Programs & Methods
Recovery Classes
We are a 12-step based program when it comes to our recovery view. The reason is because the program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) takes principles pulled from the Bible and puts them into an actionable form. The AA program takes divine wisdom and places it in the context of addiction and the need for a power greater than oneself to achieve redemption from the disease – body, mind, and spirit. We hold to the claim from the Big Book that, “When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.” (p. 64). The core of our issue is a spiritual one, so we focus on addressing the solution in a spiritual nature, found in the love of Jesus Christ as grace and truth.
Before the Big Book existed, early AA meetings in Akron included:
- Bible reading
- Prayer
- Confession of faults
- Making restitution
- Seeking God’s guidance
These practices were directly modeled on the Oxford Group and also included readings from Psalms 23 & 91 to encourage trust in God and surrender, as well as the Gospels in a broad sense to teach about Jesus Christ and living in service for others.
Early AA was not a vague spiritual movement – it was explicitly shaped by Christian Scripture. Bill W. later said AA’s principles were “borrowed from ancient sources,” and the historical record shows those sources were overwhelmingly biblical.
Recovery classes will be Big Book intensive, with read-throughs and discussions ongoing throughout the life of the community. In group settings, as the text is discussed, questions and insights will keep the content of the static text unique and fresh. Similar to the Bible, the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous seems to be a “living text”, speaking to different individuals in unique ways based on their respective circumstances. Many of us have attended Big Book studies for years, and although the text becomes more familiar, it never becomes dull. The text of The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions will also be read. Staff will conduct teaching around the text to introduce background and context of the program.
The Steps will be explained in way that unearth their truth and purpose, and in manners that have the residents receive the material in profound ways. When someone is being mentored by a passionate, experienced, competent, and personable instructors, the effects of those lessons can last a lifetime. Recovery is a personal and collective effort, and in our relations with wise and edifying shepherds, we can make substantial progress. Screenings of appropriate films and documentaries will be introduced, and any other literature or material relevant to mental and spiritual growth in a recovery context will be incorporated. Active participation and discussion, guided by a seasoned soldier in recovery will keep all involved engaged and motivated to set high expectations and hope for their future.
Both Bill W. and Dr. Bob, the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous repeatedly stated that AA’s principles were drawn from the Bible. The most influential biblical sections were:
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7)
This was Dr. Bob’s favorite scripture and the single most influential biblical source on early AA spirituality. These are some key themes that shaped AA:
- Honesty (Matt 5:37)
- Purity of heart (Matt 5:8)
- Forgiveness and making amends (Matt 5:23–24)
- Dependence on God (Matt 6:33)
- Judging oneself before judging others (Matt 7:1–5)
The Sermon on the Mount was adopted by early AA as the blueprint for Christian living.
1 Corinthians 13 (“The Love Chapter”)
This chapter shaped AA’s emphasis on:
- Patience
- Kindness
- Humility
- Not keeping a record of wrongs
- Love as the highest spiritual principle
Early AA members read this chapter frequently, and it influenced the tone of the fellowship and the emphasis on love and service as the antidote to self-centeredness.
The Book of James
James was foundational for the action-oriented nature of the Steps. These are more themes that shaped AA:
- Faith without works is dead (James 2:14–26) → Steps 4–12
- Confess your faults one to another (James 5:16) → Step 5
- Humble yourselves before the Lord (James 4:10) → Steps 6–7
- Resist the devil (James 4:7) → Moral inventory and amends
- Bridling the tongue (James 3) → AA’s emphasis on restraint and honesty
Dr. Bob especially emphasized James, and early AA members sometimes called themselves the “James Club.”
Christian Roots
AA’s biblical roots came with inspiration from the Oxford Group, a Christian movement teaching:
- Absolute Honesty
- Absolute Purity
- Absolute Unselfishness
- Absolute Love
These were explicitly derived from the Sermon on the Mount and the teachings of Jesus. Bill W. learned these principles through Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, an Episcopal priest and Oxford Group leader.
Faith Classes
We know that we need a Higher Power to help us get sober. However, there are two main areas in which we believe the AA program falls short. One, getting and staying sober, and even helping others to achieve sobriety is only a beginning and a portion of our journey. Two, there is only one true Higher Power, and that is Jesus Christ. Any other God-concept is a false one, and we do no one any service leading someone to believe they have arrived at a destination that is real when in fact it is built on a delusion. We seek truth in all things, and the truth is that Jesus is God and that the Bible is his inerrant Word and guide for our lives.
Along with general Bible studies, with every book of the Bible as a potential subject matter. Apologetics will be emphasized, and the hard topics and questions commonly heard in the world will be addressed. We will make men and women who are confident in their faith. They will believe, they will know, and they will believe all the more because they know. We will train them on how to work with those who doubt or attack the Faith.
We know that in our interaction and relationships, there will be moments of opportunity – those moments when someone finally asks a question with an open mind, the moments when someone is hurting and starts wanting to know how God could even help, or those moments when all hope seems lost and the person is desperate for an answer in their life. We will help them know how to answer questions and speak as an instrument in those crucial moments when someone is in a state of exposure to the truth of the Gospel.
Our residents will become strong theologians, and will study such topics as:
- Church history
- Church fathers
- Basic Christian Doctrine
- The Trinity
- Hermeneutics
- Biblical Narrative
- Theology – People, Claims, and Biblical Interpretations
- Science of God
- The Formation and Validity of the Bible
- Salvation
Service Work
We know that our salvation does not depend on works, but we know from James and the Big Book that “faith without works is dead.” Frankly, addicts are self-centered as a direct result of their drinking and drug use. We are wired to think about what we need, even when we don’t consciously have awareness that our thoughts and actions are geared toward satisfying something we want. Getting out of ourselves and serving others is vital to out recovery and our growth. We cannot succeed without service work. The service work at HOSS is twofold.
The first way service work is accomplished is within the confines of the community. This is done through obedience (made beds, orderly clothes and belongings, clean rooms), assisting other residents in basic needs, assisting other residents in mentorship, and performing chores and tasks for the betterment of the community as a whole.
The second way service work is accomplished is through our programs to go out into the surrounding community to perform tasks for others. This could be visiting and playing games with residents at a retirement home, cleaning a property, working at a food bank or clothing drive… anything that does a service for the betterment of another. We will have a community service coordinator in charge of building relationships for active and enduring service so that the residents of HOSS can be seen as making an impact in world around them, even while they are still working on themselves. This will yield change in the hearts of HOSS residents and will affect change in the perception of those afflicted with substance abuse disorders in the hearts of those in the surrounding communities. HOSS will be a bright spot for the region, and HOSS residents will take pride in being a part of that.
Life Skills
We aim for holy living. Whether the subject is finances, work discipline, social interaction, relationships with loved ones, dating and marriage, diet, ethics, or discipleship, we make strong people. Through counseling, classes, group activities, situational exercises, and challenges we shape our residents, knowing that iron sharpens iron. We are a refuge at HOSS, a fortress for those who are hurting to be protected from the things of this world so they can grow and strengthen themselves.
Our staff is composed of people with a foundational strength in Christ. We do not accept residents to aim for an average life moving forward. We show them how to show up for others. The Third Commandment tells us to not take the name of the Lord in vain. If we claim to be Christian, we act like it. Our residents will be pillars of strength in the lives of others in the future, and they will carry themselves with a confidence and contentment that can only be found in Jesus. They will handle life in ways that others want to emulate, and they will be examples of Christian living. They will earn the respect of others by first respecting themselves as children of God who have value in this world.
