What is Celebrate Recovery?

Celebrate Recovery “is a fellowship of men and women who proclaim Jesus Christ is their higher power”, explains Clinical MA Jimmy Monaghan. It’s a Christian-based program that uses literal biblical verses and passages to help members through the recovery process.

12-Step Method

Like other fellowships and recovery groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, this program uses the 12-step method to recovery. The 12-steps in this program are accompanied by biblical verses and comparisons to keep the program centered on Christ and taught through a Christian lens.

Celebrate Recovery also uses 8 principles that are based on the biblical Beatitudes. In addition to being based on the Beatitudes, these principles coincide and match up with the 12-steps.

Weekly Meetings

Celebrate Recovery groups meet weekly, in a similar forum to traditional recovery group meetings. These meetings are usually a few hours long, following the format of a Fellowship event, a speaker’s meeting and then a traditional meeting.

A big difference between Celebrate Recovery meetings and traditional meetings are that during small group times in Celebrate Recovery meetings, members are split into both gender and issue-specific small groups.

Age-Specific Curriculum

Celebration Recovery has a specialized curriculum for children, called Celebration Place. This program is intended for children aged in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Its central purpose is to teach children the tenants of recovery, teaching them “to turn to the word instead of the world”. Monaghan uses the term “pre-covery” to describe the purpose of the group.

Children are taught how to implement coping mechanisms in preparation for the struggles that they or a loved one may face in the future. The hope is that by teaching children how to find solace in struggle through the word of the Lord from a young age, they’ll be adequately equipped to handle Addiction, in whatever form they may face it, when they do come across it.

For those in middle and high school, Celebration Recovery uses a program called The Landing. The hope is that families can engage in the programs in their hometown and help each other through as loved ones are in treatment.

Finding Recovery Through Christ

Though we all have, as Monaghan explains, “hurts, hang-ups and habits”, this program aims to help people through those in a productive and fulfilling way. We all struggle, but “Together, as a spiritual fellowship that follows Christ, we’re able to find strength in that.”

43 comments
  1. This is a very interesting post. I think that the ‘pre-covery’ section is especially noteworthy. Whilst helping people during rehab is important it is also vital to give children and teenagers coping strategies in case if they ever have to deal with addiction themselves or with someone in their family. This makes a lot of sense to me. Even though I’m not religious I like the idea of turning to a trusted figure of authority or to hope or faith rather than seeking solace in drugs or alcohol or gangs or even getting depressed.

  2. Amazing combination of the 12 step recovery program and Beatitudes. I love the personalized focus and the fact that is utilizes religion and spirituality. Thanks for sharing.

  3. I have been hearing these steps for a while now but lets be honest I do not know what are those? Ha ha. Anyway, God being the center is always good but what about concrete methods? Just saying.

  4. This is a beautiful article about celebrating Jesus Christ. The best one can do is to celebrate recovery through he who helps and make all things possible.

  5. This is a good initiative. This new 12 step program through the use of bible verses can go a long way in helping addicts and bringing them closer to God for them to change their ways.

  6. This 12 step process is great for the people recovering from addiction. I have already read a lot of posts before who have got benefitted from this process.

  7. Good to know that the principles of this program that match up with the 12 step program. Finding recovery through Christ is the best gift one can get and be happy for life.

  8. Jesus is the way to an interesting life on earth . I didn’t know about Celebrate Recovery but I like the fellowship of men and women that proclaim Jesus Christ is their higher power. I proclaim Jesus.

  9. Thank you for sharing this wonderful information now I know about celebrate recovery, I guess occupying your mind with the things of God during recovery is very essential. Detox to rehab thank you for all you do.

  10. Interesting piece this is. Conjoining Christ with the 12 step programs is the best that can ever happen to anyone, amen. Thanks Detoxtorehab

  11. It’s what celebrating when a person recovers from an addiction. That’s because the life is being saved from destruction.

  12. they ever have to deal with addiction themselves or with someone in their family. this program aims to help people through those in a productive and fulfilling way. A big difference Celebrate Recovery .

  13. Thank you Detax to rehab for sharing these type of stories with all of us.These stories are really very much inspirational for many people who are addicted with something and try to recover from that.

  14. Excellent, it’s good that Christians are becoming actively involved in helping society fight the menace of drug addiction. Well done Celebrate Recovery, More grace.

  15. Sincerely speaking, Jesus Christ the son of the living God is at the centre of it all. Thank you God for sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins and bring us closer to the Lord.

    1. In Christ Jesus, there is total recovery from drug addicts. To enjoy life, one needs to be free from addict.

  16. Having a deep relationship with God has very big impacts in life. It is the most pure and peaceful life to live.

  17. There is a need to compliment the efforts of other medical personnel to ensure the desired outcome. This can only be made possible by the supreme being.

  18. Celebrate recovery actually needed for strengthen their recovery and God Will guide all what they did with making positive their life

  19. Incorporating God into your recovery yields amazing results. This is evidenced by the thousands of testimonies from those who were able to recover using the 12 step program

  20. Yeah, I think this is a great one. All things are possible with the involvement of God. I only hope this move work wonders amidst the addicts. We will have a safe world to live in.

  21. I am surprised to learn that there is a curriculum specifically tailored for children. That is very thoughtful to say the least

  22. The sense of community around 12 step programs goes a long way in encouraging the addict to recover. It is truly a life changing experience.

  23. I really like how the curriculum is age specific. I bet that makes the participants more comfortable as they are around their peers.

  24. Whenever we involve Christ in anything we do the results are spectacular. That’s what I like most about the 12 step program.

  25. Wow Celebrate recovery actually needed for strengthen their recovery and God Will guide all what they did with making positive their life. That is very thoughtful to say the least. Thanks for sharing this blog.

  26. Yeah we all struggle through life even without it being about drugs, but we struggle alot. but we can be uplifted through our spiritual which we have been bestowed through christ.

  27. With Christ, recovery from drug addiction is very achievable. This is an eye opener that drug addicts can be set free through the above mentioned program.

  28. Following the 13 steps program is an effective way to receiving recovery from drug addiction. Anyone who accepts Christ to his life makes it more remarkable and laudable.. Indeed, the article is educative enough.

  29. What a wonderful way to bring about recovery. I believe using the word and Jesus as a higher power will bring about quick recovery.

  30. This is a super cool and life saving article to come by, the 12 steps program makes it easier for every addict out there . It makes soberness easy to come by

  31. The fact that you belong to a Christian community during recovery feeding on verses of the superior been during recovery really is fantastic. 12 step is just more than I think it was.

  32. Going through program like this is lovely, you get closer to God and at the same time recover. You see your life in a brand new perspective.

  33. Abiding with programs above will lead people out of their addictions. Thank you Jimmy for sharing this educative information.

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