As we discuss in class how a man can expect to stay clean every day, I liken our philosophy of recovery to a three-legged stool. Although someone can stand on just two legs (we would call that stilts) or maybe just one leg (a pogostick!) at least for a while, a three-legged stool is totally sufficient to stand on for a long time.
We talk about doing our Program (12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program) as the first leg of the stool. That includes doing our Biblical Discipleship, 12 Step and Relapse Prevention classes along with evening 12 Step groups and all the other aspects of our Program here.
The second leg of our stool is a good home church. We want every Program member to find a church that ministers to him and then get involved, not just attend on Sunday. Ideally, each man will also be able to find a spiritual mentor (a man who has walked a spiritual walk for a number of years and who agrees to be a spiritual accountability partner for a Program member).
The third leg of this stool is a 12 Step home group outside the Mission. Again, we want them to not just attend, but begin to actively participate in the group. From their home group, we hope they will be able to identify a sponsor (a man who has worked the 12 steps already and is willing to be a recovery accountability partner for him).
Both a home church, home group, mentor and sponsor will become key ingredients of each program member’s recovery network. Their support is just as critical and important as the support they get from the Mission leg.
Of course, a guy might also have a healthy supportive family which also provides support for his recovery – that is a fourth leg and would make a chair! But everybody doesn’t have that and the three-legged stool is totally sufficient to support any man’s recovery at Helping Up Mission.
Sincerely,
Pastor Gary Byers
Spiritual Life Director