Celebrate Recovery Reps and Directors to Serve You

We were just in New Orleans over the weekend, (Metarie specifically) to hold a One Day Seminar at Celebration Church. We appreciated the assistance of Ruth and the great group of volunteers who helped make this a great Seven Keys of Celebrate Recovery event. Great to know we had participants from many of the Gulf Coast states in attendance too.

You guys were great hosts, and we appreciate the support we receive when in the area. We'll be praying that rebuilding your main worship center on Airline Road becomes a reality sooner than expected!

One issue we bump into, on occasion, is that of "self-appointed" representatives seeking to contract services to start and grow the ministry of Celebrate Recovery in churches located in various parts of the country. At this weekend's seminar, I heard another example of an individual seeking to do this in one of the states represented at this event.

I wish to point out the established structure for ministry support in Celebrate recovery is found within the network of six Regional Directors and nearly eighty volunteer State Reps in the United States. Pastor or Ministry Leader, if you have someone wanting to contract with you to start or train your Celebrate Recovery leaders, THEY ARE NOT PART OF US!

This ministry is always run best when a dedicated lay volunteer or pastoral team member is assigned the care and leadership of the Celebrate Recovery ministry of your local church. Our experience with many of the "contractors" we have encountered is they are not part of any church with a Celebrate Recovery ministry, often lacking the experience serving as a Ministry Leader for CR in any church. They are operating outside the system of support and likely will not refer you to help available through the national and international ministry of Celebrate Recovery.

We sincerely believe the Basic Leadership Kit and the Advanced Leadership Kit have all of the resource you need for training the Celebrate Recovery leaders of YOUR church. If you have any questions about using any of the resources to train your leaders to begin this wonderful Christ-centered ministry, please get in touch with your State Rep or Regional Director.

Pastor, if your State Rep or Regional Director travels a distance or has to stay overnight to meet with your leadership, please keep in mind it is appropriate to assist with these expenses that our volunteer incurs from their visit. I am in support of that! Your State Representative or Regional Director can help your leadership, raised in your church, effectively minister to both your church and community.

What should you do if someone calls with plans to start the ministry of Celebrate Recovery at your church? Please verify you are working with a legitimate leader who has been acknowledged as a servant to his or her area of the state. If you've been approached by a "contractor or consultant", I'd like to meet them too!

Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim