CR introductions; how to introduce ourselves during large group and during small group:

Here at CR Saddleback, we ask our Leaders to introduce themselves with this statement: “Hi my name is _______; I am a believer who struggles with________.”  We ask our leaders to keep it short; to stick to one or two primary areas of recovery.  We ask them not to state a host of recovery issues and character defects, etc… especially because we do not run recovery specific groups for character defects.  Come to think of it, in this body, I don’t think I will ever gain a year of sobriety from “pride.”  With that standard, I would never qualify to lead a group for pride. J 

Each Leader has an opportunity to share about all their areas of recovery and character defects in their small groups and certainly when they share their testimonies.  It is important that our Leaders set the example for our participants.  Although we cannot control how participants introduce themselves, each participant should state their area of recovery. If they don’t, other group members will feel awkward and unsafe to express their own.  At the very least, a newcomer may say, “Hi my name is _____, and I’m exploring this area of recovery.”

So why do we introduce ourselves to begin with?  As I was writing this blog, Pastor John Baker walked by my desk, so I asked him, “John, why do we introduce ourselves in this way?”  He said, “If I ever forget my struggles, and the pain and destruction they caused, I am more prone to repeat them.  It humbles me.  It helps me remember what Christ has done for me.”

So we introduce ourselves as believers because our identity is in Jesus Christ. We identify our struggles so that we don’t repeat them, and to offer hope to those struggling with the same issues.  Our introductions bring us closer together as a group by establishing accountability and strengthening our fellowship.

Tina Davis

National Training Coach

Celebrate Recovery and Life's Healing Choices

5 Ways to Use Life's Healing Choices In Your Celebrate Recovery®

▼ Outreach tool
Just as the rest of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, Life's Healing Choices should be available on your resource table for purchase by your Celebrate Recovery participants. This will provide them with an outreach opportunity to purchase the book and give it to someone they want to invite to Celebrate Recovery. This is a great tool to reach more people for Christ as well as inform them about Celebrate Recovery.

▼ Overview for newcomers
When someone new comes into the program, they can be completely overwhelmed. By reading Life's Healing Choices they can get a quick, solid understanding of the Eight Principles and what Celebrate Recovery is all about. This is not to be a replacement for working the program, but it can serve as a great way to help the newcomer get started.

▼ Deepen all participants’ understanding of the 8 Principles
It doesn't matter where someone is in their Celebrate Recovery journey, if they are a newcomer or have been attending for years; Life's Healing Choices presents the 8 Principles / 8 Choices in fresh new ways. We can all afford to learn more about these Biblically based principles. Also, the 16 testimonies contained within are a great source of encouragement to those in the program.

▼ Additional resource for Step Studies
Using Life's Healing Choices in Step Studies as devotional reading and as outside assignments allows participants a chance to dig deeper into the Principles and find more healing through the Bible verses and references.

▼ Teaching the Celebrate Recovery lessons
Those who teach the lessons from the Celebrate Recovery Leaders’ Guide will find a wealth of knowledge in Life's Healing Choices. Celebrate Recovery teachers will find material in the book not covered anywhere else. There are insights found in Life's Healing Choices that will provide teachers with new illustrations and teaching opportunities.

Celebrate Recovery and Sobriety Chips

Large Group/Open Share Group

Tips on Chips:

Acknowledging various lengths of sobriety is a celebration for Open Share Group. It is an opportunity for individuals to share their victory, and bring hope to the Newcomer. Handing out chips during Open Share Group also ensures anonymity for those who otherwise would feel uncomfortable receiving a chip during your general meeting night. For example, a sex addict may not want to take a chip in front of your Large Group. It also might be very intimidating for the Newcomer to stand up in front of a group of people. To ensure your large group safe, please do not single out your newcomers. If you decide to hand out chips during Large Group time, ensure that individuals taking a chip receive a chip and a hug without indicating their area of recovery. Also bear in mind that those who do not have a definition of sobriety for their area of recovery; i.e. co-dependency, may feel excluded from the process.

Here’s how to present chips in your Open Share Group:

After sharing time in your Open Share Group, thank everyone for participating. This is the ideal time to acknowledge various lengths of sobriety/recovery and to welcome the Newcomer. By handing out chips, we have an opportunity to celebrate our recoveries and bring honor to our higher power, Jesus Christ.

For groups with definitions of sobriety; state that this is a chip meeting. Read “The definition of Sobriety”; this outlines who qualifies to receive a chip. Announce “We like to acknowledge varies lengths of sobriety,” and introduce the person who will pass out the chips. (I’ve asked _______ to pass out chips.) Then acknowledge various lengths of sobriety or recovery.

To award chips, have someone stand in the center of the circle and ask, “Is there anyone here with 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days?” Then ask, “Is there anyone here celebrating an anniversary; 1 year, 2 years, and so on.” Then ask, “Is there anyone here for the first time tonight, and would you like to accept a welcome chip?”

Presenting the chips is a great assignment to give to a regular group member, perhaps to someone who has not taken a step into service yet.

CR sobriety chips may be purchased on www.celebraterecoverygear.com and definitions of sobriety may be found in the Advanced Leadership Training Guide.

Celebrate Recovery General Meeting

Do you require Step Study Group participants to attend the General Meeting night?

In order for participants to gain the full benefit of Celebrate Recovery, they are encouraged to attend the General Meeting (Large Group), Open Share Group, CR Fellowship events, and a Step Study group.

When a newcomer asks me if they should attend both, I share the benefits. The Large Group service provides teaching and worship, and personal testimonies provide hope. Open Share Groups cover specific recovery issues and solutions, while Step Study Groups provide the opportunity to thoroughly work the 8 Principles and Christ Centered 12 Steps in a group setting. In addition, the General Meeting night is where a newcomer finds an Accountability Team. The General meeting also provides the critical component of fellowship.

Although we may encourage and challenge the newcomer to attend both, we can not make it a requirement. CR is a volunteer program. You may however, require your CR Step Study Leaders to attend both. As leaders, they should not only serve as examples of working a thorough recovery program, but should also continue to grow in their personal recoveries.

Read more on this topic in the Advanced Leadership Training Guide, Module 2.

I hope this helps!