Stepping Out of Denial into God's Grace Participant's Guide 1

By John Baker

Alcoholism - Divorce - Sexual Abuse - Codependency - Domestic Violence - Drug Addition - Sexual Addiction These words are about more than "issues." They're about people who sit as close to us as the next pew -- or our own. People struggling with problems that sermons or Bible studies alone won't solve. But there is a way the church can help the hurting move beyond their wounds to experience the healing and liberty of Christ.

Celebrate Recovery fills a long-standing need in the church in its role as Christ's healing agent. Developed by John Baker and Rick Warren of the renowned Saddleback Church, this program's life-changing effectiveness has gained it an explosive, grass-roots popularity. Drawn from the Beatitudes, Celebrate Recovery helps people resolve painful problems in the context of the church as a whole. Rather than setting up an isolated recovery community, it helps participants and their churches come together and discover new levels of care, acceptance, trust, and grace.

Whether your congregation is large or small, this 25-session fellowship-based curriculum truly will be a celebration of Christ in the life of your church and its members. Everything you need is here:
• One 20-minute DVD introductory guide for leaders
• One leader's guide
• Four 4-volume participant’s guides
• CD-ROM with 25 lessons - Road to Recovery series
• CD-ROM with sermon transcripts and reproducible promotional materials
• 4-volume audio CD sermon series
• All in a proven, groundbreaking program, painstakingly and prayerfully developed to help people discover new dignity, strength, joy, and growth in the image of Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Aug 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9780310864189

John Baker

John Baker is the founder of Celebrate Recovery, a ministry started at Saddleback Church. Over the last twenty-three years, it is estimated that more than 3.5 million people have gone through this Christ-centered recovery program. There are currently 30,000+ churches that have weekly meetings. John and his wife Cheryl have been married over four decades and have served together in Celebrate Recovery since 1991. They have two adult children, Laura and Johnny, and five grandchildren.

Book preview

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John Baker is the founder of Celebrate Recovery®, a ministry born out of the heart of Saddleback Church. Over the last fourteen years, more than 7,500 individuals have gone through this Christ-centered recovery program at Saddleback. The Celebrate Recovery program is now being used in thousands of churches nationwide. In 1993, John and Pastor Rick Warren wrote the Celebrate Recovery curriculum which has been published and translated into several languages.

John began serving at Saddleback as a lay pastor in 1991. In 1992, he was asked to join the Saddleback Church staff as the Director of Small Groups and Recovery. In 1995, his responsibilities increased as he became the Pastor of Membership. In this position, John’s responsibilities included pastoral counseling, pastoral care, Celebrate Recovery, support groups, small groups, and family, singles, and recreation ministries. In 1996, he oversaw the development of Saddleback’s lay counseling ministry.

In June 1997, John became the Pastor of Ministries, responsible for the recruitment, training, and deployment of church members to serve in one of the more than 156 different ministries at Saddleback.

In 2001, Rick Warren asked John to become the Pastor of Celebrate Recovery. This is John’s shape, his passion, and his calling. In addition, he is part of Saddleback’s Purpose Driven team. John is a nationally known speaker and trainer in helping churches start Celebrate Recovery ministries. These ministries, in thousands of churches, reach out not only to their congregations but also to their communities in helping those dealing with a hurt, hang-up, or habit.

John and his wife Cheryl have been married thirty-five years and have served together in Celebrate Recovery since 1991. They have two adult children, Laura and Johnny. In 2004, Johnny and his wife, Jeni, gave John and Cheryl their first grandchild, Maggie.

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ZONDERVAN

Stepping Out Of Denial Into God’s Grace

Copyright © 1998 by John Baker

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