The Alcoholics Anonymous Cult & Addiction 

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I was once a slave to addiction. Went to Rehab several times. Still didn't work. Countless NA meetings. Didn't work. One night in jail Christ radically changed me and gave me a new heart. This March will mark 10 years drug free. No meetings or secular help needed. ALL GLORY TO GOD ALONE!

I was a drunk and a cocaine user most of my adult life. God saved me from my bondage to drugs and alcohol 3 years ago. Glory be to God! And thankfully He has led me to ministries like this. Thank you Jeff and God bless.

I went from atheism to believing that others believed in God to believing it was possible for there to be a God to believing in God through the 12 steps of narcotics anonymous. Then a friend shared the gospel with me and I believed. It still blows my mind. One day I hated Christians, the next I was a Christian. I no longer attend those types of groups because they're so limited and it just seems that people are ok being off of drugs and don't want much more from life. The Gospel and the command to go and make disciples has given me purpose in life. Grateful that God chose me though I don't deserve His love or forgiveness.

I can totally relate to pastor Jeff ... I'm 6 yrs sober from opiate addiction ... By God's grace alone. 6 yrs ago I was a non believer in a dark life style that I welcomed and cherished with open arms. It was through intercessory prayer that led to a divine intervention with my maker, where He turned my heart of stone to flesh and filled me with His Spirit. I've never been the same since. No detox, no recovery program, no AA, I didn't even go through withdrawals. Just Christ, His Church and discipleship. I'm no longer an addict, I've been set free, I'm forgiven .... All Glory to God.

I'd like to see what model you are using for Christian recovery. I agree with you on most points, I got sober in AA, but left eventually because It still left me feeling empty. Your point about continuing to identify as Alcoholic, drug addict, etc, is so true. I stopped counting, days and the day I got sober. I know count the day I finally submitted to Christ. I am a redeemed person through Christ and walking daily with him.

I’m an alcoholic/addict. 4 years clean and sober. I go to meetings regularly and believe the program works. Jesus Christ is now my Higher Power but he wasn’t when I first started. I live in a small town, many of us in the program go to the same church now. I continue going to meetings for the newcomers that come in because there were “oldtimers” there for me when I first went. I believe we continue to call ourselves alcoholics/addicts even though we are now sober so that the newcomer can relate and find hope that by hearing our story, they too, can get sober. I think cult is a strong word. I found Jesus Christ through the AA program and now have the opportunity to spread the good news to newcomers.

fascinating. Christ alone delivered me after I used heroin everyday for twenty plus years. After I was set free a friend invited me to a couple of NA meetings. I tried to understand but soon came to realize that they wanted me to believe that I was still bound to drugs and if I didn't admit that then I was going to go back to using. I never went to another meeting nor did I ever go back to drug use. That was more than ten years ago. All glory to our most Holy and precious Savior.

Thank you for this. You touched on several of the practices that bother me about AA. I've been going to meetings free of alcohol for 5 years. The continued identity and bondage of your addiction ("Hi, I'm ___ and I'm a ___) has bothered me for sometime. Don't introduce yourself like that and you get glares. The "higher power" saying is so unacceptable to me as a believer in Jesus Christ and the saving grace given to me freely. AA didn't free of my addiction, an incredible undeserved redemption from Jesus did. So....why do I still go? The fellowship and friendships I have formed for one. Secondly, the opportunity to share the gospel with ones that may have never heard it are there. Several of us have started a Bible study at our particular "club" in hopes of giving others the opportunity to find where the real power against addiction is.

Thank you so much for this discussion! 5 years ago, after 23 in NA, I was saved by the Holy Spirit bringing Christ to me and my wife seemingly out of nowhere. We tried to continue to attend meetings and to maintain our long held friendships in NA, but after becoming more and more involved in study of the Word and forging new relationships with our church family, we couldn't continue and had to leave what we had realized was a false religion. I had to reassess my belief in the "disease model" of addiction and bring into my heart that the whole problem was a sin issue based on idolatry. Their basic text says the belief that"once and addict always an addict" was dead in NA, yet you had to identify yourself as an addict over and over again. This was a clear contradiction that was never addressed. Such a sad loss of hope; that your "disease" would be with you forever, that the best you could do is keep it "in remission". Our identity is in Christ, not a shared sin that has been rebranded as an illness. I praise the Lord for bringing me out of sin and idolatry to Christ and out of the NA cult, and I pray for those wonderful, loving, deceived people in 12 step programs, that the Spirit saves them as He did my wife and me five years ago.

Really appreciate this discussion. Over the years I have come to understand that as we peel back the layers of the onion virtually every pathology we deal with whether in broken families, broken lives, the broken state, and broken societies the root is always idolatry.

