Answering Letter to Dick B. on How to Use and Select the books from his bargain reference set of 29 AA History Books

Dear M. . . . [Name deleted to protect anonymity]

Thank you for writing. Your message is far  too complex to enable an easy answer. But I will start from certain points and invite you to phone me if I can assist further. Here are the points:

1.     I would be delighted to have you list yourself—at no cost—as a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition. It is an informal fellowship of participants around the globe who want to help disseminate the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, history, Christian upbringing of A.A. cofounders, founding, and original Akron Christian Fellowship program of 1935, and can play today for those who want God’s help. Please check out the website www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com; and, if you approve, send me a listing something like this: “M. . . .", Recovered Christian, [your group or ministry ], mail address, city, state, zip, phone, email, and any URL”

2.      My set of books was never meant to be read at one chunk. It was presented as a bargain for a lifetime of usage. On the other hand, many are eager with the  question: “Which book should I read first? And in what order should I read them?”

3.     There are several answers: (a) If, as we recommend, you organize a Christian Recovery Fellowship, the suggestions are laid out in detail in our latest book, Stick with the Winners!  http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. It suggests how to conduct such a fellowship; and it certainly is not at all similar to the Celebrate Recovery fixed resources. (b) It is also intended to be a reliable resource for specific questions, subjects, or topics. In other words, if a person has a question about A.A. roots in the Bible, or about the Oxford Group, or about the books early AAs read for spiritual growth, or about how AAs observed Quiet Time, there is a book for each of these, and many more topics. (c) If one wants to know the basis for cure and healing of alcoholics and addicts, there are three books that can be  helpful—Cured!, When Early AAs Were Cured and Why, and The First Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference. If one wishes to get a correct take on how to take the 12 Steps, Twelve Steps for You and By the Power of God will do the job. (d) Some groups just pick a book like The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible and study and discuss it line by line. (d) There are several important books on what and how to study in terms of A.A., the Twelve Steps and the Bible—The James Club, Why Early A.A. Succeeded, The Good Book-Big Book Guidebook, God and Alcoholism.

4.      I am very glad you wrote and for your eagerness to move. We could certainly use a strong Christian location in your area.

 

Dick B., dickb@dickb.com, www.dickb.com, 808 874 4876