Getting rid of ‘hurts, habits and hang-ups’ in 2021

When we think of “recovery” the image we conjure up is usually that of an alcoholic or drug addict. We rarely give thought to all of the other things that one needs help recovering from. In reality, we all have at least one thing that can be described as a hurt, a habit or a hang-up.

Atlanta business owner Randy Strawn has been sober for 21 years next month – and he is proud of that. And while Alcoholics Anonymous has played a huge role in that, he recognizes that he has other flaws and hurts that led him to drink in the first place. Now he is working on those things with the help of a program called “Celebrate Recovery.”

“It’s a safe place to share our struggles. It’s confidential. There is no judgment, no distractions,” Randy explained. “We aren’t trying to fix anything – God does all the fixing. We are there to support each other on the journey.”

Randy is the Northeast Texas training coach for the program and attends First Baptist Church on Moore’s Lane in Texarkana. Each Tuesday at 6 p.m. he attends the meetings in the Fusion Center at the church, as he has for the past eight years. He travels to churches in Longview, Pittsburg, New Boston, Marshall and Texarkana to train ministry leaders. At his home church, he works under Ministry Leader Jennifer Eldridge.

“When I joined the church it was just in time to help launch the program there with Pastor Jeff Schreve and Chris Schroeder,” he said. “We started with about 30 people and over the course of eight years we grew to about 165 each week. COVID brought it down to about 100 members.”

Celebrate Recovery is one of the seven largest addiction recovery support group programs, with over five million people participating in over 35,000 churches worldwide since its beginning in 1991. The program got it’s start in Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Warren, who authored “The Purpose Driven Life” as well as other books, is often associated with the term “mega-church.”

John Baker was an alcoholic and staff member of Saddleback Church who began healing through AA. He wanted a specifically Christian addiction recovery group, so with the support of Rick Warren, Celebrate Recovery began as a ministry of the church under Baker’s leadership in 1991. John Baker continues to be the primary author of the programs’ curriculum and materials.

Those materials use both the 12 steps developed by AA and a very similar set of eight sequential principles that are known as Jesus’ Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-10). These verses are said to be the key to a happy Christian life.

The program focuses, not only on the habits of alcoholism and addiction, but also deals with high anxiety, co-dependency, compulsive behaviors, sex addiction, financial dysfunction, and eating disorders. The large group gatherings break out into specific group meetings according to the needs of the group. They even offer childcare but be sure to call ahead to reserve a place. For more information, call 903-831-6000.

“We have several small specific groups,” said Randy. “We even have a group for women whose spouses are in prison.”

Groups that currently meet at FBC-Moores Lane are: Addiction recovery for both men and women struggling with all kinds of addictions; Addiction recovery for family members whose loved one is struggling with addiction, issues with codependency will be discussed; and Emotional healing for men and women who are struggling with negative and destructive emotions from past hurt and/or abuse.

The Landing is a faith-based recovery program for teens who are struggling with any form of addiction, eating disorder, life-threatening issues or family struggles. Many other topics are also addressed in this interactive program format.

“We strive to cover whatever you are struggling with,” said Randy. “I deal with my alcoholism and relationship issues that I’ve struggled with since way back. Anyone is welcome to come as they are, because there are others out there with the same issues.”