It's been such a long journey for me. Ive battled addiction and idolotry since childhood. Ive sought Christ, believed a bit, but always gone back to what I've always done. Addiction. It was like looking at Christ through a keyhole. I've done AA so many times, because that's what everyone around has suggested to do. Today...i mean right now, today... I've endured the hardest trials of my life. And, it is only through Christ's love and God's mercy and grace, that i made it. I have hope. Finally. God has always been there, waiting for my brokenness to bring me to humility, to my knees. I submit, repent, i have nothing left. I give it all to Him. I know the light is rising, and that He has a plan and a purpose for me...for us. Thanks Pastor Jeff and crew. Keep spreading the true Gospel. Ill pray for the mission, and spread the word throughout ny own life. Love you guys. ❤

While sitting in jail on serious charges I began to look at the 12 steps with my cell mate. I made it to step 2 and realized where I had always failed. How can I believe in a higher power that doesn't actually have power. Does a door knob have power? Or my personal higher power from my past... The life that I have always wanted. Well, what happens when what I really want for my life is to not be sober? That becomes my higher power. I began to think about this logically and realized that I needed the true God because He's the only One with the power to heal me. It's been 4 yrs (I was spared from 20yrs in prison) and I acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. A higher power that has no power is useless.

I went to AA and accumulated 26 years clean. But no inner or heart change. As a result the walls were closing in and I knew I was going to return to my vomit. Through circumstances I wound up at a church. They were in Galatians. The pastor preached and then ended with the gospel. I was convicted and went home. All that week my conviction overwhelmed me. I remember a point where I said "Lord I can't do this anymore I need you". I put my trust in Christ. Today I am involved in christian addiction ministry. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Amen

The 12 steps began in a Christian fellowship in 1934 called the Oxford group. The recovered alcoholics from the Oxford Group realized that alcoholics of all types of belief systems around the world were dying of alcoholism and their families were suffering .So they opened the idea of Faith as wide as possible so anybody that was willing to believe could come through. I think the Bible refers to it as having the faith of a mustard seed. Which is a tiny tiny little seed. Go where you feel comfortable. Gods miracle working through the 12 step programs have kept me free from addiction for 28 years now. But I believe God comes to many people in many different ways ❤️🙏❤️ spiritual pride can be a deep dark pit. When I start to believe I know what God's will is for you I have fell into that pit.

When I told my AA peeps that I was a Child of God now so I don’t need AA. Somebody told me I think I’m “cured” and they’ll pray for me. That made me pray for them tho

My older (and only) sister has tried the 12 step program multiple times throughout the years and has completed it at least once. She is 42 years old and still struggles with drug addiction. She lost her 4 kids to the state in her early 30's. She has entered rehab yet again for the umpteenth time here recently. Yes, the problem with these drug recovery programs is it's missing the recognition of sin and the salvation of Jesus Christ. How can anyone truly change their behavior if they don't truly understand why it's wrong? I continue to pray for my sister because that's all I know how to do. Her addiction is out of my control, but not out of God's control! Please pray for my sister. Her name is Jessica. Prayer is powerful because we serve an almighty, all powerful God who has granted us all a relationship with him through Jesus Christ! If only my sister would realize this, her life would be forever changed ❤

My husband and I were both in treatment for alcoholism. Without understanding what was happening I realized later that was when I was saved. Two to three years later I was asked to share my story at an open meeting. I shared that my higher power was Jesus Christ and some of what had been changed in my life. After that meeting we were basically shunned which ended up being providential for us. From there we ended up in an Evangelical church “family”.

Grew up in a house fully invested in the AA/Al-anon and it nearly drove me insane. The deeper people get the closer they get to new age beliefs and I can testify to this fact. It takes root and it doesn't let go, most of these people never get fully freed. I'm so glad that you have made this episode, I've been saying this for years!

So excited to listen! I’ve been sober for 3 1/2 years finding Jesus and a love for his word. As I’ve grown in my faith I ( as well as some other friends who are believers now in AA) have felt convicted at times and torn as to whether or not I should still be a part of it. I have a church family that I love and the thing I have kept coming back to is that AA has been a good outlet to lead people to Christ as I sponsor or speak. I’m about to listen now! Thank you for this!

I lost a sister to overdose in 2021...she was only 30 and has 3 beautiful boys...they found her. I regret not better explaining how much I loved her and how much more Jesus cared for her to die for her. Yet we grew up in the same home..a true Christian home. So she knew the gospel. My heart grieves for where she most likely is spending eternity. So now my prayer is to be more bold with my faith...to not fear speaking truth boldly when given the opportunity! I never struggled with substance addiction..but the people that do/did would seem to gravitate to me. I know so much about AA & NA. When I learned of my now ex husband's porn addiction and habitual physical cheating I went to CR. I do know that my sister was crying out for help...but after listening to this I'm wonder if my family failed to remind my sister of the Gospel when she cried out for help. She had reached out to our mom 4 days before her death. My sister was introduced to drugs by her husband...he fooled her and our family about being born again. He got her hooked and then did horrible things to her- at one point he prostituted her. I'd say her own sin lead her to stay down that road. How does a reformed Christian approach these types of stories? Because my sister was a victim...granted she struggled to say no and reject something unholy, but her own husband was abusing her in other ways before adding drugs. Death of a loved one who was struggling so much in life leaves you with so many questions!

This episode is fantastic. On Tuesday of this week I had about a 2.5 hour conversation with a man who was and still is very dedicated to the 12 steps/AA model, etc. He is a man who says that he was "rescued from darkness", who believes in a god who is love, etc. However, he is a man who wants nothing to do with the Scriptures nor does he believe in Jesus Christ alone for peace with God. In the course of our conversation I felt (more than once) that I was evangelizing Mormon missionaries. I kept bringing our conversation back to "Who is God?", "How has God revealed Himself in the Bible?", "Who are we by nature according to God's word?" and what does Jesus Christ say about Himself and what it means to have a right relationship with God. As I mentioned, there was the necessity to bring the conversation back (and not be content with the two of us using the word "God") again and again to "Who is God?"/"How has God revealed Himself?" As the conversation progressed it became very evident to me that the AA model is another religion - as the episode says, a 'cult'. After reading back through the 12 step book last night, I observed that the sponsors sound like "evangelists", AA is propped up (at least the model) as a "savior", the members of AA take the role of the Holy Spirit and, in adopting the AA model, there is an "emergence into new life" (the miracle of regeneration). And sadly, in the end (as was emphasized many times in this episode), it leaves men cleaner on the outside, but does nothing about their sin against a holy God and does not deal with His justice and wrath against them. It robs men of the One in whom they can have redemption. Thank you, brothers, for this episode. I hope that it will drive Christians to the Scriptures and to view this "cult" for what it is and embolden believers to present God as He has revealed Himself and His Son Jesus Christ in the gospel.

I'm 4 years sober and 2 years in my Christian faith. I still attend AA meetings and have been attending church for about 6 months now. If it weren't for the AA program, this former agnostic might not have lived to see the day where I would accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Also, I might add, the AA meetings I attend do not preclude us from saying that Jesus is our higher power. I don't directly avanglize in AA, but I most CERTAINLY don't shy away from telling the others there who my higher power is.

I just watched this video and first want to say that I appreciate the work you're doing with this platform. So helpful and so useful. I am actually an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 10 years and after some consideration decided to watch this video to hear what you had to say. I want to be clear that I am a sinner, in desperate need of a Saviour, and that is why I'm a Christian. I'm subscribed to the channel and enjoy the content very much. With that being said, I wanted to share that I actually do agree with much of what you said about meetings. With regards to the steps, I would highly highly suggest that you take a look at the history of AA. AA was not designed to be what it has become today. In fact, when AA started, the Bible was studied and the emphasis on meditation (contemplation) was directed at contemplating what was read in the Bible. The understanding of insanity is actually soundness of mind, not what is spewed in AA meetings. Unfortunately, the words and statements made in the big book are taken out of context and not shared or utilized with their intended purpose. Things shared in meetings are usually coming from an intellectual stand point and not coming from the perspective of a reborn human being. Bill W. actually had an experience with God while in a hospital where he was detoxing and in the big book, he gives all glory to "the Lord". He knew undoubtedly that without God he was nothing and it came to him that he needed to help others and set out to do so. The "fake it til you make it" or "I'm always an alcoholic" is actually in direct conflict with the big book. The book is clear and states over and over that we "recover". We're not forever recovering. It also clearly states "that we WERE alcoholic..". Those statements are actually coming from people who haven't had a real experience with God and have not been reborn. I certainly see what you mean about AA being an idol however, if you have not been changed internally through salvation, you will idolize anything. AA is not designed to be God or to replace God. It is designed to guide you to God. The inventory process is designed to bring to light our sinful nature. Steps six and seven are repentance. And as we have been reborn, we come to want to serve God and others so we continue to show up to meetings to share with them that they can recover. Unfortunately, not everyone truly experiences what AA has to offer or what it's intended purpose is. I personally continue to go to AA, as indicated previously, to help others which I believe that that's what God would have me do. Just as you go to abortion clinics to save lives, I do the same in AA (I go to help save lives). I block out most of what is shared in meetings because it's not sound. It's in direct conflict with the intent of the program. Again, I would highly suggest that, laying aside what you've heard in AA meetings, you look into the history of Alcoholics Anonymous and where and how the principles of the program came to be. May God bless you. Thank you for the work you do.

Looking forward to listening to this. I was saved in 2016 after 19yrs(continuously sober😄) in AA. I left it all behind to follow after Christ.

I would be cautious being an ex-alcoholic, and taking a cup of wine. I think telling people who struggle with alcohol, that’s it’s ok to take a drink, is a slippery slope. Otherwise I agree with Jeff’s perspective on recovery

As a ex addict that is in ministry and with former things like cr and serenity. I always felt this way and didn’t quit make sense. It was almost like a way to keep me stuck in it. You explained this wonderfully and truthfully to the word of God. Thank you so much. From one pastor Jeff to another. May God part the seas for you to do His work 💪. Let’s go beast mode in Christ.

