Bible vs. 12 Steps

One of the special things about my job at Helping Up Mission is that I have the privilege and responsibility of sharing the hope, answers and empowerment of spiritual recovery with the new guys who come into our 12-month Spiritual Recovery Program.

Amazingly, I hardly ever have to convince them that they need help or that God is the One who can do it.  Most are just sick and tired of their own deal and are willing to try something different. 

In my class of new guys today, I asked if they consider themselves to be 12 Step guys or not…and why or why not.  Guys sort of broke down along two lines – they tended to say there were either 12 Step guys or they were Bible guys!

I asked if they thought I was a Bible guy or not, and they said yes.  Then I asked if they would be surprised to know that I’m a 12 Step guy, too.  The good news is that the 12 Steps are Biblical principles for an everyday spiritual walk and that’s actually why they work so well!

If someone is working the 12 Steps, they are practicing Biblical principles.  If someone is practicing Biblical truth, they are doing good Step work.

Over the next year we will have the opportunity to help each one get more familiar with both the Bible and the 12 Steps.  If they do, it will make a real and lasting difference in their lives – one day at a time!

Always and Only One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director