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    Sunday
    14Mar2010

    Set Up For Success!

    DateSunday, March 14, 2010 at 4:32PM

    I promised last time we talked I would describe to you what my favorite night of the month looked like, CR leaders' meeting. It is the one night a month I get to be with people who share the same common goal.  The goal of finding the most effective ways to reach out to people with hurts, hang-ups, and habits.

    So without wasting anytime I will give you our agenda for last Thursday:

    6:30-7:00  Pot luck dinner (my favorite part)  And, Man, do we have some good cooks!  I even have a few pretty good Louisiana specialties myself.

    7:00-7:10  Opening prayer and praise song 

    7:10-8:10   Address agenda items:

    1.  We wrote "love-o-grams" to a Celebrate Recovery family whose house burned down.  This is a great way to begin our meeting with an outward focus.

    2.  During our church remodeling right now, Frank is the new CR "Chairman" over the chair moving committee.  He will enlist others to serve in this area.  We then addressed housekeeping needs, such as, which classes would have to be relocated and how all of us would do this with a smile and enthusiasm.

    3.  Discussed CR in the Park:  This is an annual fellowship event with no teaching.  Just great fun between all our local CRs and recovery houses.  Last year we fed over 500 people and we exposed members of the community to what fun CR is.  We're expecting a great turn out again this year.  And I will tell you more about it after April 18th.

    4.  Update on recovery house:  We opened our first recovery house, not across town, but on our own church campus this past month.  We discussed how we can be the most effective in ministering to these men.

    5.  CRI update:  78 men will graduate in the second wave of Step Studies at a local prison on March 25th! The graduation will be open to anyone who wants to attend from our local CRs.

    6.  Encourager Coach notes:  We complied a list of all who have donated to the recovery house to mail them thank-you cards.

    7.  Extra Mile Award:  We gave a $25 gas card to the person who has went above and beyond this past month in CR service.

    8:10-8:30  Devotional by Ministry Leader Apprentice

    Josh told a powerful story from Purpose Driven magazine about a man who gave his kidney to someone he met in small group.  I would love to share the whole story with you but the point boils down to CR is successful because we choose the "Get To" attitude!

    Closed out with this verse:

    "I have been crucified with Christ.  I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself up for me."  (Gal. 2:20)

    Leaders' meetings are a great way to set your group up for success!

    Peace,

    Mac

    AuthorMac Owen | CommentPost a Comment |
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    Friday
    12Mar2010

    Avoiding Stress and Burnout in Celebrate Recovery

    DateFriday, March 12, 2010 at 4:06AM

    Ministry Leader, I  am often asked how one can continue leading year-after-year, and still be fresh and vital in the ministry of Celebrate Recovery?

    The answer is to remain involved in your own recovery, to focus on your growth in Christ and recovery. It is highly important that every member of your TEAM and each volunteer in your Celebrate Recovery ministry keep in contact with the accountabiulity and support that got them where they are in the first place.

    Some of the biggest disasters I've observed over the years have been leaders who focus on "doing" recovery, helping others, while neglecting their health and progress in their spiritual walk - and their walk of recovery.

    No matter what happens, no matter the trials, ramain faithful to your call to Christ and recovery. You will be a success and you will overcome in His name.

    Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim

    AuthorJim Kirchner | CommentPost a Comment |
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    Monday
    22Feb2010

    Celebrate Recovery Lessons and Testimonies in Electronic and Print Media

    DateMonday, February 22, 2010 at 11:14AM

    The internet is a wonderful tool for communication is so many ways. It has also been recognized as a means of abuse or excess in many ways too.

    A couple of concerns I wanted to point out today have to do with Celebrate Recovery lessons, and Celebrate Recovery testimonies appearing in radio/tv/internet/blogs/podcasts and etcetera.

    Regarding the lessons of Celebrate Recovery, you need to know that the Celebrate Recovery Leader’s Guide and the Participant Guides are both copyright protected resources of the Zondervan Publishing Company, and have the support of the trademark and copyright laws of our land. If you have, or are planning to post CR lessons in part or the whole, to the web, you have the potential to be violating the copyright laws intended to protect you and others for intellectual or property rights for resources developed.

    Another question then surfaces about lessons posted to the web. If you lesson is totally original and does not contain the acrostics of the Celebrate Recovery lessons – what exactly are you doing in your Celebrate Recovery group? Are you running a local experiment under the name of Celebrate Recovery? Have you added outside resource or teaching, which indicates your group, is no longer an authentic representation of the ministry started at Saddleback Church over eighteen years ago?

