What is Celebrate Recovery?

Celebrate Recovery is a biblical and balanced program based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory. Celebrate Recovery is a ministry for anyone with a hurt, habit or hang-up and we believe there isn't anyone who that doesn't cover!

We would love for you to come be a part of the life-changing ministry that has allowed us to experience true freedom by restoring relationships, first of all with God, and then with others. We believe it is vital to walk this road of life together. There is no need to sign up, just show up!

One of our ground rules is the guarantee of anonymity. We respect each other’s confidentiality and seek to keep Celebrate Recovery a safe place for everyone. We ask all participants to honor that commitment for others and expect it for yourself.
History

Celebrate Recovery started in 1991 at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. At that time, the church was meeting at a high school gymnasium. John Baker wrote Pastor Rick Warren the “now-famous, concise, 13-page, single-spaced” letter outlining the vision God had given John for Celebrate Recovery. After reading John’s letter, Pastor Rick said, “Great, John — go do it!”

There are now 35,000 Celebrate Recovery churches around the world, and that number continues to grow. We are part of a movement that is bringing the healing power of Jesus Christ to the hurting and broken through working Celebrate Recovery’s Step Studies, The Journey Begins, and The Journey Continues. To date, over 6 million individuals have completed a Step Study.

In addition, Celebrate Recovery is not just growing in churches, but in recovery houses, rescue missions, universities, and prisons around the world. This is an exciting and growing outreach opportunity for every Celebrate Recovery.

We are a part of something much larger than one church’s Celebrate Recovery. We are part of a movement that God is blessing.
​Meeting Format

Large Groups
Large group meetings are a time to set aside the cares and worries of the day, worship God together, spend time learning either from a lesson about a topic in recovery or hearing about how God has dramatically changed someone's life in Celebrate Recovery through a testimony. Sharing is not required.

Open Share Small Groups
These groups meet for one hour following Large Group where you can share your experiences, strengths and hopes. Open Share Groups are gender specific. Sharing is optional in Open Share Groups, but confidentiality is a requirement in following the 5 Guidelines.

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Step Study Small Groups
Celebrate Recovery uses the Christ-centered Twelve Steps and Eight Recovery Principles as the biblical model for living your life. A Step Study is a personal journey though each of these steps in community with a group lead by a facilitator, who has completed his or her own Step Study. We use Celebrate Recovery’s four participant guidebooks. When you finish a Step Study you will have worked your hurts, hang-ups and habits through each of the Christ-centered Twelve Steps. A Step Study is a serious commitment to yourself and the other members of your group and typically takes between 6 - 12 months to complete, depending on the size of the group and time of the meeting. Contact a CR Ministry Leader at your own group for more information about Step Studies, or to find an open an open Step Study in the area, choose the option Step Studies in the menu above. It is not recommended to go to ONLY a Step Study, so you will need to find a Large Group and Open Share Group to also attend.
​Life's Healing Choices
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Happiness and Healing are yours for the choosing. We've all been hurt by other people, we've hurt ourselves, and we've hurt others. And as a result, every single one of us ends up with some sort of hurt, hang-up, or habit. But the question we all face is, Where do we go from here? Life's Healing Choices offers freedom from our hurts, hang-ups, and habits through eight healing choices that promise true happiness and life transformation. Using the Beatitudes of Jesus as a foundation, Senior Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church and John Baker, who is also a pastor at Saddleback, developed the eight choices shared in this book and DVD lessons.  Through making each of these choices, you too will find God's pathway to wholeness, growth, spiritual maturity, happiness, and healing. You'll find real answers, real hope, and a real future -- one healing choice at a time. Life's Healing Choices studies provides an 8 week "introduction" to recovery in a familiar DVD-based "small group/bible study" format that is accessible to those just beginning recovery as well as friends, family, and church members looking to learn more about recovery. To find an open an open Life's Healing Choices group in the area, choose the option Step Studies in the menu above.
Celebrate Recovery Small Groups CAN:
  • Provide you a safe place to share your experiences, strengths, and hopes with others that are also going through a Christ-centered recovery.
  • Provide you with a leader who has gone through a similar hurt, hang-up or habit and who will facilitate the group as it focuses on a particular Step each week. The leader will also follow Celebrate Recovery’s “Small Group Guidelines”.
  • Provide you with the opportunity to find an Accountability Partner or a Sponsor.
  • Encourage you to attend other recovery meetings held throughout the week.

Celebrate Recovery Small Groups Will NOT:
  • Attempt to offer any professional advice. Our leaders are not counselors. At your request, we can provide you with a list of approved counseling referrals.
  • Allow its members to attempt to “fix” one another.