Recovery

Only one, the body of true believers/ the church.

Realizing ones own past and the possibility of having the same conditions given above in your post, is the admonition to every church member to not think of himself more highly than he ought. We each should be "supporting" individuals and pointing to Calvary where the only help to overcome the symptoms of sin is found, w/o offering condemnation in the process. Those in the medical profession call it bedside manner.

The sting of the necessary shot can't be avoided, but it sure feels better when the comfort of a soft spoken word is given before administering.

If we as Christians could stop and realize the power we have in the individuals life as to either help or just add insult to injury, I'd rather help, but sometimes medicine doesn't always taste good, no matter how much sugar is added.

Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious: "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!", or so I was raised by the Disney fame: "Mary Poppins", starring Julie Andrews, for those who haven't a clue.

Momma, bless her heart, would force our nearly frostbitten hands under the warm water not realizing to those frozen hands it was like scalding water. It helped, but the hurt had to begotten over first, so it goes with the saying, a bit of tepid water first to prevent the shattering of the glass. We should realize this as being tenderhearted towards those who are so steeped in sin.

We don't need "support groups", we need real Christians!

 

No, not really. I think some of these groups might be good, but groups such as this tend to divide people and get them focusing on the very problem of their life. People already spend too much time focusing on their problems and having a group for them to come and have a mutual whine session may not be helpful.

Strong biblical discipleship and accountability is the best support group. Let people know you care by not letting them focus on their problems. Some of these kinds of groups may be helpful in the short run; but probably not in the long run.

I do wonder about the biblical basis for a term such as "recovering alcoholic" or "recovering addict." That is a term coined by those who believe that sins are sicknesses. When Christ saves a person from sin, they are not "recovering;" they are healed. Would we not be better teaching people to say "I was a sinner that God saved from drunkenness or addiction"?? I think we all recognize that sin is on on going struggle in the life of the believer in all areas. I don't think we need to minimize that by pschological jargon that has no real meaning, other than communicating that you still have a problem and you better be careful.

 

At my church, we have a program for former alcoholics and other people with various addictions.

http://www.clevelandbaptist.org/reformers/index.htm

 

AA and its fellow organizations can be a good outreach tool. We have had at least 4 people come to our church and believe in Jesus' name as a result of having an AA meeting there. We need to follow through and have a pastor or someone available for the people when they are seeking help. In fact one of our members is an active member of the AA group that meets at our church twice a week. We even have a Sunday School class for reformers.. (former alcoholics and the community service folks we have coming in to work on Saturdays) We have a pastor who has used the AA and community service programs to great effect in reaching a group of people we would never have gotten into Bible study or church services without them.

I say meet the people where they are and help them to get where our Lord tells us we all need to be.