I lost my dad to an OD this new years eve after he had been apparently clean for over 8 years. As much as I would try to have him be receptive to Christ, he would always decline. He never successfully came out of a rehab program. He never gave them credit. In the end it took his life. I forever wish he would have done an over the phone Bible study with me.

God delivered me from cigarettes, alcohol, weed and pornography in one moment. The appetite for those things was completely removed. Thank you Jesus.

I stopped attending CR last year and I am so thankful. I knew that it was inspired by AA, but the steps are EXACTLY the same! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I struggled with addiction for 6 years until I had a deliverance session in August where my family casted at least 4 demons out of me in the name of Jesus. That day forward I ran full speed into the arms of Christ. I had been convinced that God had given up on me and that this addiction and dying from an overdose was my purpose but that was a lie from the devil. I've been to rehab 8 times and countless NA and AA meetings prior to this deliverance. I'm now clean 5 months and I see how AA/NA contradicts the Word of God. "Addicts" need a relationship with Christ, to turn away from sin, deliverance from demonic oppression and their minds renewed through the Holy Spirit and reading the Word. Thank you for this video because NOBODY talks about this.

The book The Bondage Breaker really fleshes out the idea of freedom in Christ from addictions and strongholds. I highly recommend it.

Amen Pastor Jeff...God changed my heart one day on my way home from work after 15 years of alcohol addiction. The desire for alcohol and my whole reality was changed that day. Haven’t looked back since and never had to do a program. God changes things period.

I tried the cult a few times then continued to party for another 20 years. Jesus delivered me from 30 years of weekend binge drinking 13 years ago and I still feel like the man in Acts 3:8 -"walking, leaping & praising God". I have been on an evangelism team since 2010.

No one EVER had a “spiritual awakening, as a result of these (Twelve) steps”. By following them you’ll remain in darkness. It was a “god of my own understanding” that got me to AA. So… invent another? That was ludicrous to me. I needed the real God that created me. Little did I know, that it was Him who was drawing me. A faithful Christian man at work shared the gospel with me, and “Voilà” God saved me. That was 30 years ago. PTL!

I once attended A.A. Seeking freedom from alcohol. I didn’t become free tho, till I found my freedom in Christ! When the Son has set you free, you are free indeed.

This was extremely difficult for me to watch. I have 3.5 years of sobriety and there is no way I will ever take wine at communion. I love you Jeff but this was dangerous for me to watch when you said God commanded wine drinking. This would cause me to stumble. I love Jesus Christ and I am a new creature but drinking a thimble of wine would be a sin for me and against my conscious. I pray for God to lead me not into temptation. I don’t understand why you would charge us to drink wine if would cause us to stumble. Are you saying that you are not saved or a new creature if you can’t control your ability to drink a thimble of wine. I love you guys, please respond.

I was an addict for 15 yrs. Always felt that I was imprisoned to this urge and crave. The day I received the gospel and obeyed God’s Will I have never felt more free from that bondage of addiction that ever before. I went to rehabs multiple times, did the 12 step program, had sponsors and nothing worked for long periods of time. Only til Christ saved me I truly became free

Yeah, I went to a few AA meetings and Refuge Recovery a buddhist version of AA. It all felt sad and meaningless. As if I would have to live with my addictions forever. Not that I changed over night but I slowly came around to what the true gospel was and to trust in the word of God. It drastically changed my life. I can have a beer and not be an alcoholic, I can go without beer for a long time and I feel great. My addiction didn't live with me forever, and I didn't have to self identify as an alcoholic anymore. I'm free through christ.

I'm 3 years sober meetings never personally helped me. I found a church and that's helped me more than ever. Too much gossip at other meeting, the church on the other hand were more confidential and caring.

Thank you for doing this video! It's so, so important that people hear this very message and I know it will bless untold lives to be set free from bondage! Soli Deo Gloria!

Now, my experience was different as my sponsor was an atheist who was a womanizer. I quit going. I started to study Torah and loving Yeshua. My addictions changed.

After an entire childhood of religion-cloaked , SEVERE physical , mental and sexual abuse , the Lord LED me to AA just in time to save my life . The conception of God I came into AA with , was terrifying . After 5 years of healing , love and encouragement to encounter the REAL God through the 12 steps , I was lead to Christianity and to salvation . In my experience , those steps are a bueprint to be a DOER of the Word and not just a hearer of the Word . I am inexpressably grateful to the Lord for His great mercy , provision and direction in leading me to Salvation . A huge part of that was AA . I could never be grateful enough for that . May He continue to bless and to use the 12 step experience to call hurting , broken people to Himself .

