Celebrate Recovery State Reps Are Here to Serve

Many thanks to Pastor Gary and his ministry leader (and MN State Rep) Wade, for an outstanding job of hosting the One Day Seminar and Advanced Leadership Training at Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester, MN last weekend. Everyone had a great time, and the church and recovery community provided wonderful volunters to host the event.

One question surfaced in conversation that lead me to believe many local Ministry Leaders somehow missed the help and support available through the CR Regional Director and State Representative system that has long been part of our structure. On occasion in other parts of the country I've heard similar remarks, and thought I better address it here.

I talked with several folks attending their first training event who mentioned "I did not know I had a state rep!".

As a ministry leader in your local church and community, help get the word out to new and potential new ministries. Let them know Celebrate Recovery provides training through One Day Seminars and the Summit, and a support system through recognized leaders, to help start and grow a successful CR ministry. While it is great a nearby church may visit your group to understand the "how to, or why" of running a successful model of recovery, it is vitally important you help connect others to the system of support and connection that our representatives provide.

Our Regional Directors and State Reps are here to serve YOU. Don't hesitate to call or e-mail any of us with questions about growing this ministry in your church.

Speaking of networking - in 72 days, there will be awesome networking opportunities with people from across the country and around the world. Recovery leaders and potential recovery leaders will soon be gathering on the campus of Saddleback Church for the Eleventh Annual Celebrate Recovery Summit.

The Network Connection Tents will be set up and we will have representatives from the six regions of the United States, Celebrate Recovery Inside, and Celebrate Recovery International available to answer any questions you have concerning the growth of this Christ-centered ministry in your part of the world.

Come now and make plans now to join us for the WORLD -WIDE CELEBRATION of recovery that is found in Celebrate Recovery. Drop by and say "Hi!". Pastor John, Cheryl and the rest of the team are looking forward to seeing you there.

Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim

Celebrate Recovery - Support in Place for New and Existing Groups

In training others to run Celebrate Recovery ministries across the country, or around the globe, we encourage Ministry Leaders to use the resources assembled for their help. It always helps to have someone you can call or e-mail for assistance when you wish to understand or apply the seven keys of Celebrate Recovery to your local ministry.

This past week I had an opportunity to try something new, and can point out it was helpful to have someone there who had a better idea about - disc golf.

Our son was home from Houston because Hurricane Ike caused an abundance of water damage at his employer's office located on the north loop of Houston. He wound up at our home with the ability to work from our home desktop once the network at his office had been restored. He has since returned to his Houston area apartment and an office space badly in need of walls and cubicles around the desks.

One evening I offered to take him out for a break from his office work. In determining what to do, he offered disk golf as something he was fond of in college. We went to a nearby Academy Sporting Goods store and each picked up bare necessities of a "driver" and a "putter", and went to a course in a county park the next community over.

For one, I always thought a Frisbee is a Frisbee! Who knew there were drivers, putters, mid-range discs, lighted discs, and even discs designed to bank one way or the other. I assume you can pay some serious money to equip a disc golf bag with all the accessories!!!

My first attempts were not all that great, and I can report I hit a lot of trees while playing in a heavily wooded park. My son referred to that as "chopping trees". I also spent a lot of time searching for errant throws in the brush alongside the course, and was the first to draw blood, courtesy of a tangle of briars. I'm sure glad there was not a camera in the park!

Our son of course was playing right down the middle, hovering the disc gracefully above the ground, and banking great shots left or right as he pleased. When in range he always landed his shots in the basket!

Bottom line. It was great to have my boy tell me "hold it this way . . . throw it this way . . . the rules say . . ." . The thing I enjoyed most was spending time with my son, but it served as a reminder we have a great support system in place to help you as a ministry leader.

It is comforting to know you can call or e-mail a leader who has started and grown a healthy Celebrate Recovery ministry in his or her own right. We're here to help and serve you!

Looking forward to seeing some of you in Agawam, MA for the first One Day of the Fall this weekend. There are still opportunities to sign up for events in Kansas City, Lexington, and Dallas. Be sure to visit our website for more information.

Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim

State Rep Appreciation - Get to Know Your Volunteers

Hi All!

I know many already on the road or in the air on the way to South California and the Summit coming up next week. Some folks are planning vacation time that will take in Hollywood, Disneyland, or the beach - before they attend our big event of the year.

I want to encourage the ministry leaders and their teams to give a strong and heart-felt "thanks!" to the state reps and regional directors who serve in your part of the country. This also includes many who are serving now in Celebrate Recovery Inside (our prison ministry), and in the international arena.

Those who serve in these volunteer positions have gained trust and experience by starting and growing Celebrate Recovery in their home church. They in turn, have stepped up to serve a specific geographical region.

As a pastor recently pointed out "Celebrate Recovery excels in serving and answering questions". That is what we are here for - to love and serve your team as you reach out to others.

Please drop by the networking tents while you are at Saddleback. You may make - no, I'm sure you will make some new friends and acquaintances there!

Celebrating Recovery - each day in Christ! - Jim

Training New Groups - Helping Each Other Along this Road to Recovery

We had a great One Day event at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, Maryland as Tom and his group of volunteers did an outstanding job of hosting the RECENT CR event in the North East Region.

As I was SHARING OR TEACHING about the 90 Day Kick-Off strategy, I mentioned THAT we have observed three types of networking taking place across the country. In this post, I wish to address the second type of networking I mentioned at that seminar, the issue of a Celebrate Recovery ministry setting itself up as a “training center” for other Celebrate Recovery ministries.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH an established ministry helping a smaller church or a satellite campus. The point I wish to make, is that by hosting ALL the CR leadership training in an area, a large church can foster AN UNHEALTHY dependence that causes the leadership of a smaller church not to GROW IN THEIR OWN ABILITY TO TRAIN AND GROW THEIR LEADERS – period.

We believe that the Basic Leadership Kit, the Advanced Leadership Kit, and other Celebrate Recovery approved resources provide everything a leader needs to train five leaders or fifty!

A legitimate, large, well established Celebrate Recovery ministry can help or assist new teams through inclusion in leadership training early on. Just don’t foster dependence BY doing all the training for new groups in your area. ALSO BE CAUTIOUS AND DON’T add ADDITIONAL rules or requirements to the Ninety Day Kickoff plan.

One other note of caution to Ministry Leaders. If a trainer from a local CR ministry is offering to “CERTIFY” your team after attending so many training sessions, they are operating outside the traditional model of training that has been established.

As always, we have a great team of State Representatives and Regional Directors who are willing to assist or answer questions, based on their experience of starting and growing healthy Celebrate Recovery ministries.

Celebrating Recovery – each day in Christ! - Jim