Celebrate Recovery

We all struggle with life's hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Through God's grace and power thousands of individuals, in hundreds of churches, have worked the Christ-centered Celebrate Recovery program. In doing so, they found the freedom from life long addictions and compulsions, experienced the restoration of broken relationships and found a new life purpose.

Purpose statement

The purpose of Celebrate Recovery ministry is to fellowship and celebrate God's healing power in our lives through the "8 Recovery Principles." This experience allows us to "be changed." By working and applying these Biblical principles, we begin to grow spiritually. We become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors. This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly, a stronger personal relationship with God and others. As we progress through the program we discover our personal, loving and forgiving Higher Power–Jesus Christ, the one and only true Higher Power.

Celebrate Recovery offers a person the opportunity to participate in group fellowship where love and hope combine with God's purpose to mend our lives. Ask yourself:

     •   are there things in my life that I do that hurt others?
     •   is there something I wish I could live without?
     •   is it time to crack my denial and admit I am not in control of my life?
     •   do I have a painful habit or hang-up from which I need to be freed?

If you answered "yes" to any of these statements then we urge you to attend a Celebrate Recovery meeting to see if it is for you.

Celebrate Recovery meets every Friday at 7:00 pm on the Fremont campus in room C308 for a time of worship and sharing of testimonies. Afterwards, we break up into small groups and enjoy a cup of coffee at the Café. Childcare is available!

For additional information on this life changing ministry, contact Steve Medeiros.

---

Real Life Testimonies

The following are real life testimonies from people who attend Bridges Community Church. If you are interested in listening to a testimony, click on the mp3 link and the testimony will download to your PC for listening.

Celebrate Recovery is

     •   based on God's Word, the Bible
     •   a place that emphasizes personal responsibility
     •   a place that emphasizes a spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ
     •   a safe place to share
     •   a place to care for others and be cared for
     •   a place where respect is given and confidentiality is highly regarded
     •   a place to learn, grow, and become strong again
     •   a place for healthy challenges and healthy risks
     •   a possible turning point in your life

Celebrate recovery is not

     •   based on age, sex, race, or religious background
     •   a place for selfish control
     •   therapy
     •   a place for secrets
     •   a place to look for dating relationships
     •   a place for perfections
     •   a long-term commitment
     •   a place to judge others
     •   a quick fix

---

The 8 Recovery Principles (Based on the Beatitudes)

R : Principle 1 – Realize I'm not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable. "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor"

E : Principle 2 – Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover. "Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted"

C : Principle 3 – Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control. "Happy are the meek"

O : Principle 4 – Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to myself, to God, and to someone I trust. "Happy are the pure in heart"

V : Principle 5 – Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires"

E : Principle 6 – Evaluate all my relationships; Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others except when to do so would harm them or others. "Happy are the merciful" "Happy are the peacemakers"

R : Principle 7 – Reserve a daily time with God for self examination, Bible readings and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Y : Principle 8 – Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires"