Content for May 28, 2012 FYI Newsletter, send ASAP
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The Five Brief Articles That Tell You
How to Start, Lead, and Conduct Old School A.A “Stick with the Winners”
Studies, Classes, Meetings, Groups, Conferences, Individual Viewings, and other
Presentations
By Dick B.
Copyright 2012
Anonymous. All rights reserved.
Hundreds have written, emailed, phoned, and posted requests
asking how they can successfully organize, format, name, list, and lead an Old
School A.A. History Study Today. And my son Ken and I have now held many
conferences and meetings over the last three years on this subject. We learned
as much from what we heard as from what we wrote about the hunger, need, issues,
and desires of AAs, NAs, Christian 12 Steppers, Christian Recovery Groups, and
others, that all had to offer. This newsletter contains 5 different resulting articles
which should tell you what to do, where to look, what to acquire, how to avoid
blockades and pitfalls, and how to glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ, as
well as how specifically to help the alcoholic, addict, and suffering soul
overcome his or her malady by seeking God’s help—just as the early A.A.
Christians and their Christian Fellowship did when AA was founded in Akron,
Ohio, in June, 1935.
“I want to start an A.A. History and Old
School A.A. Bible Roots Group!”
Here Are the Five Articles Suggesting
Exactly How to Proceed
Article One
Where do I begin?
Keep It Simple!
Five short articles will give you some practical suggestions
as well as some hints for avoiding intimidation, controversy and blockades.
Become a Student First, and then Become the Leader
If you think about it, almost every good group, every good
meeting, and every A.A. conference you have attended, and also every good A.A.
speaker, good sponsor, and individual A.A. student studied first to learn the
facts. So.
First, become the leader of the proposed A.A. History and
Old School Bible Roots Group. Do it by learning A.A.’s own conference-approved
materials. And, in order to become a leader, master the following A.A.
General Services Conference-approved literature – Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed, 2001; DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 1980; and The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their
Last Major Talks (A.A.’s Pamphlet
P-53).
Gather a Group of Your A.A. Friends. Pray together. Decide together.
Conduct a Written informed Group Conscience together. Vote together on What You
desire to and will do. Record Detailed Minutes of the Proceedings in Writing
Unfortunately, many good potential A.A. leaders and A.A.
groups start at the wrong place. They go to some person in a Central or
Intergroup Office; ask what they can do and how to go about it; and then are
told by this self-appointed governor that they are not permitted to organize
such a meeting, list it, study anything but “Conference-approved” literature,
or even mention the Bible, Jesus Christ, Christian literature, or the growing
body of our A.A. history.
So don’t start that way.
Choose a name for the group that will be inviting to AAs.
Possibilities include:“A.A. Study Group.” “A.A. History Group.” “A.A. Roots
Group.” Or “The Meeting!”
Gather a group of friends. Ask God to guide your group in
its decisions. Propose the name, a
location, a time, and a Secretary. Propose a format and the literature your
will use and be permitted to use and discuss at your meeting. Agree on how to
conduct the meeting. Hold an informed Group Conscience covering each of these points. Vote. Record in detailed
writing the subjects of your meeting, the vote on each subject, and the
informed group conscience decision. Have your Secretary certify and sign the
written decisions. And keep that group conscience available at every meeting.
And freely show it to any interested person who asks questions pertaining to
the group decisions. Do so after the meeting is concluded.
Now you have done all you need to do: 1) Petition our loving
God to express Himself in your informed group conscience proceedings. 2) Write,
record, and retain your written, dated, signed informed group conscience. And
3) Decide to “go!”—to carry out the decisions in your meetings.
You are an A.A. group. You have an A.A. meeting. And
you are autonomous, informed, and agreed, supported by A.A.’s Twelve Traditions,
implementing your group decisions, and guided by Almighty God.
_______________________________________________________________
Article Two
The Resources We Recommend for Each
Group
The Previous Article One
Suggested Precisely How to Establish Your Group
This Article Two Explains the Resources the Group and Its Leader Should
Obtain, Study, and Use
First, make sure you have the following A.A. General
Services Conference-approved Literature items. And these should be placed on
the Secretary’s table, apart from other agreed literature:
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th
ed, 2001;
DR. BOB and the Good
Oldtimers, 1980;
The Co-Founders of
Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks (A.A.’s
Pamphlet P-53).
Second the following literature should be acquired, placed
on a separate table, and used a) by leaders to learn; b) by speakers to teach;
and c) by those attending the meetings to absorb the meeting materials:
Holy Bible;
Alcoholics Anonymous:
The Original 1939 First Edition, with introduction by Dick B.