My mom is apart of AA and she said the same thing “ once a alcoholic always an alcoholic “ even being 12 years sober , I believed that my whole life. so once I started drinking I just made the excuse “ well my mom was an alcoholic so I am going to be “ But Gods word is true and I attended a conference called “ why Christian’s can’t trust phycology “ and it changed my life praise God

I love that you actually call AA a cult. I was in the cult for years. The 13 th step is no joke.

I’m glad I stumbled across this….my mom started going back to AA meetings and when she explained something about “finding a god of her understanding” I was genuinely confused by what they are actually doing at these meetings.

So well said. I entered into recovery 21 years ago. 12 step program was pushed. I fell deep into it. It definately became my identity. I wore it like a badge. With it came a sense of superiority. I was against God in those days so AA was perfect for me. It created the illusion of God, with no real needed change unless it fit into my own sense of morality. I took many to AA and was heavily programmed by the dogma. The God of my understanding prevalent in AA led me deep into the New Age and extreme darkness. That went on for 21 years. Through it all i was extremely resistant to Christ. I ranted against Christ at meetings and online constantly, then boom, i had an experience of Gods grace which changed everything and i was saved. Since then iv left AA. I worry about others in it and have struggled with how to approach them. This vid helps. Thanks Jeff and apologia

The 2 founders of AA were Christians. The point is they did not want to exclude non Christians from getting help. Drug addicts and alcoholics have always used to churches to get free stuff and listen to their shit and ego driven Christians have always basked in how godly they are helping these terrible people.

Amazing! I just published "Addiction: A Tug of War" with a section that discusses the irreverence and fallacies of programs that do not adequately represent Christ and are mainly based on self-introspection.

Someone who went through AA came to speak at our church regarding codependency and addictions. He argued that the “identity” as an addict was to remind the people to be conscious that they could be susceptible, don’t be foolish and give provision to the flesh.

Ultimately, God got me sober, but I stumbled, painfully, through the AA program for the first couple of years of my sobriety. Wish there was a Christian thing I could have done instead! Also...many churches point their flock to AA to get help, which is kind of a shame if you think about it. A lot of run of the mill Christians don't know how to help people with addiction problems.

I go to N.A once a month and I always bring up JESUS, If I share in a meeting I bring up CHRIST JESUS.. Many people in N.A need to hear about JESUS..And why not take it to them in their own meetings.... JESUS CHRIST saved me from addiction and gang life.. 🙏 It can save N.A participant's too.

Jesus saved me from my IV drug use and much more after years of AA and NA meetings, they were missing the most important thing which is the true living God. The lord Jesus christ delivered me from my iniquity

I'm a recovering addict of heroin and your right that I had to come to Jesus Christ 🙏to restore my soul from myself by his forgiveness,and once I took a year out to study the bible then baptized,I'm still on a small amount of methadone at 53 but I'm done with street drugs and it's taken a while but it's all down to Jesus,what he did for me praise the Lord so thank you for your honesty and would do a programme just for the end product but I can't take a year ,I trust Jesus Christ in recovery🙏🇬🇧💗

1 year and 9 months sober and clean. All because of or Lord and King Jesus Christ. Been to like 2 meetings and they do nothing for me. My church is my meeting and my Bible is the book. I would not be here if it wasn’t for Jesus and people try telling me I don’t give my self enough credit. Well they are right I don’t deserve the credit it was all Jesus Christ and I won’t take credit for something he did.

Was a hooligan atheist for years, got addicted to opiates and was definitely on the path to worse drugs. True understanding of Jesus Christ was the only thing that made me better understand myself and my problems. Also thank God for the plants on this earth that helped me fight withdrawals. Anyway quick point about addiction that I already made in a reply on another comment. Addiction and the “recovering addiction” thing and treating it like a mental illness is only making it seem as though you can never get truly better. Because you have “addictive personality” which is just all bogus. You are renewed through Jesus Christ so you must seek a new life! Which starts by changing core behaviors and habits you have in your day to day. Heck I was changing the music I even listened to at the time. Having others I could talk about God with was huge too. Also one more point, I don’t like the phrase “going to hell” because it is referred to as the second death. There is no eternal life outside of Jesus Christ. When thrown to the lake of fire the secularists will die the second death. So I think when you say go to hell, people that don’t believe think of Hollywood version of suffering in hell for eternity. Which makes no sense Biblically.

I was a full on drugs and alcohol addict for 30+ years and never been to a meeting in my life, I've recovered through the grace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ ✝️ 🙏

In 2016 I would share in meetings in Colorado Springs. The holy spirit was speaking through me. For about 3 months this was going on. 100s of people glorify God. Then I was approached by 3 old timers of A.A. and they told me I couldn't share anymore. I was young in my walk and let it shut me down. But praise Jesus I learned from it and still be sharing in meetings with the Holy Spirit speaking thru me and reaching others! People coming to Jesus!

This was such an important message. It was driving me crazy to hear my brother and his friends continually refer to themselves as addicts despite coming to Christ. It was like they WANTED to belong to a group and clung to the title. This video confirmed what I believed and I shared this video with my brother :) When you die to self and come to Christ that old person is DEAD.

