A Public Talk and Three Workshops by Dick B. and Ken B.

A Public Talk and Three Workshops by Dick B. and Ken B. at the CROSS Florida Conference February 8-9, 2013

 

 

Public Talk by Dick B. and Ken B.

 

Title:

 

“Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!”

(Alcoholics Anonymous, 4^th ed., 181)

 

Descriptive Paragraph about the Public Talk

 

Dick B. and his son Ken B. will present an overview of Dick B.’s 23 years of research on the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in the astounding 75% overall success rate A.A. claimed for its early days and the documented 93% success rate in early Cleveland A.A. among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable” alcoholics who thoroughly followed the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. They will give an introduction to the mission and outreach plans of the International Christian Recovery Coalition. And they will discuss Christian Recovery resources—many of which are free—available at the www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com Web site and elsewhere.

 

 

Workshop #1 by Dick B. and Ken B.

 

Title:

 

Christian Recovery Principles from

the Bible & A.A.’s Christian Predecessors

 

Descriptive Paragraph about Workshop #1

 

Jesus Christ taught in the temple daily (Matt 26:55). Daily in the temple and in every house the apostles taught and preached Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:42). And believers are encouraged to exhort one another daily (Heb 3:13). What did the A.A. pioneers in Akron do? Bob E. stated on page 118 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers: “. . . [W]e met every night.” Prayer and Bible study were strongly encouraged by A.A.’s predecessors such as the YMCA, the Salvation Army, evangelists such as Dwight L. Moody, gospel rescue missions, Christian Endeavor, and A First Century Christian Fellowship (“the Oxford Group”). What did they do in Akron? “He must have devotions every morning—a ‘quiet time’ of prayer and some reading from the Bible . . .” (DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 131). Dick B. and Ken B. will cover these and other principles and practices from the Bible and A.A.’s Christian predecessors that found their way into A.A. and can be applied in Christian Recovery efforts today.

 

Workshop #2 by Dick B. and Ken B.

 

Title:

 

How the First Three AAs Got Sober &

the Original Akron A.A. “Christian Fellowship” Program

(a 75% Success Rate among “Medically-Incurable” Alcoholics)

 

How did Bill W., Dr. Bob, and Bill D. (A.A. Number Three) recover “from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body” (i.e., alcoholism) before there was a Big Book, before there were 12 Steps, before there were any Traditions, before there were any “drunkalogs” or meetings as we know them today? Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”) states: “There is a solution. . . . The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.” (Big Book, 4^th ed., 25). Dick B. and Ken B. will recount how the first three AAs got sober and discuss the highly-successful, seven(!)-point Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program and 16 of its key practices.

 

 

Workshop #3 by Dick B. and Ken B.

 

Title:

 

How to Substantially Enhance Your Effectiveness

as a Christian Leader or Worker in the Recovery Arena

 

In 1990, a young Christian A.A. asked Dick B.: “Dick, did you know that A.A. came from the Bible?” Dick replied, “John, I have been to 1,000 A.A. meetings, and I have never heard that!” John answered, “Read DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers.” Dick read that amazing A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, and what he found launched him on 23 years of research into the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in the astonishing success of early Alcoholics Anonymous with “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable” alcoholics who thoroughly followed the pioneer A.A. path. Dick B. and Ken B. will share from Dick’s 46 titles, 1,250 articles, and hundreds of audio talks about how—largely through the use of “Conference-approved” literature--recovery leaders and workers involved with A.A., N.A., and Christian recovery outreach can become much more effective in their efforts. One such way is to become a “Participant” (no charge—free!) in the International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com).