Friday, February 11, 2011

Lesson 8 - Sponsor

Lesson 8: SPONSOR

Principle #4: Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
Happy are the pure in heart. (Matthew 5:8)

Step #4: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:40)

Why do I need a sponsor and/or accountability partner?
·         Having a sponsor or accountability partner is biblical.
                        Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
                        Proverbs 27:17
·         Having a sponsor or accountability partner is a key part of your recovery program.

Ø  The first step is maintaining an honest view of reality as you work each step.
Ø  The second key element is making your attendance at your recovery group meetings a priority in your schedule.
Ø  The third element is maintaining your spiritual program with Jesus Christ through prayer, meditation, and study of His Word.
Ø  The last element to a successful program is getting involved in service.

·         Having a sponsor and/or accountability partner is the best guard against relapse.

What are the qualities of a sponsor? (Proverbs 20:5)
·         Does his walk match his talk? Is he living the eight principles?
·         Does he/she have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ?
·         Does he/she express the desire to help others on the road to recovery?
·         Does he/she show compassion, care, and hope, but not pity?
·         Is he a good listener?
·         Is she strong enough to confront your denial or procrastination?
·         Does he offer suggestions?
·         Can she share her own current struggles with others?

What is the role of a sponsor?
·         She can be there to discuss issues in detail that are too personal or would take too much time in a meeting.
·         He is available in times of crisis or potential relapse.
·         She serves as a sounding board by providing an objective point of view.
·         He is there to encourage you to work the principles at your own speed.
·         Most important, she attempts to model the lifestyle that results from working the eight principles.
·         A sponsor can be resign or be fired.

How do I find a sponsor or accountability partner?
·         First and foremost, the person MUST be of the same sex as you. NO EXCEPTIONS.
·         Can you relate to this person’s story?
·         Come to the meetings regularly and/or other events that we might have.
·         If you ask someone to be your sponsor and/or accountability partner, and that person says no, do not take it as a personal rejection.
·         Most important, ask God to lead you to the sponsor and/or accountability partner of His choosing.

What is the difference between a sponsor and an accountability partner?
·         A sponsor is someone who has completed the four Celebrate Recovery participant’s guides and has worked through the eight principles and the 12 steps.
·         He/she meets the six requirements discussed earlier in the role of a sponsor.

·         An accountability partner is someone you ask to hold you accountable for certain areas of your recovery or issues, such as meeting attendance, journaling, etc.
·         The main goal of this relationship is encourage one another.
·         You can form an accountability team of three or four.

1 comment:

  1. John 4 - Jesus councils a woman alone at a well on sex

    Same sex sponser is a man made rule that is:
    1) Religious and not faith based
    2) Magnifies the suspected sin of some
    3) Ignores the struggles of some
    4) Is not what Jesus taught, said, or did

    If you think you are acting to prudency by defending this issue than you should consider:

    1) CR is also to treat homosexuality
    2) You don't have to be homo to have an emotional affair with a same sex person

    Also, I am a married woman who has no issues realting to other women. I have a woman mentor for issues such as those discussed in Titus.

    NA cautions against motives but says they have had many successful opposite sex sponsorships.

    ReplyDelete