Everyone in AA actually needs the ACA program. Adult children of alcoholics. It allows you to look at your behavior, change it, recognize how it affected others. It has workbooks that make you reflect deeply on your past and how to move forward.

I’m healed Christ did it. 37 years sober not dedicated to Christ during that time. Jesus called me out of aa during covid when meetings were closed down. Started reading the bible daily and haven’t stopped. Through the word of God I have been completely healed. Need to separate from pagan belief in man made up gods. And the feeling that I was never healed completely. Have no regrets for going to aa and the well meaning miss directed people. Aa started right with the Christian group call oxford but got side tracked shortly thereafter when the 12 steps were written. Its given me a mass of people to share Jesus to.

God bless you and your church for bringing this to the surface pastor Jeff.

So glad to find this video! I am currently reading the book, “12 Steps to Destruction” by Martin and Deidre Bobgan. Check it out if you want a very eye opening look at the founders of this religion.

I worked for Advantage Behavioural Systems for 2 years and took clients to meetings over and over. Bout drove me nuts. I used step 4 in private meetings to bring The Gospel of Jesus in. People always apologized for saying Jesus was their "higher power." Broke my heart.

The sponsor I had at AA was so controlling that I had to tell him things that I didn’t tell my wife. I had to ask permission to go college, to buy a motorcycle or where I was at when I didn’t go to multiple meetings, I finally quit. It didn’t help me with my drinking whatsoever.

Thank you for this! All true. I have thought for decades AA was wrong because the addict never becomes a new creature. It focuses on the weakness. It doesn’t free the person. Sad.

I don't know much about your church, seen a few RU-vid videos so i have an idea. I would like to thank you for this video and for putting things in perspective. I used to go to AA after the last rehab for about 3 years but after a group that called them self the Taliban ( with the Afghani Talibans as role models) overtook every meeting i left and never returned and that was about 16 years ago but i am still going strong almost 19 years after God freed me and i give him thanks every day for that. I have maintained that all addiction has the same root source, the big void we try to fill with things like alcohol or other drugs, sex, video games ,bodybuilding, cool cars etc and they all have the same solution that is the father and the son and the holy spirit but that is not offered in rehab or AA or any 12 step program. I was kinda feeling alone in this opinion so i am really glad i found this video. God bless all of you and the work that you do, i don't live anywhere near you but i will use online resources to follow and learn more.

I remember sharing a sermon that Jeff did a few years ago on the subject of addiction. I had several people replying to the post mad at me and not understanding how I could agree with what Jeff said. No matter how much I tried, they just couldn’t seem to understand why AA was not ultimately helpful. Watching this reminded me of that and as I was listening to Luke talk this thought formulated in my brain. If someone was intoxicated 24/7 for years and then got sober going to AA and stayed sober for 25 years and on that anniversary day you asked them if they wanted to celebrate with a drink they would probably say no way because they aren’t actually free from the addiction to alcohol. If your free from the addiction you should be able to have a drink or two without it becoming a problem.

Galatians 5:1 it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of bondage. Love what y’all are doing guys! I have a past of drug and alcohol addiction and i completely agree with you!

I agree with you on the AA. 💯. Ive been saying this for 5 years. One day I cried out to God after an overdose and God lead the way from there. I now help women in recovery, most or all attend AA. The false hope they receive is so disheartening to me. I see so many come and go and come and go because they haven't surrendered their sin to Jesus. They will read and follow AA big book because it's the easy way, so they think. They get to keep their other sin that way. They will religiously follow the big book, but will not pick up a bible. It's so sad. I tell everyone that AA does not provide external life through Jesus. AA is so programmed to fixing only this life, partically, but leaves off the most important thing, the next life. On issue of CR, i disagree. I accepted Jesus and became a follower of Jesus because i went to CR. I had tried AA, and to think i could pick any god was something not in my heart. God kept me sober 2 years until I was ready, not only believe, but to proclaim Jesus as my Lord and Savior. And now lead the CR program at my church. There is so much more than you realize in this program. The gospel is given and taught. Its not just for the alcoholic or addict....it's for any SIN or struggle because the main goal is to build a relationship with Christ. There are individual lessons taught weekly. There is a deep bible study that takes 6 months called a step study. People don't identify with prior sin. People introduce theirselves as grateful believers and followers of Jesus Christ, the one and only true higher power. I highly suggest buying the leader's manual and you will get a better idea of this program. Thank you for getting this message out and more importantly I thanked God that you got this message out!

@ApologiaStudios I watched this when it first aired, but have returned. As somebody who left AA 4 years ago for much these same reasons. Yesterday I received an invitation from my old home group. First email in 18 months. All I could think was how quickly I'd as a disabled woman would be escorted out of an open meeting for evangelizing and sharing the truth about the occult origins of the program.

