Thanks for taking the time to respond. Eric Davis of The Cripplegate analyzes the popular packaged addiction program, Celebrate Recovery (CR) that many churches have adopted. We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Faults are not equivalent to sins. As far as I know, we never completely abandoned the message of repentance and faith, but I think all the psychology muddied the waters the executive director is now in a same sex marriage. He either never took the time to research the origins of the Twelve Steps and what they teach or he was intentionally making a false statement. Spiritualism And while confession is a good thing, its not the same thing as repentance. Youll probably also notice that even though Johnny uses the word sin a few times, he never speaks in biblical terms about everyones need to repent of their sin. The program, created by John Baker and Rick Warren, is supposedly based on biblical principles. The global headquarters is in Lake Forest, California, United States . Gods Sovereignty The program began in Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and is now used in churches around the world. Are we to avoid all womens bible studies and Christian book studies as well? Matthew 5:23-24 NIV. November 2014 [13] A study of Celebrate Recovery participants published in 2011 by the Journal of Religion and Health, found that levels of spirituality were associated with greater confidence to resist substance use. Celebrate Recovery began 25 years ago with 43 people at California's Saddleback Church. Actually, we judge Celebrate Recovery by what it is based on and what it teaches - the teachings of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Steps which directly contradict the gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Get rid of it completely. June 2020 Commentary, stories, and side notes have been added. Jesus Christ Thursday. September 2015 Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from issues that control us. Anyway, thank you for helping me reach greater clarity about what we did. There are Celebrate Recovery State Representatives across the globe that are equipped to help get ministries started in local churches, and are available as a resource as the ministry grows. Dec 27 2016. December 2014 Currently you have JavaScript disabled. 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. John Baker was called to create Celebrate Recovery because he wanted to be able to give his higher power the name above all names. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Scripture The man needs to be brought to justice and repent. Marriage Other Alcoholics Anonymous Writings and Publications. Galatians 1:6-10. CR Official Podcast. 2 Cor. I am not thoroughly familiar with the websites below. Further, he understands that, having rebelliously and flagrantly violated Gods holy law, he deserves to endure the righteous wrath of God in hell for eternity. Encouragement But the ideas in the 8 Principles are very similar to the ideas in the secular 12 steps. So that you can study what Gods word actually says in comparison to those well known 12 steps. But what about the micro-level of the individual Principles? (Steps 6 and 7) Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires (Matt. Thats unbiblical. If you're new or would like to comment, please see the "Welcome- Start Here" tab at the top of this page. Catholicism (RCC) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. Celebrate Recovery: Getting Right with God, Yourself, and Others: Participant Guide, 3. It produces diligence to be sure no sin is left still covered by a fig leaf of denial; clearing of yourselves is round two of being sure nothing remains of any known sin; indignation toward yourself for having sinned against God; fear that you may return to your favorite sin out of rebellion; vehement desire to please God in all things and lay down your sins and the pleasure of them before your Savior; zeal so as to always keep yourself in check, away from sin and its pleasures; and vindication not of yourself, but on Gods behalf because He is once again proven to be right and righteous in all that He does. Because He freed me of my sins, including drunkenness. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will. New Mexico was the first state to adopt Celebrate Recovery into its state prison system and now has Celebrate Recovery pods in all its state prisons. I dont agree with Rick Warren on a lot of things but this program works and the HolybSpirit uses those scriptures to deal with people. Alpha & Omega Home is dedicated to service, to God, our residents, and our community. Even Jesus had struggles with the religious leaders in his life. CR Tools. Read the articles on this site entitled "Was Alcoholics Anonymous Started by Christians?" John Baker and Rick Warren of Saddleback Church created the program in 1991 to help people with various addictions. As for whole families being saved, most churches in this country do not even preach the true gospel. Therapeutic Humanism Im 54 years old . 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. 