Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Upper Room Devotional, A.A., Old School A.A.


A Christian Recovery Leader in San Diego Writes Welcome News about the “Upper Room” and a New Publication and the Daily Texting of His Group in San Diego



Our response and His Letter

Dick B.





Exciting. And I have just sent them and will widely publicize the following comment



International Christian Recovery Coalition is a worldwide informal fellowship of participating Christian recovery leaders, workers, newcomers, and others disseminating information on the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, history, founding, original Christian Fellowship program, and astonishing successes of the early A.A. Christian Fellowship.



The resemblance of early A.A.'s old school Christian recovery techniques and practices to those of the Apostles described in the Book of Acts has captured the attention of Christian recovery folks for years and years. In fact, the early A.A. old school program was summarized in 7 points (See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 131). Growth spiritually was specified as one and involved Bible study, prayer, Quiet Time, and reading of other Christian literature.



Daily the Upper Room was read in early A.A. Quiet Time, involving such reading, and was a "must." And, though other devotionals such as The Runner's Bible, My Utmost for His Highest, and Daily Strength for Daily Needs were in wide usage, Upper Room was the most mentioned and used among the group.



Christian recovery means daily fellowship with God and His Son because recovery per se is not just "I didn't have a drink today." For even the most severely afflicted alcoholics, addicts, and family members, it means a family-oriented program and First Century Christian Fellowship daily - abstinence, fellowship with God and His Son and other believers, obedience to God's will, spiritual growth, witnessing to others, religious and social comradeship, and the strength of church and Bible affiliation. As stated, neither the Apostolic Christians nor the early A.A. Christian Fellowship regarded a "treatment program"--whatever the duration--as the sole component of the healed Christian's abundant life. There were some sixteen practices that espoused the daily outreach to others, the daily contact with God through prayer,  Quiet Time, use of devotionals, and Bible study, bringing others to God through Jesus Christ, and even the morning  Quiet Time with Dr. Bob's wife where the Upper Room was regularly distributed, read, and discussed.



We applaud your effort and await the forthcoming book with joy.

Richard G. Burns (pen name Dick B.), J.D., CDAAC

Executive Director, International Christian Recovery Coalition

www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com; www.dickb.com; dickb@dickb.com, Kihei Hawaii.



We personally know of the extremely successful, widely known, and rapidly growing work of the Christian recovery work of Rock Recovery Ministries, ABC Sober Living, and Soledad House in San Diego. And that organization daily uses and then texts each of the individuals on the daily ideas of the Upper Room.



This subject is thoroughly covered in Dick B., Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A. (www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml).



DB






Dick B.

Author, 43 titles & over 800 articles on A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement





(808) 874-4876

PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837



Ps 118:17 (NJB):
I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.



Facebook: DickBmauihistorian






From: David Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 5:19 AM
To: 'Dick B.'
Cc: 'Ken Burns'
Subject: The Upper Room



You’ve mentioned several times the significance of books like the Upper Room in helping the early AA success rate. The link below talks about the 2013 edition and the participation of a recovery group from California.






I will make sure you get a copy when it gets released.



dp


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