Thank you for this video! It is refreshing to finally hear someone explain why AA does not help addicts. Statistically, I think it has a one or 2% success rate. At least, that’s what I have read. Several years ago, a friend referred me to Al-Anon, for people who have to deal with addicts. My idol was an abusive boyfriend. The concepts were a bit helpful, but I couldn’t relate to the victim mentality and felt quite out of place. Finally one day, a very sweet older lady told me that I would never be free from this abusive man if I didn’t keep going to meetings. My response? “Watch me!” I did not go back and got rid of the abuser within the next two months. The victim mentality is depressing and full of hopelessness. You never actually solve your problem.

I totally agree with the stances shared about AA. I experienced it for myself and had a huge problem with the over-identification with substance abuse. Very cultish indeed. However, the CR that I attend was the very first place that I heard the gospel and it is shared at the opening of every single gathering. & with deep reverence. During group shares most open with “hi my name is... and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ”. It is completely centered within Christ and I’ve seen non believers walk in and be transformed. Not every church will be able to get it right unfortunately, but that goes deeper than their CR program. As for the 12 steps being an inherently pagan system, I understand that stance but I also know that the 12 steps DO work to an EXTENT. This is because there is truth found within them, but that truth has been highly distorted and leaves out the core truth that is Our Savior, Jesus. I see CR as reclaiming those truths - that the pagans distorted to keep people looping in sin - and restoring the pure intention of redemption by centering the steps in Christ. I can’t speak for any CR’s but the one I go to, but it exposed me to the truth. Just like church, sometimes you need to shop around. Community is huge with healing addiction/trauma & you need others who’ve tasted those things in a similar way to be able to move forward in the sanctification process. I’d say above all, pray and ask Jesus to lead you. But it is possible there is a CR that is centered in Christ near you.

Amen brother. I went to AA for about two years. I got saved, and finally saw how outlandish their philosophy was. I now go once a month only to share the gospel. There’s nothing for me there now. They are told to literally “make” God whatever they want him to be.

I’ve heard things in this that I have long suspected. Thank you Jeff Christ is Lord

The 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous catapulted me to a solid Church. Praise the Lord

every time i came out of rehab i felt more hopeless than when i went in. god gave me the strength to get off drugs and stay clean almost 10 years now. it was not easy by any means but before i thought i had no chance to live a clean life. god made it clear though that i could do it and i feel very blessed for it.

I’m sorry, but what is with the skull on the water bottle? Sitting watching this, and my 6 year old just came in and said “mummy, that man isn’t a Christian, look at his skull water bottle!”. Love all you do and the message being delivered, but image also matters, it’s not really a gentle, lovely, pure, godly image, even a 6 year old sees that 😢 It undermines the power of what is being communicated.

Thank you, thank you, for addressing this! I used to attend AA meetings until the Lord placed it on my heart in 2020 (when meetings halted), that AA was a cult and I was idolizing it. In His faithfulness, He revealed that people were clinging to AA rather than to Christ. Idolizing AA and it’s “principles” that was based out of fear. Example: if I don’t attend three meetings a week I will relapse, etc. Fear based practices, and I have remained in contact with one person who still attends those meetings. Whatever happened to the hundreds that were my so-called friends? Funny how when we decided to step away from the cult of AA, how are “friends” deem us unworthy of love. So very Christ-like of them… Again, I cannot thank you all enough!

In total agreement until you said you were taking ex alcoholics to have drinks. Romans 14 21 says not to drink in front of your brother if it makes them stumble or weak. It's ok to refrain totally even if you're changed by Jesus.

when people stand up introduce themselves the way that they do in AA it is basically like when Paul says that God came to save sinners “of whom I am the foremost”. In that statement Paul is not saying that he isn’t redeemed or Christ has done no work in him, rather it is the power of Christ in him not his own doing and that he still is a sinner.

This is so good. Thank you for saying this!! I shared this with my cousin who is battling addiction currently. His name is Scott if anyone feels called to pray for him.

This episode has really changed my perspective and ultimately will change my whole life and the lives of many others. I run a recovery group and this is so helpful. Thank you very much for this and all the work you guys do!

Father Continue to POUR your spirit thru all Brothers and Sisters in Christ to carry out your truth in Jesus mighty name

As a Christian who has struggled with pill taking for non medical purposes i can tell you what Jeff and the others are saying is 100% true. I wish there was an Apologia type of church here in Orange County California

When we talk about addiction one people leave out is FOOD. Food addiction is very real and causes many health problems.

