledgeable, and we are standing by to help you on your road to recovery. Seeing our church succumb to this "Jesus and ______"; or more specifically, "Christianized AA Lite 12 Step Program" false form of so called psychology laced body ministry, is very sad to say the least! Marriage Having said all that, I led a man who had been a drunk for 12yrs to the Lord and prayed with him for deliverance; he was delivered, and never touched the stuff again! They will hear Gods word and the gospel will be shared with them. And that is what makes RW and all his co-hearts the consummate Pharisees of our day, hypocrites, pretenders, and frauds. God Bless, Your words are so wise Alison Jones: I am a Christian living in South Wales, UK, and ha Annie G.: It is not wrong to consecrate a day for the Lord, Greg: I agree. In August 2004, Celebrate Recovery was announced as Californias state-approved substance abuse program for prisonsWe are part of a movement that God is blessing.. But the lost people hes talking to do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them because theyre still lost, because CRs gospel doesnt call them to repent and believe. Hi Susan, Advanced trainings that continue to build on your foundational knowledge of how to successfully run your own CR; Face-to-face connection with the national and global team of Celebrate Recovery.