Getting Started
New to Celebrate Recovery? Start here to understand our mission and if this community is right for you.
What is Celebrate Recovery? expand_more
Celebrate Recovery is a ministry to hurting people. It’s made up of people who are on a journey toward wholeness; seeking recovery from and celebrating God’s healing of life’s hurts, hang-ups and habits. Trained leaders provide safe, confidential, Christ-centered groups where people can grow. They offer their stories as fellow travelers on the journey to healing.
What are hurts, hang-ups and habits? expand_more
Hurt: Emotional or physical pain caused by yourself or another (e.g., abuse, abandonment, codependency, divorce).
Habit: Regular repeated behavior pattern or addiction (e.g., alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, sex).
Hang-Up: Psychological or emotional problems or fixations (e.g., anger, depression, fear, unforgiveness).
A hurt, hang-up or habit is anything that hinders your walk with God. They postpone or prevent genuine fellowship with Him and your loved ones.
Issues we address:
Is Celebrate Recovery for me? expand_more
Celebrate Recovery offers a person the opportunity to participate in a group fellowship where love and hope combine with God’s purpose to mend our lives. Ask yourself:
- Are there things in my life that I do that hurt others?
- Is there something I wish I could live without?
- Is it time to crack my denial and admit I am not in control of my life?
- Do I have a painful habit or hang-up from which I need to be freed?
If you answered “yes” to any of these statements then we urge you to attend a Celebrate Recovery meeting to see if it is for you.
Who attends & Who can benefit? expand_more
One in 3 attend for alcohol and drugs. Others come for depression, divorce, anger, pornography, infidelity, childhood abuse, anxiety, and codependency.
CR is for everyone who wants to take off their mask and experience acceptance, compassion, love, freedom and life-change. You do not struggle alone. There is no need to sign up, just show up!
Foundations
The biblical principles and prayers that guide our recovery journey.
Christ-Centered Twelve Steps expand_more
Step 1
"We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable."
Romans 7:18
Step 2
"We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
Philippians 2:13
Step 3
"We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God."
Romans 12:1
Step 4
"We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."
Lamentations 3:40
Step 5
"We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs."
James 5:16
Step 6
"We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."
James 4:10
Step 7
"We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings."
1 John 1:9
Step 8
"We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all."
Luke 6:31
Step 9
"We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."
Matthew 5:23–24
Step 10
"We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it."
1 Corinthians 10:12
Step 11
"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."
Colossians 3:16
Step 12
"Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs."
Galatians 6:1
Eight Recovery Principles expand_more
Based on the Beatitudes
Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.
“Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor.” (Matt 5:3)
Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him and that he has the power to help me recover.
“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matt 5:4)
Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
“Happy are the meek.” (Matt 5:5)
Openly examine and confess my hurts, hang-ups, and habits to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
“Happy are the pure in heart.” (Matt 5:8)
Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to remove my character defects.
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.” (Matt 5:6)
Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible.
“Happy are the merciful.” (Matt 5:7)
Reserve a time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer.
Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” (Matt 5:10)
The Serenity Prayer expand_more
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that You will make all things right
If I surrender to Your will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen
The Experience
What happens inside the rooms and the rules that keep us safe.
Small Group Guidelines expand_more
1. Keep sharing focused on YOU
Stick to “I” and “me” statements. Focus on your own hurts, habits, and hang-ups.
2. NO Cross-Talk
Cross-talk is conversation excluding others or responding directly to a share. Each person speaks without interruption.
3. We are not "Fixers"
We support, we don't fix. No advice-giving or counselor referrals during sharing time.
4. Anonymity & Confidentiality
What is shared in the group stays in the group. Gossip has no place here.
5. Watch Your Language
Avoid offensive language and graphic descriptions that could be triggers.
Open Share vs Step Study expand_more
Open Share Groups: Meet for one hour after the Large Group. Gender-specific. No requirement to share; you can just listen until you feel safe.
Step Studies: A separate, serious commitment (typically 12 months) to work through the 12 steps in a small group using guides. Sharing is required here as the group progress through curriculum.
What is a "Safe Place"? expand_more
A safe place means 100% confidentiality. You can take off your "mask" and be real without fear of judgment. Our guidelines protect everyone from being "fixed". You are always in control of when and how much you participate.
Our Meetings
Logistics for our weekly gatherings.
Time, Frequency & Attendance expand_more
We meet once-a-week, 52 weeks a year. Large group typically lasts 1 hour (Worship + Teaching/Testimony), followed by 45-60 minutes of Open Share Groups.
You are welcome to come when you can for Worship and Open Share. However, Step Studies require weekly attendance until completion.
Gender Specific Meetings expand_more
While we all meet together for the Large Group meeting, we dismiss into gender-specific groups (Men with Men, Women with Women) for Open Share and Step Studies.
Childcare & Church Membership expand_more
Childcare: We do not currently offer on-site childcare.
Church: You do NOT have to join the church to attend CR. It is an outreach for anyone interested in Christ-centered recovery.
Leadership
Who facilitates the groups and how to find guidance.
Who leads the groups? expand_more
CR groups are NOT led by pastors, teachers, or counselors. They are facilitated by compassionate volunteers who have walked through their own process of recovery from hurts, hang-ups, and habits. They are fellow travelers on the journey.
What about Sponsors? expand_more
Sponsors are optional for Open Share groups but highly encouraged. They become mandatory for Step Studies. A sponsor is someone who has completed their own Step Study and has at least one year of recovery.
Life Changed by Grace
“Step Study brought that painful secret from my childhood out of the dark and into the light of Christ’s love and healing.”
From Fear to Faith
“Through Step Study, my circumstances did not change, but I changed. Somewhere along the way, God replaced my fear with faith. He returned joy to my life.”
— Codependency Participant
God's Word is Changing Me
“In Step Study, the Holy Spirit brought scripture alive in me, and I began to let God’s Word change me.”
— Food Addiction Participant
Heritage & FAQ
The history of CR and how it differs from other programs like AA.
How did Celebrate Recovery start? expand_more
John Baker, a believer struggling with alcohol, found help in AA but felt an emptiness because he couldn't refer to Jesus Christ. He proposed a Christian 12 Step plan to Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church. Rick's answer: "Do it!" Thus, CR was born.
Comparison with AA & other 12-Steps expand_more
At CR, our Higher Power is specifically Jesus Christ and the Word of God is our authority. We address many more issues beyond just alcohol abuse. While other 12-step groups can be very helpful, CR integrates biblical instruction through worship and guides.
Can CR help if I'm not the one with the addiction? expand_more
Yes. Many participants are affected by others battling addiction or destructive behavior. You are welcome to join us to gain support and wisdom for your own healing process.