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Recovery Sunday
Brian Mashburn and Jeromy Hunter
September 1, 2019
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A New Ministry
Back in March of 2018, our leadership asked, "What next, God?" concluding that we needed to reach out with the gospel to people "Beyond Us, Beyond Here". After a follow up 40 days of praying and fasting, they met again, and with one voice concluded that we are called to reach out to the recovery community of Amarillo.
We began immediately investing in ways to build relationship with this community, but remained unhurried about launching a ministry, opting instead to read, learn, research, and pray. After a year and a half, we are ready.
This ministry is called RISE - Recovery Intersecting Spiritual Experience - named by those in recovery for those in recovery. After all our work, it is surprisingly simple: a Sunday morning Bible study that any of you can attend, but will intentionally be recovery friendly.
Simple, but powerful. Untold hundreds of people in recovery want a church family, but hesitate not knowing if they are welcome. This class declares that they are. Look at what else is happening...
- A Wednesday night class for family and friends of those needing recovery (led by our own Emily Hammer).
- Celebrate Recovery (led by our own Jeromy Hunter) meets on Thursday at 6:00 pm
- My Next Steps, IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) operating their services out of our building.
- Our first Recovery Sunday (today) in the middle of National Recovery Month (September).
- Elders/Ministers attending recovery meetings to learn coaching and resources from North Atlanta Church of Christ in Atlanta (doing this for over 20 years)
- We brought in Adam Paa, an experienced expert in this kind of ministry, to equip and educate us last Fall
- We sent a team of 4 ministry leaders to Atlanta to see a ministry in action and talk to leaders and participants.
- We had 5 weeks of combined classes educating and familiarizing our members about recovery
- An NA (Narcotics Anonymous) group meets in our building at lunch time during the week (its growing)
- A weekly Narcotics Anonymous (Nar-Anon) meeting (designed for family and friends of addicts, and led by our own Jamie Hunter) begins meeting today at 1:00
And all of this doesn't count how many in recovery from "out there" have already joined us simply because we have declared our intentions, nor does it count how many from "in here, among us" have found the courage to confront their own places of struggle.
That is your role? Please be asking that as you listen today and in the months and weeks to come. At a minimum, you are called to pray for this new ministry. But some of you will be called to be front line ministers in this. And some of you will simply be called to "make room" for this as we go. May God bless this new ministry, and may God bless all of our ministries.