For years David and Debbie O’Brien felt God’s calling to bring Celebrate Recovery to men and women who were incarcerated. In the last two years, God has worked all things for good to make that dream a reality.
Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered discipleship program for those who need help with life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups, including addictions, past hurts, and codependency, has been at Blue Ridge as a ministry for more than 10 years.
Step by step God made a way for this ministry, which helps people to find freedom in Christ to go to those who are not free physically. In January 2013, David O’Brien began going into the Bedford County Jail each week. He’d usually meet with 10 to 14 men at any time, a great number for a small jail.
And while men would come and go, due to sentences ending or transfers to other locations, some men came each week. One young man who finished his sentence now attends CR at BRCC, and David is his sponsor.
“I like that CR is multi-dimensional, combining a Recovery Program with Biblical Principles,” said David. “Many of these guys would have been totally unaware of CR and the hope they have in Christ without us going into the jail.”
With a few exceptions, CR in jail is the same ministry we offer at Blue Ridge. Another ministry of CR nationally is Celebrate Recovery Inside, which is in hundreds of jails and prisons across the world.
“One of my favorite parts of CR is the curriculum which was developed in paperback specifically for CRI. They have access to the CR Bible, Participant Guide and Life’s Healing Choices,” David said. “With the handouts and the participant guide, you can leave them with something.”
The O’Briens have been involved in local prison re-entry programs for the past few years. Getting to know people connected with the jails helped to open doors for CR.
When they considered who should go into the jail, David felt God calling him.
“Because I've been incarcerated, I can identify with these guys in a way that others can't,” David said. “They tell me it makes a difference…they're blown away that a guy who's been through a similar thing is doing OK.”
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and the regaining of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18
To learn more about Celebrate Recovery and the ways it is working with the incarcerated and recently released, contact Debbie at crecovery@blue-ridge.org.