Dick B. and Ken B., The
Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010:
Dick B. and Ken B., Stick with the Winners! How to
Conduct More Effective 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved
Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery
Arena (2012)
Center Column of Front Page of www.dickb.com,
with instructions to download for $9.95.
Dick B. and Ken B, The
“Stick with the Winners” Video Series of 27 Video Classes that complement
the foregoing four non-conference-approved resource books:
www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com,
with instructions for obtaining for $29.95.
Third, we suggest that a complete reference set of 29 Dick
B. titles be acquired at the substantially discounted price of $249.00, kept in
the group library, and used as needed.
We
are offering the entire, 29-volume, "Dick B. Christian Recovery Reference
Set" for:
Ongoing Special!
Only $249.00—Shipping included!* Order it on the
front page of www.dickb.com
*
Please note: The “Shipping included” offered as part of this “Ongoing
Special” opportunity for the "Dick B. Reference Set" only applies
within the continental United States. For Shipping & Handling for areas
outside the continental U.S., please contact Ken B. via email at kcb00799@gmail.com
for details.*
______________________________________________________________________________
Article Three
How Should We Conduct Such a Meeting
The
Previous Article Two Explains the Resources the Group and Its Leader Should
Study and Use
This
Article Three Gives You Two Sample Examples of How You Can Lead the Meeting
There certainly can be no “one size fits all.” What you do in a meeting, what the topic should be, and how you should conduct a meeting depends on all these vital factors: (1) Asking God what He would like to see you do, and exactly how to do it. (2) Following His directions (3) Making your own choice, depending upon the topic, the type of meeting, and what the Group has decided in its informed group conscience (4) Aiming at serving and glorifying God and His Son Jesus Christ and (5) Carrying a message to those who still suffer that God can and will help them if they want that help and have renounced drinking and drugging for good.
Example one: “This meeting will study two articles about A.A. Cofounder Dr. Bob, and they consist of the interview of Dr. Bob in 1939 [often mis-named “his Faith Article], and the Tidings article about the talks of both Bob and Bill on the same platform at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1948.”
(a) Announce the topic.
(b) Read all or at least the relevant parts of both articles.
(c) When you’ve completed reading the Interview article, ask members: “What do you think is the central message that Dr. Bob gave his interviewer.” “Did Dr. Bob talk about prayer and what did he say about it.” “What did Dr. Bob say about being ‘cured of drunkenness by prayer’” “What did Dr. Bob say about the difference between promising to go straight and sticking to it” “What did Dr. Bob say about“hitting bottom.” “What did Dr. Bob say about the visits of the pioneers to a newcomer in the hospital.” “What did Dr. Bob say about reading the Bible with the hospitalized newcomer.” “What did Dr. Bob say about ‘Christ’ on the two occasions he mentioned Jesus Christ.” “What did Dr. Bob say about using the Good Book—the Bible”
[And if time permits, ask questions concerning other points listeners may not have known]
(d) When you have completed reading the Tidings article, ask members: “What did Dr. Bob say in a few short words in his talk—about religious literature.” “About church attendance,” “About prayer.” “About the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.” “About reading the Bible.” [And if time permits, ask questions concerning other points listeners may not have known]
(e) If time permits, invite members to make comments on both articles, in an orderly and
brief fashion
Example two: “This meeting will be about how to approach a newcomer.”
Read the pages on that subject that we have written in the “Stick with the Winners” Guide.
Ask questions about each suggested approach. Ask what the Big Book says on the topic in “Working with Others” and elsewhere.
And so on.
Article Four
Suggested Topics for Your “Old-School”
Meetings
Article Three
provided two samples of how you can lead your meetings.
This Article Four
provides dozens of suggested topics to use at an “old-school” meeting. There
certainly can be no “one size fits all.” What you do in a meeting, what the
topic should be, and how you should conduct a meeting depends on all of the
following vital factors:
Asking God in the
name of Jesus Christ what He would like to see you do, and exactly how to do
it.
Following His
directions.
Making your own
choice, depending upon the topic, the type of meeting, and what the Group has
decided in its “informed group conscience” meeting.
Aiming
at serving and glorifying God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Carrying an accurate,
effective message to those who still suffer that God can and will help them if
they want that help and have renounced drinking and drugging for good.
The first suggested groups of topics are
provided in our new book:
Dick B. and Ken B.,
Stick with the Winners! How to Conduct More Effective 12-Step Recovery Meetings
Using Conference-Approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and
Workers in the Recovery Arena (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications,
Inc., 2010).
You can download this title for only $9.95 by
scrolling down in the center column of the front page of the following Web site
until you come to the discussion of the book:
www.DickB.com
The second suggested groups of topics
are presented in our new, 27-video class:
Dick B. and Ken B., “Stick with the Winners!” A
27-video class (2012).
This class complements the material in the Stick with
the Winners! book mentioned above. And you can get access to all 27 videos for
a one-time donation of $29.95 at:
www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com
The third suggested groups of topics are
provided in our guide:
Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide: Historical Perspectives and
Effective Modern Application, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research
Publications, Inc., 2010)
You can read more about this important resource here:
http://christianrecoverycoalition.com/christian-recovery-guide.shtml
You may purchase this book by using the “Donate”
button provided under “Major Christian Recovery Resource #3” in the center
column of this Web site:
www.DickB.com
The fourth suggested group of topics may be gleaned,
title by title, subject by subject, in each of the 29 volumes of “The Dick
B. A.A. History and Christian Recovery
Reference Set.” We have made this entire set available at the substantially
discounted price of $249.00 (includes shipping within the United States. Please
contact us about shipping outside the U.S.). We have recommended that every
group obtain this Reference Set. Each of the books, with a picture page, is
described on our website:
www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
And the entire, 29-volume “Dick B. A.A. History and
Christian Recovery Reference Set” may be acquired by clicking here:
http://www.dickb.com/index.html#Major_Christian_Recovery_Resource_2
If you have any godly questions
concerning the topics and resources discussed above, please phone Dick B. at
1-808-874-4876 or Ken B. at 1-808-276-4945. Or send me (Dick B.) an email
message at DickB@DickB.com.
Article Five
Topics for Your Convenience in our
“Stick with the Winners” Guidebook and 27 video classes
Our Previous Article Four Provides Dozens of Suggested Topics to Use at
An Old School Meeting
This Article Five Suggests the Following Two Guides to Topics to Use at
An Old School Meeting
Dick B. and Ken B.’s Newest Title:
Stick with the Winners!
How to
Conduct
More
Effective 12-Step Recovery Meetings
Using
Conference-Approved Literature:
A Dick
B. Guide
for
Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena
(Kihei,
HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2012)
Contents
Introduction: “Old-School”
Christian Recovery
Ch.
1: Resources for “Old-School” 12 Step
Recovery Meetings
Ch.
2: Conference-Approved Literature
Foundations
Ch.
3: The Real Akron A.A. Program
Ch.
4: 16 Key Practices of the Real Akron
A.A. Program
Ch.
5: “Old-School” A.A. and First Century
Christianity
Ch.
6: “Old-School” Elements That Can Be
Used Today
Ch.
7: How to Conduct “Old-School” Recovery
Meetings
Conclusion
Announcing!
Dick B. and Ken B.’s New 27-Video Class:
Video Title
00 Introductory
Video for the “Stick with the Winners!” Class
01 Where
to Begin with a Newcomer
02 Show
the Newcomer That the Cure of Alcoholism Was Not Something New from A.A.
03 The
Vermont Youth of Dr. Bob and Bill W. Set the Stage for Early A.A.’s Emphasis on
God, His Son Jesus Christ, the Bible, Prayer,
Conversion, and Witness
04 How
Bill W. Got Sober by Turning to God
05 How
Dr. Bob Got Sober by Turning to God
06 How
A.A. Number Three, Bill D., Got Sober by Turning to God
07 A
Summary of How the Original “Old-School” A.A. Program Was Developed
08 Frank
Amos’ Seven-Point Summary of the Original Akron A.A. Program
09 Part
One: Practices One through Eight of the 16 Practices of “Old-School” A.A. in
Akron
10 Part
Two: Practices Nine through 16 of the 16 Practices of “Old-School” A.A. in
Akron
11a The
75% and 93% Success Rates of Early A.A. (Part 1/Video 1—got interrupted)
12 Part
One: Groups One through Seven of the Resources about the “Old-School” A.A.
Program Available Today
13 Part
Two: Groups Eight through 14 of the Resources about the “Old-School” A.A.
Program Available Today
14 The
Starting Point: Mastering and Relying on Key Sections of Conference-Approved
Literature
15 Supportive
Statements in Alcoholics Anonymous
(“the Big Book”)
16 Supportive
Statements in The Co-Founders of
Alcoholics Anonymous (# P-53)
17 Supportive
Statements in DR. BOB and the Good
Oldtimers
18 Organizing
and Conducting a “Conference-Approved Literature” Group
19 Resources
for Your Group and Its Meetings
20 Topics
for Your Group and Its Meetings
21 A
Sample Meeting Format
22 Using
the Sample Meeting Format with Other Topics
23 Putting
It All Together: Some Suggested Basic Approaches
24 The
Helpful Personal Stories of Four Early AAs . . .
25 Conclusion:
Here’s What Makes the International Christian Recovery Coalition and
These Suggested Meetings Different
Please phone Dick B. at 808
874 4876 or Ken B. at 808 276 4945 with any questions.
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