Tree of Life

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Published by: Publishing Institute of Africa
Release Date: August 1, 2016
Pages: 109
ISBN13: 978-9966690081

Synopsis

The Grace of God and Addiction Recovery

An African edition of the Christian origins of the 12-Steps, the core of the Anonymous group movement for addiction recovery. This newest edition follows an original American, Russian and Romanian language editions.

 

 

 

Praise

“Dr.Terry Webb’s Tree of Life is a MUST read for pastors and priests…She gives the history of the Christian influence on the founders of AA and Al-Anon. She provides a good summary of the important biblical dimensions of these programs.”
-Dr. Bill Sinkele

Excerpt

The explosion of recovery groups and meetings all over the world indicates that people are starving for this kind of participatory, sharing community. Because of the influences of western culture and movement to cities, African youth become easy victims of cheap sex as well as the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. For a time these attractions bring peer acceptance.

By joining a recovery self-help support group or for youth, a peer support group such as Al-Ateen, Africans can retrieve that sense of belonging they gave up when they moved from their rural families and clans. The strength of African church youth programs, especially those that provide prevention education encouraging openness to sharing unhealthy attractions, such as the use of alcohol and other drugs, can provide the resilience needed to resist temptations.

"What is required of man by God?," asks the prophet Isaiah. And he answers, "to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8) Justice, redefined, means to meet our fellow man, sharing and supporting him in his suffering, the way God meets us, through the suffering and death of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Recovery groups exemplify the Greek word of koninia, meaning the close union or joint participation and sharing by individuals in each others' lives. Those attending and sharing become related, often called a new kind of family, through their common need or common problem. They learn how to live with the problem one day at a time, with God's help and with the help of the group.