Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step program designed to help with life’s challenges, with addiction being only one of many. The focus of the Christian- based program is to help with anything that is taking away from a close relationship with God.
The closest Celebrate Recovery ministry is located at New Haven Baptist Church in Gordon and is led by Brittnay Tyson, D.J. Lavender and Cristy Keadle.
In a Aug. 28 interview two of the leaders, Lavender and Keadle, they talked about how the program at New Haven came to be. Keadle said the ministry was Tyson’s idea, and Lavender helped make it happen.
Both Lavender and Keadle live in Jones County. Keadle is the owner and operator of Keadle Bookkeeping and Payroll Service at 1703 Highway 18 East, and Lavender is the office manager for Bradley Tree Works.
Tyson lives in Twiggs County and is employed by Tyson’s Tree Service.
They explained a close family member of Tyson’s was in a rehab program and started attending a Celebrate Recovery ministry in Warner Robins. The family member was able to turn his life around, and she saw first-hand what a difference it can make in people’s lives.
So much so that Tyson decided to go through the 12-step program herself, and Lavender went with her. After graduating from the program, the pair decided to bring the ministry to their home church. Keadle was a willing partner.
Lavender said Celebrate Recovery is an international program. They contacted the headquarters and went through the training. The process included a visit from a district representative to approve the new site for the ministry.
The New Haven Celebrate Recovery ministry officially started Jan. 25, 2022. Keadle said there are Celebrate Recovery ministries in Milledgeville, Macon and most surrounding counties. She said the intent is for the programs to meet on different nights to make sure there is a meeting available every night.
Lavender said Celebrate Recovery is an umbrella for most issues faced in life.
“It addresses what you run to instead of God. Everybody struggles with something,” she said.
New Haven Celebrate Recovery meetings are Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. Lavender said the programs alternate with lessons one week and testimonies the next. She said the leaders organize the programs.
“We try to be in people’s faces as much as we can, in a loving way,” Lavender added.
The meetings start with a large group format and then branch into smaller groups. A chip ceremony is held every third Tuesday.
She said the New Year’s Eve celebration they had last year was well attended. The average weekly attendance is from 40-50 people.
Keadle said the rotation equals 25 lessons a year, which are provided by Celebrate Recovery.
“The programs vary from place to place, but it covers the same material,” she said She said September is National Recovery Awareness Month, which is a big month for them.
The New Haven ministry participates in local activities, such as Jones County’s Back to School Bash, Fields of Faith, the Crossroads Ministry, the ABBA House in Perry and Sonrise Ministries. That’s in addition to helping individuals.
The leader said the program works through the same steps for everyone.
“Number one is to realize, I am not God,” she said.
Keadle said Celebrate Recovery has been a life changer for her personally.
“If I have a problem, I have found a tool to work through it,” she said.
Lavender said she feels like she has all 102 character defects that fall under the Celebrate Recovery ministry, but it helps her to find healing and grow closer to God.
New Haven Baptist Church is located at 893 New Haven Church Road in Gordon, and services begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Celebrate Recovery begins at 7 p.m. Tuesdays.
According to its website, Celebrate Recovery was founded in 1991 as a ministry of Saddleback Church by Pastor John and Cheryl Baker. It started with a vision for a new Christ-centered ministry where people could find freedom from their hurts, hang-ups and habits.
The ministry began with only four open share groups — men’s and women’s chemical dependency, and men’s and women’s co-dependency. Over the years, thousands of people have gone through the program and many of them have gone on to serve in Celebrate Recovery and other areas of the church.
Thousands of churches have started a Celebrate Recovery ministry around the world, and that number continues to grow. Celebrate Recovery is not just growing in churches but also in recovery houses, rescue missions, universities, and prisons around the world. It continues to be a growing global movement.
The ministry is a safe place for people to find freedom from the issues controlling their lives.
More information can be found on the website, celebraterecovery.com.