I have struggled on and off with shopping addiction, which stems from past trauma, lifelong depression and anxiety, female adult ADD, etc. But ultimately, it’s SIN: idolatry, greed, and being a poor steward of my money. Due to this, I was a part of Celebrate Recovery (CR) for the better part of eight years between two cities, even leading the women’s small groups and step studies at both. I won’t claim that it was all bad, and there were many genuine, Jesus-loving people whom I was privileged to know. Many of my experiences echoed your sentiments about early Apologia, especially when it came to the excitement, honestly, and vulnerability. However, I came under conviction almost three years ago, when I started getting into discernment ministries. Firstly, I watched The Church of Tares, and that’s when my eyes were opened regarding Rick Warren and Saddleback Church. Even though Rick Warren isn’t directly responsible for CR, I no longer wanted to be associated with anything connected to Saddleback. Secondly, in many cases, CR was being used as a substitute for attending regular church. Which, I suppose if you were someone off the street, then it’s better that you’re in CR than no place at all. But for people like me, I should have made a solid church my main priority, not CR. And even though both CRs were connected to churches that were OK doctrinally, people from various other denominations brought their bad doctrine in, and it became a jumbled mess. There were a couple Pentecostal ladies who went to a church pastored by a woman, and once they even invited a woman pastor to speak for a bit. That’s just the beginning, but you get the point. Thirdly, I became convicted that the program eisegeted scripture and, in some cases, twisted it to fit their purposes. I became aware when leading a woman’s group, and once even added in my own opinion to the group that I felt a particular passage was mishandled. Lastly, because I was in leadership roles at both CR groups I was a part of, certain people would take advantage of both myself and fellow people in leadership. People who only knew how to use and knew no boundaries. For a people-pleaser like myself who didn’t know how to say no to anyone, it became overwhelming, and between being at different events 2-3 times a week, giving rides, and more, I was tapped out. At my first CR, I got chewed out for not being able to give someone a ride the day after flying home cross-country. I felt like a free taxi service. A friend at the time also left, in part because someone was trying to take advantage of her financially (she was well off and the user could sniff it from a mile away). I didn’t leave with any animosity, but there were people who no longer spoke to me after my departure (some because I was no longer their free ride). Others still contact me, wishing I would come back, but I’ve held the line and have moved on from that era in my life. Praise be to God!

Once an addict always an addict simply means that if a person has the disease of addiction no matter how long they are sober… if they put the drug/ drink in their body they have the same result they always had… for those of us who have the physical allergy we must come to terms that we can’t safely use. God gives us the power to stay away from it, HE removes the obsession but it doesn’t change the reality that if people like me picked up we would have the same result.. it takes over.

Can't wait to listen. My mom is a sever alcoholic. It's been so hard. She claims to be saved but has NO FREEDOM. I don't understand. I've been picking up the pieces of her mess for 45 years. I'm tired and I'm hurting. Maybe this podcast will offer some insight...

My pastor used the steps and tailor them into Christian version in his recovery program/home. How effective it was so great God used this man and the 12 steps to turn it into his working hand of love to safe people.

I was sober for 12 years in AA and sober for an additional 13 years outside of AA. Total of 25 years sober and then finally saved by Christ. Oddly i fell into a deep depression after being saved and drank for 5 days eventually being hospitalized. I havent drank since (6 months now) but have attended AA again, mostly to keep from being isolated. However i have recently felt convicted that it goes against Christianity and promotes more of a new age false religion with the idea of worshipping any god you want. I believe there is a lot of good in AA but so much i dont agree with which is why i stopped attending years ago even before I was saved by Jesus. I feel conflicted as i desperately need fellowship and havent found it in church. I continue to pray on this 🙏🏻

I was an addict at one time ., could never sober up despite AA sponsorship The only way was being born again ., been washed by his Blood new creation no longer an Alcholic /addict. Ty Jeff you know you were there yourself. God Bless

Instead realize that we are powerless "over God..." The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

This is like a summarization to Mark Shaws book "The heart of addiction" Great book!

That verse you quoted from Romans 7 when you were talking about Celebrate Recovery, I almost fell out of my chair! Sin doesn’t dwell in your “sinful nature”, it dwells in your flesh.

The only requirement for membership is the desire to quit drinking... you can say whatever you want.... if it's a real AA group

You are clueless about A.A. Read the 12 Steps and learn how they relate to Scripture. In simplest terms the Steps say: Belive that God will save you. Look at your sins. Ask forgiveness of your sins. Repent from your sins and ask forgiveness when we sin again. Seek God's will for us. Live these principles.

So powerful, so true, and a huge problem. I’ve been talking to members in AA about this recently. It’s sounds like they know Christ, until we talk after the meeting…..This has been on my heart heavy lately. And of course, telling family about this is going to cause friction and worry for them. But I’ve been studying Gods word like crazy lately and this is CLEAR. I’ve learned a lot from you guy’s on these platforms. It’s time to take this proclamation of believing to the next level. Thank you for this

Jeff is one of the smartest people I’ve been following. Great information!! Thank you guys.

Thank you Jeff, thank you Jeff. Praise you for sending this message out to the world. I ask Jesus to protect you in your ventures at every turn. Thank you so much, I know all this from being a part of AA for 6 years. And one day finally realized it was a cult and I was being led in the wrong direction. Please keep sending this message everywhere, and I will do the same.