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. [3], Celebrate Recovery is a recovery program aimed at all "hurts, habits, and hang-ups", including but not exclusive to: high anxiety; co-dependency; compulsive behaviors; sex addiction; financial dysfunction; drug and alcohol addictions; and eating disorders. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17. July 2016 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. Matthew 7 Thats pragmatism. Occult Not by a long shot. The scriptures have not been 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. 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. 6;14, but RW and company would rather make merchandise of the masses and have them play the victim card and be FOREVER subservient to their programs and dictates*****************no thank you. March 2017 The twelve steps referred to in the above excerpt are the demonically inspired twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous which directly contradict the gospel of Jesus Christ. Articles. Celebrate Recovery is just the AA program which Rick Warren added some Bible verses to so it could be marketed and sold as a "Christian Recovery" program. The organization was founded in 1991 by John Baker, a former alcoholic staff member of Saddleback Church with the support of Pastor Rick Warren. 1 Corinthians 15 The good news is that the familiar twelve steps remain intact under the Celebrate Recovery model, except that the vague language about a Higher Power gets specific, focusing in on the one and only true Higher Power, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Again, this is unbiblical. Romans 7 If Christ is our salvation and His Word is our guide - why would something like Celebrate Recovery be needed? In the U.S. and abroad, over 35,000 churches and many secular organizations and businesses now offer Celebrate Recovery programs, and over 5 million people have completed CRs Step Study program. THE RETURN OF CHRIST. March 2015 Celebrate Recovery (CR) was created by John Baker, a member of false teacher Rick Warren's Saddleback "Church". No one has the ability, nor should they attempt to face their hurts on their own. SMALL GROUP GUIDELINES. c) The pastor, teacher, or ministry cannot currently and unrepentantly be teaching false doctrine. www .michaelenglishmusic .com. We are born with a sinful nature, but we also choose to sin. 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). Sinful Desire The sinner on the cross, beside Jesus , wasnt taught all the scripture that some say churchs dont teach. Mark 16:15 says,"And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." How very sad I feel for them (RW and co-authors). We made far too many compromises with the world, and very few people experienced true freedom from homosexuality. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. Your statement is clear evidence of just one of the many ways Celebrate Recovery is contrary to the scriptures. Proper Perspective Spiritual Formation Because Celebrate Recovery is mix of heretical worldly teachings with scripture it is on the broad worldly way. Thoughts The program is just a tool and study book like any other study. Trinity In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. To learn how to forgive themselves , to love themselves as Christ loves them. Clever readers will notice that the first letter from each of the eight steps forms the acronym, recovery. CRs approach takes each of the eight principles and expoundsthem with a few lessons, forming the 25 lessons in which participants are guided through how to deal with their hurts, hang-ups, and habits (the oft-used phrase in CR to describe our problems which need recovery). Baker, John, and Richard Warren. Temptation But the Scriptures teach that all mans efforts will fail and the result of the failure will be worse for the man that depends upon his own efforts. Satan 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.. Biblically, theres no such animal. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Rick Warren: Purpose Driven Deception. As a defender of AA and CR who claims to be Christian, you have to ask yourself - how could you ever claim the authority and sufficiency of scripture as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 teaches without being a hypocrite? After listening to those in the group, I knew this was unbiblical. Twelve Steps Baker, John. May 2017 There are over 35,000 churches currently with a Celebrate Recovery ministry. And they definitely mattered to God, just not in a good way. Jeni defines this term at the 5:30 mark as growing up in a dysfunctional family that caused hurt in your lifewhich I think we pretty much all have. That definition doesnt do much to clear things up). In response, various efforts have been made to deal with the problem. The only capital G, capital N Good News is the Good News of the biblical gospel, which CR has repeatedly failed to present and instead has substituted its own false gospel which is devoid of sin, faith, and repentance. Do you have any idea how contrary that statement is to the Christian faith? The idea is that the sinner has come to terms with Gods towering moral standards for humanity; absolute perfection (cf.Matt. 