Difficult Questions

Last Friday was our third Celebrate Recovery meeting and we had new people attend. More good news, even through the leadership team is still learning, we are having people return each week, we feel good about that.

I was noticing a difference in the way CR's small groups are run and a "normal Bible class". They are both based on the Bible and use lots of scripture, but a major difference is in the types of questions asked. In the Bible class the questions are looking for answers from the Bible, usually a fact, or a general application to life. Rarely is a personal answer required. The CR questions all require a personal answer. "How does this affect you?" "What are you doing about this?" From my background these are hard questions to answer, I have been into factual answers, or this is the way the church should do it or not do it. The CR questions if answered truthfully are hard to answer because they demand openness and commitment. I am impressed.

Celebrate Recovery

We have started a celebrate Recovery Ministry, and last Friday was our second week. We thought it went well. Our group has been praying and looking for ways in which we can be apart of what God is doing to expand His Kingdom. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ based recovery ministry. Here is a short explanation we put in our brochure.

Celebrate Recovery is designed to address all types of hurts, habits and hang-ups. It is not just for alcoholics and drug addicts.
No one is untainted by sin. Some may sin in more socially destructive ways than others, but the Bible teaches that all have sinned. In terms of its power to separate us from God, all sin is one and the same.
The Purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to fellowship and celebrate God’s healing power in our lives through the 12 Steps and 8 Recovery principles.
By working and applying these Biblical principles, we begin to grow spiritually. We become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors. This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly a stronger personal relationship with God and others. As we progress through the program we discover our personal, loving and Higher Power – JESUS.

We meet every Friday night from 6:30 to 8:30 with a general assembly for everyone first. During it we have a worship time, several readings, and a training lesson. The second half consists two small group meetings, one for women and one for men. One of the concepts I like about this is that even though there are leaders they are still considered part of the participants, because we are all in this together, overcoming sin. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here and write more later, as we do more meetings and get more familiar with this ministry.

CELEBRATION TIME!!!!!

It is time to celebrate!! I just mowed my lawn for the last time this year. I don't care if it does rain (which it did last night after I mowed) and turns warm so that the grass continues to grow, I have put the lawnmower up and up it will stay until next spring.

So let's have a Coke and some Fritos to celebrate.