Local church offers help in recovery

When people think of addictions, many times the first thing that comes to mind is alcohol or drugs, but in all actuality, there are many other forms of addictions that are not even considered. Twelve step recovery programs are not always for those who suffer from addictions.

For almost three years, Senath Church of Christ has helped individuals, with more than addictions, through a Celebrate Recovery (CR) program that meets every Thursday evening. "Celebrate Recovery is a biblically based 12 step program that originally began for addictions, but it has expanded beyond that," says Jim Mauldin, director of CR and minister at the Senath Church of Christ. "We use the phrase hurts, habits, and hang-ups." Mauldin says he likes to quote one of the National CR directors, Mac Owens, "Which one of us doesn't have one of those."

CR deals with how people cope with all of these issues, from the addict, to the woman who has the alcoholic husband who may not have an addiction of her own, but she is still having to deal with it. The program can also help someone who has lost a spouse get through the pain of it because they cannot deal with it on their own. "We help people get through the hurt, habits and hang-ups through a biblical means. The primary goal is to bring them to Christ because that is how you deal with it," says Mauldin. "We feel that you cannot deal with hurts, habits, and hang-ups without God in your life, and that's what we do."

Celebrate Recovery began in Senath, at the Church of Christ fellowship hall in November 2011, by Jody McFadden, the minister at that time, and Jimmy Wilkins, an elder. "I had people within my family who were struggling with addictions," says Wilkins. "I learned about the international program and felt it would be beneficial to the people in Dunklin County, and it was one that was biblically based and shows that Christ is the answer to all problems."

Celebrate Recovery began 20 years ago at Saddleback Church after Rick Warren, pastor and author of "A Purpose Driven Life," received a letter from someone who was struggling with addictions. The letter was 8 pages long, and according to Mauldin, Warren was drawn to the letter. The letter outlined what he thought the church (Saddleback) needed to do regarding a recovery program. "From that letter, CR was born," says Mauldin. "It has always been biblically based, it incorporates the 12 step program, but it also uses the Road to Recovery, which is an 8 principle setup based on the Beatitudes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount." Today, CR is in over 20,000 churches worldwide.

According to Mauldin, drugs and alcohol are the biggest addiction in the Dunklin County area, especially with the meth that is so prevalent. Prescription drugs are also an issue, and it is usually a quiet addiction that many people suffer in the closet, and with these addictions, many times the spouse is in denial to the addictions.

Mauldin says that they have had as many as 40 to 45 people attending the meetings at one time, but they have also had as few as 20. "Many people do not know that we are here and available to them," says Mauldin. "This is a place where people can recover and work through issues--any issues."

"We are about ready to begin the 12 steps again, which is a 13 week program," says Mauldin, "but, a person does not have to come in at the very beginning of it, they can come in at any time."

Mauldin explains the itinerary every Thursday evening. It begins at 6 p.m. when the doors open and people can play ping-pong and pool or other games, which offers some time to fellowship. Dinner is served at 7 p.m., which the ladies from the church prepare. After that, they have a celebration which starts with the handing out of the recovery chips. At 7:30, a lesson for about 20 minutes based on the 12 step program, and then they break into their groups. They talk about good things that happen, as well as struggles that may have happened throughout the week.

They do have some rules, in that what is said in group, stays in group. They also do not have accommodations for childcare, so they ask people not to bring their children. "Sometimes in women's groups, sensitive issues are discussed, and those discussion may not be what a child needs to hear," says Mauldin. "Plus, it is hard to concentrate when one is trying to care for a baby."

According to Mauldin, when handing out the recovery chips, that is a time of celebration and he goes on to explain how the chips work with the program. "In celebrating sobriety, we have a system, that when they first begin their recovery process they receive a blue chip," says Mauldin. "Then as they progress, to 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, and so on they receive a colored chip. When they get to 1 year sober, they then receive a gold or bronze chip with the number of years on it." Also engraved on one side are the words, "My Grace is Enough for You."

Mauldin also says that they give out a whole lot more blue chips, because each time a person has a relapse they have to go back to step one, which is the blue. Mauldin said he had a man who hated getting the blue chip because he thought that meant he failed. "I told him, no it doesn't mean you failed, it means you get another chance," says Mauldin. "I told him to treasure that second, third, and fourth blue chip. It's about being able to admit to failure, but it is also celebrating that there is another chance to succeed." He goes on to say, "As they progress, we give out less."

Mauldin also says that second and third and fourth chances is what it is about. He says that he was an alcoholic at one time, but he is now 30 years sober. He believes that for him, as a recovering alcoholic he can relate with others. "People forget that ministers are human and have issues like everyone else," says Mauldin. "But I don't know how I made it through, but through the grace of God."

There are several Celebrate Recovery Programs around, but besides the Senath Church of Christ, there are none in the southern part of Dunklin County. Mauldin says there are a couple CRs in Jonesboro, Blytheville, and Paragould, but Senath is the closest in this area. According to Mauldin, there are no prerequisites, no papers to complete, and the program is anonymous.

For more information about the CR program, contact Jim Mauldin at 573-738-2834. Meetings are at 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday, at the Senath Church of Christ fellowship hall on 202 E. Commercial St.