Do I do it for me or for Him?

I was watching a little bit of the show Duck Dynasty last night. One of the guys in the show, Willie, was trying to get his air conditioner fixed in the middle of a hot Louisiana. 
The frustration was that his repair man, known as mountain man, was pretty high maintenance, and was moving very slow in getting this fixed.

Then, Willie, in the middle of this frustration says, "believe it or not, Mountain man is the best air conditioning man within 100 miles...
He's also the ONLY air conditioning man within 100 miles..." Lol

I was thinking about how it is easy in life to develop a mentality that "I am the only one within 100 miles that can do what I can do." 
Have you ever gotten prideful and thought, "they would be so messed up if I stopped doing _________!"

The truth is, most of what I do can be done by anyone. God will get done what He needs done without me. (The exceptions? Husband & dad) 
Kind of humbling huh? 
The gift though, is that He chooses to allow me to be a part of His divine plan.

The minute I start thinking I am the only one and the best one, then I have lost focus and my motives have now gone sour. Nothing worse than being under leadership that believes that they are Gods gift to you. :)

If I didn't do what God has called me to do, I would be the one missing out on being blessed. When I serve with the right motives, I then see clearly that the ones I serve are God's gift to me.

So, if I start developing a little pride and getting a little full of myself, I have to remind myself that He allows me to be a part of HIS plan. It really isn't about ME.
"For you formed my inward parts; You covered my in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works." Ps 139:13-14

What a privilege to "get to" praise our Father as we follow His works by pointing others to freedom, love others as Christ loved, and wash the feet of His children.

Where are you serving friend? Are your motives still correct?

Keep spreading the word A coaches! God is planting major seeds with your very hands and feet!

Rodney Holmstrom, National Assimilation Coach

A Pathway to CR Leadership

RAISING AN APPRENTICE

HOW DO I SELECT AN APPRENTICE?

By observing. What an individual puts into his/her personal recovery is an indication of the kind of leader he/she will be. 

1. Does this person regularly attend General Meeting Night?

2. Does this person regularly attend Open Share Group?

3. Does this person regularly attend Step Study Group?

4. Has this person completed their 5th Step?

5. Does this person have a Sponsor & Accountability Partners?

6. Does this person attend Fellowship Events?

7. Does this person currently serve with Celebrate Recovery?

8. Does this person attend weekend Church Service; is he/she a member of your Church

9. Does this person have at least 9 + months of sobriety/recovery?

10. Does this person follow and appreciate the 5 Small Group Guidelines

HOW DO I UTLIZE AN APPRENTICE?

Once you have identified an apprentice, keep the tasks' light; CR participants must focus on his/her personal recovery first. By the time you have selected an apprentice your co-leader should have already been given opportunities to lead the group and may then relinquish some of the lighter responsibilities. These items may now be carried out by an apprentice.

1. Maintain your small group phone list

2. Maintain the "chip" box (for open share group)

3. Maintain the prayer cards

4. Ask him/her to pray for you and your co-leader

5. Ask him /her to pray for the group participants during the week

6. Invite him/her to arrive early to group and pray with you and your co-leader

7. Ask him/her to gather a CR bulletins from your general meeting each week and bring to Step Study Group and as needed Sponsor/Ministry Opportunities Pamphlets'

An Apprentice should not be asked to lead the group meeting. Apprentices must focus his/her recovery work. In addition, Apprentices do not yet meet the requirements to lead nor has he/she been trained to lead a group.

HOW DO I DEVELOPE AN APPRENTICE?

1. Invite him/her to attend Testimony Writing Workshop

2. Invite him/her to attend Sponsor Training

3. Invite him/her to a CR Leaders Meeting

4. Encourage Church attendance and to join a home group Bible Study

Tina Davis, National Training Coach

A Coach Role: Maintaining Church Bulletin

As an A coach we have lots of things we look after but one in particular I want to focus on is the Church Bulletins.

The important things to remember is that we want to keep it fresh and change it often. Also, remember the goal is to educate our regular church folks that recovery is for everyone.  NOT just substance abuse.

So it is best if you don't use things like: "Are you tired of having hangovers?" OR "Are you tired of smelling like whiskey?" lol

Obviously those kind of statements don't help us in properly telling them who we are.

Here are some ideas of things to put in the bulletin:

Btw: If you will purchase a copy of the Life's Healing Choices and look thru this book, you will get all kinds of ideas about one liners to use.

For example: Page 1 of the Foreword reads:

"Do you ever eat or drink more calories than you body needs?

"Do you ever feel you ought to exercise but don't?"

"Do you ever know the right thing to do but don't do it?"

All of those are great ideas and that is in the first three lines of the book.

Here is are some more examples pulled from ideas sparked from Pastor John's book:

Adapted from top of page 2: "Have you hurt someone in your life?  "Have you been hurt by someone else?"

Adapted from Top of pg 3: "Do you find yourself looking for happiness in all the wrong places?"

Adapted from bottom of pg 2: "Do you desire hope and a better future for you life?" "Do you desire freedom, peace and happiness?"

Adapted from middle of pg 113: "Do you have trouble accepting God's grace in your life for past sins?"

You get the idea: Just get into the book and turn the statements being made into questions.  All of those can relate to any and all people reading them.

Also, Take the 8 Principles and put them in the form of a question.  For example:

Principle1: "Are you feeling powerless over your life and ready for change?"