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. The man has sinned. ; The ability to have face-to-face conversations and . Where is your external source that backs your beliefs that the 12 steps are demonically inspired. Forgiveness If youd like to check out some pastors and teachers I heartily recommend, click theRecommended Bible Teachers tab in the blue menu bar at the top of this page. John Baker and Rick Warren of Saddleback Church created the program in 1991 to help people with various addictions. 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! If you are considering commenting or sending me an e-mail objecting to the fact that I warn against certain teachers or ministries, please click here and read this article first. July 2020 This medical model of sin is completely unbiblical because it removes personal culpability and responsibility for sin, i.e. [4] Celebrate Recovery is one of the seven largest addiction recovery support group programs. Celebrate Recovery is an American Christian twelve-step program designed to facilitate recovery from a wide variety of troubling behavior patterns. So now to part 1 of Eric Davis2 part series. Celebrate With Us at Saddleback Church! Strength The Celebrate Recovery Bible is a study bible with added stories and devotions. And, although it should go without saying, the Beatitudes arent about hurts, addictions, or recovery. [9][10] They may not use resources outside of the Bible and authorized Celebrate Recovery curriculum materials. If God's word in scripture is sufficient and the final authority - then why would the Twelve Steps need to be added to it as CR does? What Good News? While there are many godly and well-meaning people involved at the local Celebrate Recovery, the message has been twisted. September 2017 Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) , Jesus clearly said the father had two sons. I give all the praise and glory to the spirit which moved that mountain for me. Humility . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. Go preach the gospel - not go introduce the addicted to a Twelve Step program and then if all goes well try to get the gospel message in somewhere. If anything is to be labeled as demonic it should be addiction itself. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12 step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind. Is there an alternative that is more Biblically based version of Celebrate Recovery? 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. Proverbs 30:5,6 says, "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. They have NEVER presented the Gospel, only their own convoluted fantasies of how things ought to be in their make believe world. 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. How does adding to God's Word, blending the heretical teachings of AA with God's word, labeling the sin of addiction as disease, and focusing on supposed humanistic needs rather than the un-compromised gospel of Jesus Christ in any way bring glory and honor to Him? Jehovahs Witnesses Group facilitators must be trained and agree to a list of expectations,[9] including standardized guidelines[18][19] at each meeting. All of the sources you recommend are simply another writing of yours. Many saved people have been forgiven by Jesus but never learned to free themselves of their past. A man invited me to it, and some things I liked about it. Generally speaking, in order for me to recommend a teacher, speaker, author, or ministry, he/she/it has to meet three criteria: a)A female teacher cannot currently and unrepentantly preach to or teach men in violation of 1 Timothy 2:12. May 2016 Sober Recovery Expert Author. But not so great if youre in the majority of CR participants who are lost. Sin is always immoral and frequently intentional. Further, Warren claims that CR is more effective in helping people change than anything else Ive seen or heard of (12). 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. 1 Corinthians 10:12. This is where RW, and his CR have failedmiserably. Sobriety Sin cannot be tamed or brought under control by mortal men. I also do think the 12 Steps are an attempt to Christianize the worlds system, and is law teaching. [2] Further evidence of CRs false gospel can be found near the end of the video. CR is just a humanistic self-help program. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling . 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. Thats not the same thing as a mistake or hurting/being hurt by others or hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. When Christ preached the Beatitudes, he did not intend for them to be a protocol for recovery. Repent and believe in the Gospel, cry out for mercy and forgiveness. John 4 CR is open to professing Christians as well as the lost (in the CR program at Saddleback, non-Christians make up over 70% of CR participants see below), and is modeled after secular 12 step programs (ex: Alcoholics Anonymous). Celebrate recovery is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. Hi Ashley, Instead, the Beatitudes are descriptions of kingdom citizens; of individuals having been saved by Gods grace. Freedom From Sin Hello. If we believers are already dead to sin and freed from it (as Paul tells us in Romans 6), then how can you work a program to accomplish what Jesus already has?! Rick Warren writes, [D]uring the ten-week series that I preached to kick off this program, our attendance grew by over 1500! (John Baker, Celebrate Recovery Leaders Guide, 12). CELEBRATE RECOVERY'S EIGHT RECOVERY PRINCIPLES. Absolutely not says researcher John Lanagan. I pray the Lord will open your eyes to the apostasy you seem to be trapped in and bring you back to the narrow path of His truth. August 2017 The Oxford Group was a quasi Christian group that corrupted the gospel and Christian doctrine. A local Celebrate Recovery ministry should follow the policies of their local church and continue to be grateful for their continued support. At 20:11ff, Johnny quotes Romans 3:23, and then proceeds to define sin as mistakes. August 2015 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. May 2020 [17], How Celebrate Recovery Helped Evangelicals Open Up About Addiction, Offering Ministry, and Early Release, to Prisoners, U.S. trademark record for "Celebrate Recovery", "5 Guidelines for Celebrate Recovery Small Groups", "Celebrate Recovery: Five Small Group Guidelines", "Broadening the base of addiction mutual-help organizations", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Celebrate_Recovery&oldid=1131190093. Born Again Obeying the commands of scripture is not legalism - it's a major aspect of the Christian faith. What changes would need to be made for me to be a supporter of Celebrate Recovery? Principle Y takes us back into false gospel territory: Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others,both by my example and my words. Scripture Alone Spiritual perfection is defined as (United with God maturity development complete). This Good News capital G, capital N? A ministry or trend cannot allow or encourage any of these things. To claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection is not only unbiblical but could lead to spiritual uncertainty and backsliding. This leaves room for lost people to infer, These are their beliefs, but they dont have to be mine.. CELEBRATE RECOVERY 12 STEPS AND BIBLICAL COMPARISONS. "Substitute anything for Christ, and the Gospel is totally spoiled! Confess your sins to one another, is what the Bible says. I do not endorse anything on these sites that deviates from Scripture or conflicts with my beliefs as outlined in the Welcome or Statement of Faith tabs in the blue menu bar at the top of this page. This review is based upon the programs teaching as stated in the CR Leadership Guide only (pages cited are from this guide) and is not a critique of every person who has participated in the program. January 2018 Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998. C-R also claims progress in place of Spiritual perfection as does A-A. Salvation SHOP FOR RESOURCES AND GEAR. Rick Warren writes, " [D]uring the ten-week series that I preached to kick . Come join us in the home of Celebrate Recovery, and let's make this event a one-of-a-kind experience that you will never forget. God The Father took me in and helped me heal through others that he had waiting on me. Celebrate Recovery is a beautiful community of strugglers that courageously enter this safe and beautiful space to get honest about our pain, and the negative ways we may see ourselves, God and others. People really need to get back to believing in the transforming power of Christ through true repentance and faith. Im relying on my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, God, Holy Spirit and the Bible. Michael English (born April 12, 1962) is an American Christian singer and record producer. It is my opinion that no believer will ever experience their freedom in Christ from a program. If you are in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, please call: 911 - Emergency or 988 - Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or 1-800-273-8255. How do you reconcile using the heretical Twelve Steps of AA instead of the gospel with this command? CR is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that may be controlling your life. 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. Hi Chad. November 2016 Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Mistakes are, by definition, unintentional and usually morally neutral. Eschatology (End Times) Celebrate Recovery does not convey the gospel of Jesus Christ and is not needed. Very sad. ), Is Celebrate Recovery Biblical? Predestination Specifically, Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt. Dominionism (NAR) A male teacher or pastor cannot allow women to carry out this violation of Scripture in his ministry. Alcoholics Anonymous 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.. (LogOut/ They present a works-based gospel, which is no gospel at all. January 2017 Testimonies Recovery Judging and Examining Ourselves [podcast] February 1, 2023. Would you be ok with Celebrate Recovery if they stopped using the familiar 12 steps as a reference and only used the scripture verses? God Bless, CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. Needless to say, CR has had a major influence on the church. Sorry to see you caught up in this unbiblical nonsense. And a lost person cannot gain the