Reflections on A.A. and Measuring "Success," "Sobriety," and "Effectiveness"

I am much inclined to judge "success" by the quality of life the assessor is describing when he or she talks of "sober" or "sobriety" or "follow-up." Almost every alcoholic has tried to "quit" many times and yet returned to the mire to wallow. Hence having "quit " for a time is no achievement at all. Others (and I know many) have been "sober" for many years (perhaps 20 0r more) and yet returned to drinking. Why? Still others while away their days sitting in one or more meetings a week and contributing little in terms of Big Book information, Step information, Relationship with God information, Bible information, and history information. Some might call them "institutionalized" alcoholics. Then there are those who believe that "working" or "practicing" the Steps for a short or a long time suffices as success. Still others grasp the early A.A. Christian Fellowship idea that it is about: (1) Quitting for good. (2) Going to any length to succeed. (3) Entrusting your life to God. (4) Obeying God. (5) Growing spiritually through Bible study, prayer, Quiet Time, and reading religious literature. (6) Helping others get well by the same means. (7) Engaging in religious and social comradeship. (8) Attending some religious service once a week. See DR. BOB and the Good Old-timers, page 131, for a summary of the original  program. Finally, there are those like Dr. Bob who plant their feet on God's solid foundation, regularly help or "sponsor" others--always looking for newcomers, maintaining a religious fellowship much like that of the First Century Christians, mending matters per Steps 8 and 9, heeding the principles found in the Book of James, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13, and making the best of whatever is left of or available through family life, vocational life, business or labor life, religious life, and serving and glorifying God. There's more. And perhaps others will elaborate.

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

 

For an easy-to-read review of the treasure house of Dick B. titles on Alcoholics Anonymous History

http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml

YouTube A.A. History: "Book Review" of "Dr. Bob and His Library," 3rd ed., by Dick B.

"Book Review" of "Dr. Bob and His Library," 3rd ed., by Dick B.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lvUFzqH48k

A carefully presented, unsolicited review of the 3^rd edition of A.A. author and historian Dick B.’s first published book about the supposedly missing voluminous collection of books which A.A. Cofounder Dr. Bob read, studied, recommended, and circulated to early AAs and their families. As Dick B.’s research established, the collection was not missing; and even today—thought not in one place--is available for view at two locations—Dr. Bob’s Home in Akron and a library at Brown University.

These are the books which Dick B. discovered on his first visit with Dr. Bob’s daughter in Akron, Sue Smith Windows. On two different Akron visits, Sue discussed with and then took Dick to her attic where he viewed, listed, and read a huge number of the books Dr. Bob had in his library.

The surprise for author Dick B. came when he saw for himself that: (1) Most of the books were signed by Dr. Bob with the date, his address at  855 Ardmore Avenue in Akron, and a notation – “Please return.” (2) Sue pointed out that her collection only contained half of her father’s books and that the other half were in the possession of her brother Robert R. Smith (“Smitty”) who lived in Nocona, Texas. (3) Dick contacted and then visited Smitty and his wife Betty at their home in Texas and verified the other half of Dr. Bob’s books. (4) At Dick’s urging, Smitty donated almost all of his portion to Dr. Bob’s Home in Akron and said he believed his sister was likely to do the same. (5) However, Sue became very ill and much in need of funds; and she was persuaded to sell her half to Brown University for its collect ion.

To listen to this review and then to check out the books is a lifetime education in the breadth and content of the “many helpful books” mentioned in the Big Book and which furnished the literary backdrop for the books early AAs studied and discussed. To firm up their importance, Dr. Bob kept a journal of his loans of books, insisted that the readers return them,  tell him the contents of the books at that time, and thus insured that this “must read” collection was placed in the hands of and understood by the early Akron A.A. Christian fellowship members.

This informative book by the noted A.A. History author Dick B. has been widely acquired; and  the Third Edition can be purchased today through Dick B.’s website at www.dickb.com/drbob.shtml; at Amazon.com; at Barnes & Noble; and through a large number of distributor websites on the internet.

dickb@dickb.com; November 16, 2013.

 

Alcoholics Anonymous History: Dozens and Dozens of Questions from AA Author/Historian Dick B. on Radio Tonight

Dick B. discusses the Study Guide for the forthcoming, five-video series "Bill W., Dr. Bob, and the Cure of Alcoholism: The Rest of the Story" on the November 5, 2013, episode of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show

[The new study guide contains dozens and dozens of questions about A.A. History and “the rest of the story”—the parts that have been omitted, ignored, left un-researched, distorted, and thrown into the bucket of  opinion versus accurate and truthful factual details. Dick read some of them on his broadcast this evening and will cover more of the questions shortly]

Dick B.

© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

You can hear this radio show right now on

www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com

 

Hear Dick B. discuss the Study Guide for the forthcoming, five-video series "Bill

W., Dr. Bob, and the Cure of Alcoholism: The Rest of the Story" on the

 November 5, 2013, episode of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show

here:

 

http://mcaf.ee/ak01r

 

or here:

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-recovery-radio-with-dickb/2013/11/06/dick-b-discusses-bill-w-dr-bob-the-cure-of-alcoholism

 

Episodes of the "Christian Recovery Radio with Dick B." show are archived at:

 

www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com

_______________________________________________________________

 

An International Christian Recovery Coalition Participant Well Worth Knowing and Contacting - The Crossing Church, Costa Mesa, CA

Lifelines and The Crossing Church, Costa Mesa - an International Christian Recovery Coalition Participant

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As we move through the 50 states pointing Christians and those wanting God's help toward the wide variety of participants in International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com), we will be discussing some premier efforts being made to utilize faith-based (or faith-centered) 12 Step Recovery help for alcoholics and addicts.

Next in line geographically is Lifelines and all of its corollary activities with the Crossing Church in Costa Mesa, California. Randy Moraitis is the Executive Recovery Pastor who puts it all together week in and week out.

I have spoken twice at their Lifelines event on Friday which is a lively, effective presentation of Steps, Speakers, Anniversary Celebrations, and breakouts into small groups. In addition, the church outreach has grown into youth activities and a good many other service-oriented efforts. Many of the Christian leaders we know and work with in Orange County and elsewhere have been speakers at Lifelines, and there is widespread support from nearby recovery facilities and churches.

Here is the location and phone of The Crossing Church: The Crossing Church • 2115 Newport Blvd. • Costa Mesa, CA 92627 •  949.645.5050

There is lots I haven’t seen or done at The Crossing. But I am aware of the outreach of their pastor, recovery pastor, Lifelines, homeless ministry, street ministry, Care Ministry, feed the hungry work, counseling, and sponsorship of church fellowships elsewhere – including Maui.

The best introduction and information can be found at the websites:

Lifelines: http://www.thecrossing.com/lifelines

The Crossing: http://www.thecrossing.com/

We much favor the intense fellowship and spiritual thrust of those recovery organizations which contain some or all of the strengths of the First Century Christians and of the Old School Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship, as well as the early Cleveland A.A. program.

 

God Bless, Dick B., Executive Director, International Christian Recovery Coalition, dickb@dckb.com

 

An International Christian Recovery Coalition Participant Well Worth Knowing and Utilizing - Rock Recovery, San Diego

As we move through the 50 states pointing Christians and those wanting God's help toward the wide variety of participants in International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com), we will be discussing some premier efforts being made to utilize faith-based (or faith-centered) 12 Step Recovery help for alcoholics and addicts.

We start with San Diego where Rock Church has made a mark without equal. We've been there, spoken there, visited the bonfire meeting, the Bible study, the beginner orientation, the church services, the treatment program, and the sober living facilities. And we have met with some of the top recovery leaders--Tommy M. David P., Tommy H., Jake S.--and seen their dedication and devotion.

We much favor the intense fellowship and spiritual thrust of those recovery organizations which contain some or all of the strengths of the First Century Christians and of the Old School Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship, as well as the early Cleveland A.A. program.

Check out the following links on the main Rock Recovery website, and you can find the elements we saw and recommend.

Rock Recovery Links

http://www.therocksandiego.org
http://www.abcsoberliving.com
http://genesisrecoverysandiego.com
http://www.dickb.com

God Bless, Dick B., Executive Director, International Christian Recovery Coalition.

12 Steps the Cofounders

Be sure you are fully informed about the upbringing, biblical training, Congregational church participation, and original steps the 12 Step cofounders took to get well - both before there were any 12 Steps or Big Books, and in the original Akron A.A. program.

12 Step cofounder information begins with:

The Conversion of Bill W. www.dickb.con/conversion

Dr. Bob's Excellent Training in the Good Book as a Youngster in Vermont www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml.

Then what each co-founder had to say about the 12 Steps in his last major address published in The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks

And if you want 12 Step Cofounder Bill W.'s own story, see Hazelden's autobiography of Bill W., My First 40 Years

Dick B.-Ken B.: Announcing our New Video Series and accompanying guide book on Christian Recovery - the unknowns

Richard Gordon Burns

188 people have you in circles

Richard Gordon Burns

Shared publicly  -  Oct 26, 2013

 #Sobriety

 #AA

 #AlcoholicsAnonymous

 

Christian Recovery Treatment - A Comment by A.A. Author, Historian, Christian Dick B.
I was pleased with the temperate tone of both the article and the comments. After twenty-seven years of continuous sobriety as an active A.A., and twenty-four years of researching its reported roots as well as "the rest of the story," I would suggest that A...