Principle2: "Is it hard for you to believe that you matter to the Father?" Are you ready to allow Him to begin the healing in your life?"

Principle3: "Are you tired of trying to control your own life? Ready to commit your life to Him?"

Principle4: "Do you have trouble trusting people or even God?"

Principle5: "Are you finding yourself bucking against what God wants and desires for your life?" "Do you find yourself buried in several character defects that you haven't been able to change on your own?"

Principle6: "Are you finding yourself miserable with bitterness and resentment toward someone who has hurt you?"

P7: "Do you find it hard to find time with your Father in His Word and prayer?"

Principle8: "Are you hitting a dead end on being able to be used by the Father?" What is it in your life keeping you from fulfilling His purpose for you?"

Then follow up each statement with your time and location of your meeting.  Also make sure your contact info email, phone are listed.

You can probably come up with even better ideas but these are just a few to consider.  Hope this sparks some ideas.

Rodney, National Assimilation Coach

A Coaches Role: Introducing Christ

Several of you asked me for the text I used in the Large group presentation of Assimilation.

Here it is folks...

Often people ask me what does an Assimilation Coach do?

Basically, these are the people that can't shut their big Yapper!!!!

They can't stop talking about CR. Every where they go they look for a reason to introduce Christ thru CR.

 These are the people, through out the course of their day, will find ways to introduce Jesus Christ to as many, if not all the people they come into contact with and how CR can point them back to their Savior.

As an A coach; if I had the honor of introducing Jesus Christ, this is one way I would do it:

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce a Man Who needs no introduction.

 His credits are too long to list.

 He has done the impossible time after time.

 He hails out of a manger in Bethlehem, Jerusalem by way of Heaven.

 His Daddy is the author a book that has been on the best seller list since the beginning of time.

 He holds the record for the world’s greatest fish fry.

 He fed 5,000 hungry souls with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.

 He can walk on water, turn water into wine; no special effects, no camera tricks.

 Even before the greatest kings, He was hailed Kings of all Kings, Ruler of the Universe.

 He breathed life into Celebrate Recovery  21years ago. 

 He has used CR in 18,000 churches worldwide, over 38 countries, in 28 languages for now more than 1 million people now

 He has changed the lives of thousands of people including my own

 He has restored hundreds of marriages and families with His awesome, redemptive love thru the ministry of CR.

 He breathed His life and blessing into the writing, casting, filming,

The production of Home Run the movie coming Spring 2013

 He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, The Bright and Morning Star,

 THE Prince of Peace.

Make some noise...for the One and only, victorious Savior and Almighty Healer:  The Author and Source of healing in Celebrate Recovery Internationally

Ladies and Gentleman, Allow me to introduce you to our King..........JESUS!!!"

 Adapted from Richard Pryor's Introduction to Jesus Christ

Rodney Holmstrom, National Assimilation Coach

I Think This Is The Right Place....

Ok, this is going to sound like  "DUH" topic but you would be surprised how often I have seen this as an issue when visiting CR's across the country.

When someone finally works up the courage to get in the car, drive to your church and then pull into your church parking lot, is it clear to them they are in the right place?

If your church campus is bigger or even smaller, can they drive in on any one of the different entrances and still be able to find you? Don't assume "everyone knows where we are" cause that jsut isnt always the case.

Many years ago, I remember traveling to see a friend and from the highway I saw a sign that said "Celebrate Recovery tonight at 6pm". I was making good time so I thought I would stop in and say hello. When I pulled into the parking lot. Other than cars, I had no idea where I was going. I tried several doors only to find them locked. I finally found one door open and walked in and spent a good while trying to figure out where the meeting was being held. In that moment, I felt what it was like for the newcomer walking in scared and not knowing where to go.  If I was a struggling addict, or just someone struggling with belonging, I might have turned around and walked out never to return. We don't want our first time visitors to have this kind of experience.

Let me transparent and say this has happened in our ministry too but we are learning and growing.

There are a couple of different ways you can make sure this does not happen in your great CR:

1. With signage: It is very wise to make sure you provide outdoor signs on your church property to let people know the group meets in your church and to help people who find out about you through other means know they are in the right place when they arrive. Make sure they are nice looking and readable. Remember, this is their first introduction to your ministry.  Make sure it is a good first impression.

Make sure your signs are very clear so that even after the meeting has started, someone knows where to go if they come in late for the first time.

2. With people: Consider putting greeter's in the parking lot to greet people and help them find their way inside. There is nothing more friendly than seeing joyful and excited people in your parking lot when they first pull in.  If you have ever been to a Summit in CA, you will know what I am talking about. When you pull in, you know you are in the right place cause people are there to point you where to go.

Then when you get to the front door, there are more people there to welcome you and show you where to go for the meeting. Consider having a "Welcome and information desk" just inside the door of your church where that is the first thing they see when they walk in. We do this so they can get a friendly greeting, information and register. This kind of puts them at ease on knowing they are in the right place and feel welcomed.

3. Consider having a campus map on your web site that show exactly what building and room you meet in. See a sample of ours here in Arkansas: Copy and paste this link http://storage.cloversites.com/fellowshipbiblechurch5/documents/CampusMap_Nov2010.pdf

Take some time this week to review your ministry visibility on your church lot. Take someone that is not in your leadership circles and get honest feedback. Then...make the necesary changes.

Hope this helps.  God bless you and keep Assimilating friend!

Rodney Holmstrom, National Assimilation Coach