Christ the King

CELEBRATE RECOVERY is a unique ministry in these ways:

• It’s based on God's Word, the Bible

• It’s forward-looking

• It emphasizes personal responsibility

• It emphasizes spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ

• It utilizes the biblical truth that we need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally

• It addresses all types of habits, hurts and hang-ups

• It helps people move into productive, faith-filled lives

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact Pastor Doyle Theimer.

Pastor Doyle Theimer says that CELEBRATE RECOVERY is for “people wanting to deal more effectively with situations beyond their control, whether their own harmful behaviors or emotions, or recovery from painful experiences”.

The CELEBRATE RECOVERY Ministry at CTK meets every Sunday Evening, 6-8 pm, in the Fellowship Hall. It’s a ministry that includes large group worship and teaching or testimony in the first hour, and open sharing groups in the second hour.  Childcare is provided.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY ISN’T about offering professional clinical advice, or attempting to “fix” one another. It IS about providing a safe place to share experience, strength and hope with others who are going through the "Principles" in a Christ-centered recovery.

How did Celebrate Recovery® get started? 

Celebrate Recovery began in 1991 at Saddleback Church in California. What started with 45 people has gone on to bless thousands, becoming the number one outreach ministry at Saddleback.  Saddleback Church has made this program available to other churches, providing training and materials.  As such, Celebrate Recovery is a registered trademark, and those who use the materials under that name are obligated to observe certain basic requirements to ensure its consistency.
 
Who needs Celebrate Recovery®? 

Everyone needs to recover from sin, so there is no one who could not benefit from Celebrate Recovery.  Yet this program has been most beneficial to those who are experiencing a critical need for healing from harmful behaviors and attitudes, including but not limited to Chemical dependency; Sexual addictions or aversions; those affected by others’ addictions and compulsions (codependency); survivors of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse;  Eating disorders; Compulsive over-working or overspending; Depression, anxiety attacks, bi-polar disorder, etc.; Uncontrollable or destructive anger; Caring for the chronically ill, disabled, or aging.

What can I expect if I come to Celebrate Recovery®? 

The first hour of the evening will begin with songs of worship and praise, followed by a reading of the Eight Principles or Twelve Steps and their Biblical Comparisons and a time of teaching or testimony.  During the next hour participants will break into small groups that are divided by gender and by areas of concern.  How specific these areas of concern may be will depend upon the numbers of people involved.  Eventually, other meetings will form at various times of the week to go through the Celebrate Recovery workbooks.

How is Celebrate Recovery® different from other 12 Steps groups? 

While the Twelve Steps have their origin in Christian teaching and practice, in their present form they advocate a very broad and generic definition of God as a “Higher Power.”  In contrast, Celebrate Recovery explicitly acknowledges Jesus Christ as the Higher Power.  Unlike twelve step meetings, the main weekly event at Celebrate Recovery begins with worship, and the Recovery Bible along with the workbooks form the core curriculum.  The Eight Principles of Celebrate Recovery are based on the eight principles of blessing taught by Jesus (the beatitudes, Matthew 5: 3-10); and when the Twelve Steps are used, they are shown with verses from the Bible that substantiate them.

Can I attend even if I have no really big problem areas to address, but as a way to improve my spiritual walk? 

Yes.  Please realize, however, that others coming to Celebrate Recovery are desperate to be understood and accepted at their level of need.  If you are committed to your own recovery from sin, you should be able to identify with their struggles while resisting the urge to fix or advise them. 

Why does a church need to get involved in things like addictions? 

Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32).”  Christ’s acceptance and forgiveness are the bottom line.  Any church that is going to authentically represent Jesus needs to be a place where those who are captive to sin and shame can begin to experience freedom.  This is implicit in the vision of Christ the King:  “a caring community of believers who connect people to life in Jesus Christ.”  

How can I be sure that others won’t talk about my problems if I share something in a group? 

It is expected that each member of a group will protect the anonymity of the others in the group and keep confidential anything that is shared in the group.  Anyone who violates this trust once will be warned.  If it happens a second time, the offending person will be indefinitely suspended from attending a Celebrate Recovery small group.

What if I share something about myself that I am ashamed of; won’t the others think less of me? 

It has been said, “We are as sick as our secrets.”  One of the conditions that God attaches to freedom from sin is the need to openly confess it:  “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed (James 5:16).”  Whenever this happens among believers who are serious about growing in the grace of Christ, they will more likely admire the courage it has taken to share and surround that person with acceptance and support, because God’s Spirit is directing them.  Still, there are many risks involved with such sharing.  Highly sensitive matters are more appropriately shared in private with a trusted sponsor or accountability partner than in a group.  Celebrate Recovery groups are carefully structured and governed in order to maintain high levels of trust and confidentiality.  Because it is so important that the groups be a safe place to share, only those who are struggling with similar sets of concerns, or who are exploring recovery for themselves, are admitted to the small groups at Celebrate Recovery. 

What is the difference between an open group and a closed group? 

An open group is always open to newcomers.  It consists of any persons who are in recovery or exploring recovery for themselves.  The opportunity for sharing is typically more general and more open ended, focusing on struggles and victories.  A closed group forms around a particular agenda, and after an initial formation period it allows no new members.  Among the members there are higher expectations for accountability and commitment.

How can I encourage someone I know who needs Celebrate Recovery to attend? 

If the person declines your initial invitation to attend, rather than putting any further pressure on that person, consider attending Celebrate Recovery for your own sake for a while, especially if you have significant dealings with that person.  As you grow in your understanding of recovery you will be able to pray for him or her more effectively and make further invitations that will likely seem more natural and compelling.  If the situation requires what is known as an “intervention,” this requires experienced guidance.  An intervention is designed to persuade a person to enter a treatment program for several weeks.  Celebrate Recovery would then provide an excellent place for such a person to continue in recovery.

Can Celebrate Recovery® replace counseling? 

In some cases a program like this might be as effective, or even more effective, than counseling; but in other cases Celebrate Recovery would better serve as a supplement to professional care, especially if the need for medication is indicated.  If in doubt, the opinion of a trained, certified counselor should be sought.