Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered recovery program. At a Celebrate Recovery step study, you are able to take your personal journey in recovery to the next level. In a step study, you’ll walk side by side with others going through the same twelve steps.
You might not realize this when you first join a step study, but these individuals will soon be your brothers and sisters in recovery. You will hear their testimonies and share in their sorrows. On the same note, you will find people you can connect with in new and interesting ways.
If you have been attending Celebrate Recovery meetings for some time and wonder how connections are made, a Celebrate Recovery step study is your answer. Be sure to find out more about step studies offered near you so that you can be involved in this awesome program.
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him to help you do it, and He will. – Psalm 37:5 (TLB)
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What is a Celebrate Recovery Step Study?
The Celebrate Recovery program is ideal for those wishing to complete the 12 steps of recovery in a Christian environment. However, you do not need to be a Christian to attend Celebrate Recovery or take part in a Celebrate Recovery step study.
A Celebrate Recovery step study is a confidential group where you can share the answers to the questions found in the Celebrate Recovery study guides. It is basically an in-depth look at the Celebrate Recovery curriculum. You will walk hand in hand with others in your group.
Typically, the group begins the meeting with the Serenity Prayer. However, some groups may choose to recite the prayer at the end of the one-hour meeting or not at all. While each group can decide on things like this independently, most step studies will keep with the format.
Like the Open Share groups at a Celebrate Recovery meeting, a step study will allow each individual a chance to introduce themselves, and the 8 principles or the 12 steps will be read aloud by various members of the group. The group guidelines should also be read at this time.
Once those administrative items are done, answers will be given to the questions from that week’s lesson or lessons. Typically, there is only time for one lesson each week. For larger groups or longer lessons, only a portion of the lesson may be done in a week.
Once you have completed the 12 steps of recovery and graduated from your Celebrate Recovery step study, you will get a Celebrate Recovery chip and are eligible to be a sponsor or lead a Celebrate Recovery step study. Also, you will give your recovery testimony to a group.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Why Join a Celebrate Recovery Step Study?
Most of the lasting friendships that I’ve had began at Celebrate Recovery. You are just able to reveal things in these settings that are difficult bonds to forge in any other environment. You will expose your truest self in front of these few people in new ways.
You are certainly not required to reveal more than you are comfortable revealing, but you are only going to benefit from your recovery lessons in the amount you are willing to share. In other words, you get what you put into it. If you only do the bare minimum, you’ll only likely get that back.
Another huge benefit of a Celebrate Recovery step study is healing. Usually, a person begins the healing process when they enter recovery. If you were physically injured, the moment you start physical therapy, you begin healing – even if it is just emotional healing.
When you take a step back and begin to look at your problems in new ways, you see the details you were previously missing. This in-depth look at your life will reveal things that you might not have even noticed in a different setting. Embrace the journey, and learn from it!
To read more about the benefits of Celebrate Recovery, be sure to read Celebrate Recovery Lesson 1 – Denial or The Benefits of Going to Celebrate Recovery!
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. – Acts 2:46 (NIV)
What Happens at a Celebrate Recovery Step Study Meeting?
A Celebrate Recovery step study is different from an Open Share group. Celebrate Recovery step studies are designed to move you toward the completion of the 12 steps of recovery. In a step study, you will walk through the CR curriculum intimately with others.
Celebrate Recovery regular meetings are for everyone in recovery. CR step studies are different from the traditional Celebrate Recovery meetings because step studies are much more intense and really reserved for those who want to get serious about their recovery.
As you work through the lessons in your step study, you’ll share the intimate details that brought you to recovery and work through those hurts, hang-ups, and habits with the group. Most meetings are weekly and only for about one hour. This may vary depending on the group.
Many things happen at Celebrate Recovery step study meetings. For example, the Serenity Prayer is recited, prayer requests are exchanged or written down, questions and answers from the curriculum are shared, and other guidelines and information about the rules are revealed.
Keep in mind that every study is different. Many of the groups vary the details at the discretion of the leader or leaders. If you are looking to get started with a Celebrate Recovery step study, find and contact a local CR group or check out this article: CR Lesson 1.
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)
How to Succeed in a Celebrate Recovery Step Study
The following steps will help ensure your success and completion of your step study program. If you have further questions, be sure to find a Celebrate Recovery near you. From there, you can contact the facilitator or leaders of the Celebrate Recovery program.
#1. Be yourself.
If you join a step study, it is best to be yourself, as you will get more out of the experience. You are meant to be there as the one and only you – even if that person does not seem that great right now. That is pretty much what recovery is for – to help you become a better person!
#2. Show up!
Often, showing up is half of the battle. In Celebrate Recovery step study, there aren’t many “make-up” options when you do not attend in person. You can’t really “phone in” your responses because of the confidential nature of the program. To help your recovery, you should attend each study.
Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor. – Matthew 5:3
#3. Answer the questions ahead of time.
Answering the questions from the study guides ahead of time not only prepares you for the lesson but also helps you know what to say when your turn comes around. It’s also not fair to everyone else in your group if you haven’t done the homework as they have. It often does not take long to do.
#4. Go over any missed lessons with your leader.
If you do have to miss a Celebrate Recovery step study meeting, be sure to get with your group leader to go over your answers. They might have another guideline in place for this, so make sure you follow the appropriate rules to stay on track with everyone else.
