I have read and re-read and thought about a review of Celebrate Recovery (CR) I recently found at Provision House. It is a “non-profit, 501(c)(3), non-residential addictions ministry that helps Christians find freedom from addiction in Christ and helps churches understand addiction from an emphatically biblical perspective” located in Charlotte, NC with a generic evangelical statement of faith.
Operating his own addiction ministry, Paul is knowledgeable in the area of addiction. While his review is not entirely negative, he is not positive towards CR as well. When I first started reading it, as any faithful CR person, I became offended; however, I have thought many of the same thoughts that Paul Stark brings up. As a short summary, let me raise his main arguments against Celebrate Recovery. In no particular order, here are his objections or reservations, as I understand him.
- He writes, “One particularly troubling practice is the curriculum’s pervasive use of Bible paraphrases.”
- Lack of Romans 6 Theology, or does CR subscribe to the thought, “once an addict, always an addict”?
- No explanation/teaching on temptation.
- Implicit, or even explicit, coercion of CR that everyone is in denial and playing God (powerless).
- Inadequate explanation of Christian service, esp. outside CR.
- Impractical tools to avoid temptation.
- CR Rule “No Cross Talk” is problematic and the parallel wording. Mr. Stark writes, “All participants are viewed identically, as helpless children [who require clear and simple instructions under parental supervision], all with the same relational, personality, and spiritual problems”
- The idea that the further one plunges into oblivion the greater the likelihood of discovering a resource to break free is naïve, yet sometimes implicitly encouraged, and risks that participants will accelerate the plunge in an attempt to reach this point sooner.
I believe that some of these are valid and need to be discussed. To his credit, Paul Stark has tried to contact CR to no avail. So I will attempt to continue the discussion. For me the four biggest (in no particular order) are (1) one’s version of the Bible, (2) Lack of Romans 6 Theology, (3) Lack of Teaching on Temptation, Christian Service, and Sanctification, and (4) CR Rule “No Cross Talk” (which can be coupled with #3 in a solution). Since Paul Stark makes a big deal about Denial and Powerlessness, I will discuss it briefly.
Paraphrase: Is it a big deal?
So really, what is the big deal about CR’s use of a paraphrase? First, let me say that, any Bible, whether translation or paraphrase, is better than no Bible. Second, one should always study from a Bible that is a translation. Believe it or not, we all believe words are a big deal! For example, how many times have you heard someone say, “The Bible says ALL so it means ALL” (for example, Romans 3:23). That’s only one word, and if that one word is that important, then isn’t every word important? Jesus himself said that the Bible is important down to the dot of an “i” though he said it referring to the Hebrew’s jot and tittle (Matt 5:18). If we believe that the Bible is inspired down to its very words, then why depend on a paraphrase of the actual words? Why not read something that attempts to stay true to the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek?
So, I strongly agree and reiterate the comment that Paul Stark makes: “One particularly troubling practice is the curriculum’s pervasive use of Bible paraphrases.” To me, this is of extreme importance. I have asked around why CR does this, and I have come to the following conclusion. First, it is the style of Saddleback and Rick Warren. Second, the audience of most recovery-addiction places are believed to be Bible illiterate (whether it is true or not). Third, traditionally, AA and other recovery-addiction places use and encourage the use of paraphrases. However, it should be noted that many paraphrases, even the much beloved The Message Bible, is just that: a paraphrase. So as not to reinvent the wheel, let me quote Paul Stark,
For example, Mark 1:15 is quoted, “Turn from your sins and act on this glorious news
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