Christian Recovery Treatment - A Comment by A.A. Author, Historian, Christian Dick B.

http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com/2013/10/christian-recovery-treatment-comment-by.html

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1 comment

Richard Gordon Burns

3:39 PM

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We are pleased to announce that we are now producing and funding a five video with accompanying study guide on "the rest of the story" of Alcoholics Anonymous History. Included in the guide are innumerable questions that will show the viewer-reader just how much he cannot know or answer without further information and zeal. It's not the history that has been written (Dick B. has done 46 titles and over 1600 articles). It is about the A.A. history and Christian recovery treatment that has not been reported or written--the material that short-changes the still suffering soul who probably knows he is licked, has a seemingly unmanageable life, has found that other folks cannot pull him out of his hole, and is ready to seek God's help. His problem today is all the historical and scientific writings that tell him he can have a higher power that is a light bulb, is in a program that is "spiritual, but not religious," that he can fashion his own "god," and make his own "self-made" religion, and rely on half-baked prayers that have no legitimate source but thoroughly confuse the confused newcomer who can and should learn how old school AAs developed a simple program without Steps, Traditions, Big Books, war stories, or endless meetings and stressed reliance upon, obedience to, and knowledge of what God can do that he has been unable to do. It all starts with "The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible" www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml .

Richard Gordon Burns

188 people have you in circles

Richard Gordon Burns

Shared publicly  -  Oct 26, 2013

 #Sobriety

 #AA

 #AlcoholicsAnonymous

 

Christian Recovery Treatment - A Comment by A.A. Author, Historian, Christian Dick B.
I was pleased with the temperate tone of both the article and the comments. After twenty-seven years of continuous sobriety as an active A.A., and twenty-four years of researching its reported roots as well as "the rest of the story," I would suggest that A...

Christian Recovery Treatment - A Comment by A.A. Author, Historian, Christian Dick B.

http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com/2013/10/christian-recovery-treatment-comment-by.html

1

1 comment

Richard Gordon Burns

3:39 PM

+

0
1
0

Edit

 

We are pleased to announce that we are now producing and funding a five video with accompanying study guide on "the rest of the story" of Alcoholics Anonymous History. Included in the guide are innumerable questions that will show the viewer-reader just how much he cannot know or answer without further information and zeal. It's not the history that has been written (Dick B. has done 46 titles and over 1600 articles). It is about the A.A. history and Christian recovery treatment that has not been reported or written--the material that short-changes the still suffering soul who probably knows he is licked, has a seemingly unmanageable life, has found that other folks cannot pull him out of his hole, and is ready to seek God's help. His problem today is all the historical and scientific writings that tell him he can have a higher power that is a light bulb, is in a program that is "spiritual, but not religious," that he can fashion his own "god," and make his own "self-made" religion, and rely on half-baked prayers that have no legitimate source but thoroughly confuse the confused newcomer who can and should learn how old school AAs developed a simple program without Steps, Traditions, Big Books, war stories, or endless meetings and stressed reliance upon, obedience to, and knowledge of what God can do that he has been unable to do. It all starts with "The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible" www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml .

The Dick B.-Ken B. illustrative videos from their Tucson Talks: Showing what our 5 video guide book series will do

http://christianrecoverycoalition.com/videos/fobf-1.shtml

Here is where you can see and hear the video samples from Tucson

 

We have contacted each recipient of this email and asked for his or her donation to help us produce and  disseminate 5 videos accompanied by a study guide that will tell all 12-Steppers and recovery leaders “the rest of the story.” This means that various, scattered, pieces of vital A.A. history that have been ignored, omitted, distorted, forgotten, or misstated and have left present-day suffering souls short-changed in the most vital area of their life—how to recover and be cured of alcoholism and addiction by the power of God.

 

The attached video is a poor rendition. It can best be seen and heard only if you turn up the volume and the computer fully . But it will show you the type of video presentation we will be making in the professional videos we are now in process of preparing an will be presenting soon. We sincerely hope you will help fund this $27,000 project and are happy to say that one-third of the funds  have already been donated. We’ll be giving  you a ring shortly to ask again your help and answer any  questions.

 

God bless,

 

Richard G. Burns, J.D., CDAAC

Author and A.A. historian, retired attorney, Bible student (pen name “Dick B.”)

46 published titles & over 1,450 articles on A.A. history and the Christian Recovery Movement

Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition