English
Português
Español
Français
Answer
Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a national, Christ-centered self-help program hosted by local churches to assist individuals struggling with addiction or other life-controlling issues. The program originated at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and is now implemented in churches worldwide. According to their website: “Celebrate Recovery is a biblical and balanced program that aids in overcoming our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. It is founded on the actual teachings of Jesus rather than psychological theories.
“Twenty-five years ago, Saddleback Church introduced Celebrate Recovery with 43 participants. It was developed to support those dealing with hurts, habits, and hang-ups by demonstrating the transformative power of Jesus Christ through a recovery process. Celebrate Recovery has benefitted over 17,000 individuals at Saddleback, with more than 70% coming from outside the church. Eighty-five percent of program participants remain connected to the church, and almost half engage as church volunteers. Celebrate Recovery is now established in over 29,000 churches globally!”
Celebrate Recovery is a Christian option to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or other secular 12-step programs for conquering addictions. It is centered on the belief that Jesus Christ is our “higher power” and that through faith in Him, we can overcome any challenge. This transformation occurs through the process of following the twelve steps of recovery. Once again, as stated on the Celebrate Recovery website:
CELEBRATE RECOVERY 12 STEPS AND BIBLICAL COMPARISONS
1. We acknowledged that we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, and that our lives had become unmanageable. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18
2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40
We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16
We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10
We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31
We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23–24
We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12
We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and power to carry that out. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:16
Having had a
Spiritual experience is the result of these steps. We strive to share this message with others and apply these principles in all aspects of our lives. Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, those who are spiritual should gently restore them. However, be cautious, or you may also be tempted. Galatians 6:1
Celebrate Recovery also presents eight principles of recovery, based on the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3–12. Each of the eight principles is associated with one or more of the twelve steps.
Like any organization, Celebrate Recovery has strengths and weaknesses. One of its strengths is the inclusive, supportive environment it provides to all attendees. Many individuals who have battled socially unacceptable behaviors for years are drawn to the welcoming atmosphere that encourages them to return. Celebrate Recovery is frequently recognized as a court-approved rehabilitation program for individuals mandated by a judge. Consequently, many individuals have discovered Christ through this program who may have never otherwise entered a church.
One weakness of Celebrate Recovery pertains to its encouragement for individuals to “love themselves” and “forgive God”—neither of which is biblically supported. Another weakness is that the program is self-directed and self-managed, at times by individuals who have recently overcome their own addictions. Often, those rapidly promoted to leadership roles are not adequately prepared, and their public setbacks can influence others. Additionally, local Celebrate Recovery leaders are frequently young Christians who may not be spiritually or emotionally equipped to handle the significant responsibility of caring for such a “flock.” Some pastors observe that Celebrate Recovery operates as a separate entity within the confines of a church building without fully integrating into the church community. First Timothy 5:22 cautions church leaders, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others; keep yourself pure from sin.”
Despite its imperfections, Celebrate Recovery has proven to be
Celebrate Recovery has been a life-saver and a life-transformer for thousands of individuals. Its evangelical focus on the gospel and the Word of God has yielded positive outcomes. Numerous individuals who have been supported by Celebrate Recovery have proceeded to faithfully serve the Lord with sobriety, attributing their ongoing success to the expertise and biblical grounding they acquired through Celebrate Recovery. When the local leaders submit themselves to the authority and direction of the hosting church, Celebrate Recovery can bring significant benefits to both the church and the local community.
