Celebrate Recovery Sponsor and Accountability Partners

In my last blog I explained what our role is concerning Sponsors. Our role as a CR Ministry is to educate the newcomer about the importance of finding a Sponsor, the role of a Sponsor, and the characteristics to look for in a Sponsor. Today I am going to talk about what our role is not.

Once a participant has the tools to choose a Sponsor wisely, the ultimate decision is theirs to make. At the CR Model we do not assign or oversee these relationships. Our role is not to assign Sponsors, or Accountability Partners, for that matter. Years ago I learned of a step study group leader who thought it best to assign Accountability Partners, rather than allow the group participants to get to know each other and choose for themselves. She proceeded to assign the person on their left. Since Step study groups are not issue specific, she wound up pairing up a co-dependent with an addict. This arrangement ended up hurting the individuals, the group and the group leader.

Anyone who has met the basic requirements to Sponsor should be encouraged to take on this responsibility. (To find the prerequisites to Sponsor go to your Advanced Leadership Training Guide; Modular 9 Training Sponsors) There may be several attendees qualified to sponsor, but not yet able to meet all of your leadership requirements. They, too, may sponsor others as part of serving in the ministry. If you only allow your group leaders to sponsor the newcomer you are setting your leaders up for leader burnout! What happens when your CR Ministry grows from 10 to 50 to 100 or even 500 people? At the CR Model we have 96 leaders and over a 1,000 participants. I’ll burnout just thinking about it!

Our role is not to manage these relationships. We do not recommend trying to control these relationships. (By the way, we have a group for thatJ) However, Ministry Leaders may, and should, hold CR Leaders accountable. We are responsible for our leadership, therefore should conflicts arise between a Sponsor and a Sponsee, the Ministry Leader may provide guidance and help towards reconciliation. Let it suffice to say that in the case of a non-leader Sponsor and Sponsee conflict that is causing harm to the overall health of your CR Ministry, you must intervene.

It’s easy to feel anxious for the newcomer. After all we know what works. But, we must allow God’s power to work in the hearts and minds of our newcomers.

Be encouraged!

Celebrate Recovery and Sponsors

Sponsor/Sponcee Assignments

Get your sponcee into the word of God using the Celebrate Recovery Bible “Features Topical Index” (page 1605) and “Index to Subjects” (page 1611).

Here are a few great assignments to consider:

Ask your sponcee to look up their area of recovery in the Features Topical Index. Items listed in this section are "Character Studies" and "Recovery Stories". Ask your sponcee to highlight all the items listed and commit to reading each study and story listed. Reading about the specific area of recovery that they relate to will allow them to learn more about their struggle, and to learn that they, too, can gain victory over it.

If you observe that your sponcee is struggling with a particular character defect, or negative behavior, assign a word study from "Index to Subjects". What I like best about "Index to Subjects" is that it lists direct scriptures that cover everything from anger, denial, gossip, financial planning, to perseverance, and trust. Have your sponcee look up a word that describes their particular issue; then read and highlight each one. It will be one of the most powerful assignments you will ever give.

Any finally, if your sponcee is having a “pity party”, listen, affirm where valid, and then ask them to call a newcomer just to say hello. Nothing helps us get out of "self " better than reaching out to a newcomer!

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!

So how do I find Sponsor's anyway?

As a new Celebrate Recovery Ministry you may have a limited number of CR participants available to sponsor your newcomers. As new leaders you certainly can not sponsor everyone!

My first year attending CR I relied solely on my accountability partners; I chose only those who were as serious and committed about their recovery as I was. I chose people who attended Large Group, Open Share group and step study group every single week and who attended church services. I also relied on the Life Recovery Bible; The 12 Step Devotionals readings and stories to help fill my void of not having a sponsor. It was not until a year later that I was able to secure a sponsor. Looking back, what was extraordinary about this group of accountability partners is that every one of them became CR Leaders and 12 years later not only are they still CR leaders but some are running CR Ministries of their own.

The key was to choose the right accountability partners. The good news is that more and more people will become available to sponsor others after they have completed a step study group. So be encouraged!

Now it has been suggested that as a ministry we should provide a list of available sponsors and accountability partners. This goes against one of the most important steps for a newcomer; initiating their recoveries and seeking new relationships. A newcomer must take responsibility for their own recoveries. What a group leader may do is provide a weekly phone list. In essence you have given the newcomer a list of potential sponsor’s and accountability partners! It’s up to the newcomer to use the list!

Moreover; as a CR Ministry, I do not recommend governing these relationships by only allowing your CR leaders to sponsor the newcomer. This will only lead to leader burnout! What happens when your CR Ministry grows from 10 people to 50, 100 or even 500! The probability of the number of CR participants coming from other churches or secular recovery programs will outweigh the number of CR participants coming from inside your church. Does this mean you don’t allow those who do not serve as a CR leader to sponsor someone? How do you keep that from happening, not allow someone to come back! The worst thing you can do is try to control these relationships. By the way, we have a group for that! : )

In summary, our role as a CR Ministry is to teach individual’s ways of finding a sponsor, what to look for in a sponsor and educate what is a sponsor role. You will find every thing you need to accomplish this in the Advanced Leadership Training Kit, Module 9.