#5. Follow the group guidelines.
Speaking of group guidelines, CR step studies will usually go over these at the beginning of each meeting. If you would like to know what they are ahead of time, head over to Celebrate Recovery’s page of group guidelines for more information.
To give you a brief summary, the guidelines include keeping your sharing focused on yourself (not on others in your life), limiting sharing time to three to five minutes, not having cross-talk, not attempting to “fix” each other, and maintaining confidentiality. These are listed in the study guides.
#6. Be prepared.
Part of being prepared is having your homework done ahead of time. However, another part is being ready with a willing heart and an eager spirit.
If you have something you need to get off your chest in order to be ready for your Celebrate Recovery step study, talk to your group leader about the best way to handle it.
#7. Be honest.
Honesty is paramount when it comes to your recovery. If you are not truthful, no matter how painful it is, you will not see the results you have heard or thought of. People generally only see success when they share the broken pieces inside of them. (Read that last sentence again)!
Happy are the merciful. – Matthew 5:7
#8. Do your best.
I am a strong advocate of doing the best that you can in every situation. That might not mean the same thing to every person reading this. For some, it could just be showing up. For others, it might mean really bearing your soul to others. Find what works for you, and do it!
#9. Realize it will be uncomfortable at times.
I’m fairly sure there is no one alive who has been through the 12 steps of recovery and decided that it was an “easy process.” It typically isn’t “fun” either, but the growth you receive from the experience makes the process worth it, so persevere even through those awkward moments.
#10. Forge bonds.
While you will likely make friends in Celebrate Recovery, when you enter a step study, you’ll forge bonds with your fellow brothers or sisters. The reason for this level of connection is based on what you will be sharing. It’s more than niceties or pleasantries; it’s the hard truths in life.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. – James 4:10
Celebrate Recovery Step Study Resources
Would you like to study the Bible while you are in recovery? Consider purchasing the Celebrate Recovery Study Bible. It is packed with rich media for the individual in recovery. Also, several different Bible translations (versions) are out there for you to choose from.
At your Celebrate Recovery step study meeting, you’ll go through each lesson of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum. The curriculum consists of 25 lessons found in 4 study guides. There is an expansion pack for those who wish to continue in recovery after the group ends.
All of the curriculum and materials offered cover the entirety of the 12 steps of recovery and the 8 principles of recovery. Each principle is Biblically based in Celebrate Recovery. In fact, the 8 principles of Celebrate Recovery are based on the Beatitudes found in the book of Matthew.
If you have not explored the Celebrate Recovery section of this website, I strongly suggest it. Most of the lessons in recovery are comprehensive and even offer a unique study guide. Additional free resources are available in the Shop!
A few other recommendations of things I love in recovery include the Celebrate Recovery 365-Day Devotional and an awesome binder (you can use whichever you wish) to hold all handouts given at a CR step study or found at the next CR meeting!
Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires. – Matthew 5:6
Celebrate Recovery Step Study Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have lingering questions about being a part of a Celebrate Recovery step study? Here are a few more frequently asked questions for you! Of course, get in touch if you have more questions, and we’ll try to point you in the right direction!
Can I attend a Celebrate Recovery step study online?
Currently, there are no Celebrate Recovery step study online programs. A church near you might offer a Celebrate Recovery meeting, but you would need to check with them about joining a local Celebrate Recovery step study meeting. It’s important to attend Celebrate Recovery meetings yourself. You will get the most benefit from being there in person.
Who can join a Celebrate Recovery step study?
If you are certain you wish to recover and get serious about your personal journey, you can certainly join a Celebrate Recovery step study. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered group, but you do not need to be a Christian to attend or join. Be yourself, and you’ll be a welcome addition to a CR step study!
Who can lead a Celebrate Recovery step study?
Celebrate Recovery step studies are led by individuals who have completed the 12 steps of recovery and graduated from their Celebrate Recovery step study. If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum and how the lessons go, check out Celebrate Recovery Lesson One and Celebrate Recovery Step One. The CR Numbers can be of further help.
How many lessons are in a Celebrate Recovery step study?
In a Celebrate Recovery step study, you will cover the 25 lessons found in the first 4 books of the Celebrate Recovery curriculum. Your step study leader should have the materials for you to purchase (typically around $5 each, depending on the group) or check them out on Amazon.
How long does a Celebrate Recovery step study take?
It takes a while to get through all of the topics covered in the 12 steps of recovery. While some groups take a year or more to complete, this is not the norm. It typically takes about 6-9 weeks to successfully get through the curriculum. Each step study meeting takes approximately one hour. Of course, these depend on the group.
Conclusion
How would you define a Celebrate Recovery step study? What is a Celebrate Recovery step study in your words? Are you in one now? When do you plan to take your recovery to the next level and join? We’d love to hear all about it.
If you haven’t checked out the extensive resources and articles we have on Celebrate Recovery, be sure to check all of them out on the Celebrate Recovery page. You can locate a Celebrate Recovery meeting or step study group near you to get started.
Grab a FREE copy of the Serenity Prayer for a great reminder of what God can do!! We wish you all the success and blessings as you embark on this journey!
Help me to do Your Will, for You are my God. Lead me in good paths, for Your Spirit is good. – Psalm 143:10 (TLB)