power to follow His will without the indwelling Holy Spirit. Since our fall at the dawn of time, we have been naturally enslavement to every destructive behavior possible. Heaven Luke 12:43-45. The ministry below is one Ive been asked about recently, so Ive done a quick check (this is brief research, not exhaustive) on it. October 2014, All Baker, John, and Richard Warren. Or what changes would need to be made for you to be a supporter of celebrate recovery? These kind of statements turn away so many non believers. CRs 12 Steps are almost identical to the secular 12 steps. Johnny goes on to say that that [the indwelling Holy Spirit] is what gives us the power to find healing from our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Repentance and faith. CRs stated purpose is to encourage fellowship and to celebrate Gods healing power in our lives as we work our way along the road to recovery (21). Sin is primarily rebellion against God. Homosexual Agenda The question is not, Does Celebrate Recovery work?. [9][10][11][12] In addition to issue non-specific large group gatherings and individual mentoring, Celebrate Recovery encourages participants to form a small group of "accountability partners" who all have the same problem and support one another closely. If you have never attended a Celebrate Recovery group before, you might be wondering, How do I know Celebrate Recovery even works? Why even invest time and commitment into something that might not be effective? I am involved in CR and I am not relying on the 12 steps. CRs Road to Recovery begins with the Eight Principles Based on the Beatitudes (12), stated above. During his solo career, he recorded eight studio albums. The wife needs to be cared for, helped to heal, and ultimately, to forgive. Change). Who will replace retiring Rick Warren at Saddlebacks Helm? Matthew 7:13 says, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it." 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. RW does speak of repentance, and the Jesus is the only higher power. Journal of Psychology & Christianity 22.4 (2003). Chad, To exclude this is only done if we take it out of scripture and then live without being perfected as seen by God. We are to go and preach the gospel not try to figure out what the world is comfortable with and then use that. As if man can free someone from the bondage of sin. John 3 (LogOut/ Then you are able to test it. Have you ever heard him or anyone connected to RW/CR say For sin shall not have dominion over you? 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." 2022 by Berean Research. Warren would have a man wallow in self pity (be a victim) and call it a boast to his self-esteem rather than point him to the only One who can not only forgive a mans sin, but DELIVER him from the power of those sins (Rom. The core of the CR program - the twelve steps are heretical. Ill just let Scripture speak to those points: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me [Jesus] before it hated you. you will be branded as one who has gone back to alchohal or drugs even though you havent. Grace ALL sin is a bondage, including addictions. I cringed whenever Id hear someone say, Im (insert name), and Im a grateful follower of Jesus Christ! Life How is obeying God's Word legalistic? What program should be recommended? Once youre saved (or if youre already saved as youre reading this), find a doctrinally sound church, make an appointment with your pastor, and ask him to point you to someone who can disciple you in obedience to Gods Word. As such, CR imposes a meaning other than the authorial intent upon the text. They tell sinners Jesus loves them, invite Him into your heart, make your decision, choose Jesus, get baptized, etc. Free-will Its obvious why the 12 steps are included, because the world is familiar with them. Sufficiency Of Scripture The clearest instance of this occurs inthe principles upon which CR is founded. The program has impacted adults and teens all over the U.S. and across . Psalm19 This interpretation, however, incorrectly understands the Beatitudes by removing them out of their context and interpreting them in an eisegetical manner. I realize you wrote specifically about Celebrate Recovery, Michelle, but your cautions apply to so many ministries that follow the 12-step model. 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. Covenant Hi Emily, Law And if theyre trying to circumvent repentance, faith, and the biblical gospel in order to steal what they want from God, theyre not asking humbly, theyre asking pridefully. Demonic Oppression Initially, he was a member of his family's singing group, and later a member of The Gaither Vocal Band. The Twelve Steps also falsely teach forgiveness of sins by a God of our own understanding while Christ is no part of the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step program whatsoever. 7,416,908 journeys have been made to this site. April 2015 Your objection is most likely answered here. 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. Designed for those with "hurts, habits and hang-ups," as its slogan says, CR offers biblically-based encouragement and hope for change.
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