    If you have Celebrate Recovery lessons published to the web, you need to remove them now.

    Regarding testimonies – it is great that you have leaders or participants willing to use their story to help others come to recovery. You need to be sure that every person you record is willing for you to record the testimony to use as you may, and that you have a signed release for every individual giving their consent.

    Many of those sharing their testimony are comfortable with anyone hearing the great things God has done in their life, but you may have others who are happy to share in the local group, but not have their story broadcast through the internet.

    Some of the testimony issues to consider would be with children at home, or those who may have pending issues with a separated or divorced spouse. There may be many other issues that would cause someone who may be perfectly happy sharing within the intimacy of a CR testimony, who may reconsider when told “your story is going out on the web or in the church bulletin”.

    Ministry leader – it is key that you keep this ministry safe for all, and that you set the example for others of following trademark and copyright laws of the land.

    AuthorJim Kirchner | CommentPost a Comment |
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    Thursday
    18Feb2010

    Anonymity and Confidentiality in Celebrate Recovery

    DateThursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:13AM

    Hi All!

     

    Our National Encouraging Coaches have done well in educating you about FaceBook and Twitter, but I've recently seen postings, tweets, personal blogs that are a concern for the anonymity and confidentiality of participants attending Celebrate Recovery meetings.

    In this age of accessability to so many forms of electronic communication, we are well served by Small Group Guideline #1 that encourages us to share "our own thoughts and feelings", especially when it comes to mentioning what happened at CR last night or this week.

    Did you stop to consider that while someone might appreciate your attention at a meeting, it may be uncomfortable when you post "it was great to see Jim at Celebrate Recovery last night". The same thing applies to a personal Celebrate Recovery blog where the author starts talking about spouse/child/friend in need of joining them in a recovery meeting. A personal blog may not mention the spouse or child by name, but I'm pretty sure friends and followers don't have to work hard to figure out who is being mentioned.

    Please consider the impact your words have in making the ministry of Celebrate Recovery safe for everyone. Be especially considerate when commenting about the recovery events of your life. If you have any question about mentioning a friend or family member by name in any of the above mentioned media - always ask them before you hit "send" or "post".

    I just wanted to follow up on great advice from our Encourager Coaches regarding the use of any print or electronic media.

    You can always learn more about the ministry of Celebrate Recovery by attending a One Day Seminar, or the Annual CR Summit at Saddleback Church. Visit http://www.celebrateraterecovery.com for the latest information on our training events.

    Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim

    AuthorJim Kirchner | CommentPost a Comment |
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    Wednesday
    10Feb2010

    Encourager starts with "M"

    DateWednesday, February 10, 2010 at 2:19PM

    Dear (insert Ministry Leader’s name here),

    Do you remember when you thought Celebrate Recovery was simply a place to share the life-giving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to hurting people?  What happened?

    Now at our last Large Group meeting you had to referee an ongoing squabble between (insert two Open Share leader’s names here).  Then, right before worship started, you had to run to the grocery store to get more creamer because (insert new guy’s name here) showed up little “tipsy” and spilled it all over the carpet.  How are you going to explain that one to (insert Senior Pastor’s name here)?… the BRAND NEW carpet was just installed last week!  I know it wasn't easy convincing (insert new guy's name and new guy's wife's name here) to have you drive them home on the way to the grocery store due to their, ummm, mutual "tipsiness".  I have to say, you sure showed them a lot of grace and love in a potentially explosive situation!

    I sure am sorry that during worship , you had to set up all the rooms for our Open Share meetings because (insert extremely unreliable volunteer’s name here) didn’t show up.  Then, during the Open Share, I heard you had the privilege of sitting in the nursery with eight screaming toddlers because (insert childcare worker’s  name) kid threw up all over the (MORE BRAND NEW) carpet, and she had to take him home. 

    Well, I just want you to know I recognize all the hard work you do, and I appreciate you.  You are making a difference, and, even though things get pretty crazy around here, the Gospel of Jesus Christ IS setting men and women free as a result of your obedience and sacrifice.  I am praying for you today according to Ephesians 3:16, that “out of (God’s) glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” 

    God bless you, and please, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you carry the burden of this life-giving ministry of Celebrate Recovery.  You don't have to do this alone.

    (Sign Encourager Coach’s name here)

     

     

    -john

    AuthorJohn Eklund | CommentPost a Comment |
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