A Great Letter from a Born Again AA in Sri Lanka, and My Answer

[dickb]

Dear Terrance: How great of you to respond so quickly and from Sri Lanka. I have been sober almost 28 years now; and I too have never had one drop to drink. It’s late at night here in Maui. So I won’t answer at length right now. But I’d like to know your age, mail address, URL, religious connections, ministry if any, family, education, and vocation. I’m going to have my son Ken send you some material on what we do. And I hope you will consider listing yourself – at no cost – as a participant in the International Christian Recovery Coalition so others with your views can contact you from around the US, Canada, and several parts of the world and you can do likewise. My story is posted on my main website, And I hope you are in a position to get the 29 volume reference set which is available now at a very low price. I am always hopeful that the many I meet around the US and Canada will themselves form groups, get into the Word, help others, and stay clean and sober.

Here are my specifics for now:

1. Check out International Christian Recovery Coalition right now and let us list you. See www.ChristianRecoveryCoaliton.com
2. My son and I do a radio show with some frequency. It covers AA history and the Christian recovery movement ; and I often interview leaders round the world. www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com
3. You can find my story through clicking on the front page of my main website www.dickb.com. That will give you the basic details.
4. I happened to have walked in the doors of A.A. on April 23, 1986—a very sick, depressed, desperate man. And I dived into A.A. After three years, a young man met me at a Step meeting in California and asked if I knew AA came from the Bible. He suggested I read DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. I was amazed at what the original Bible-based program looked like when there were no Steps, T raditions, Big Books, War Stories, or meetings like those today. So I traveled widely investigating, interviewing, reading extensively, meeting leaders who were Christians and often pioneers. And each year brought more joy, more Bible, more Bible, more newcomers, more information, and more opportunity to help others—something that has been tops on my list for most of my AA days.
5. I have sponsored more than 100 men in their recovery; met these men at AA meetings; took them through the Big Book and Steps; and brought most of them into a Bible fellowship led by my son. Both in California and in Hawaii, we found ourselves doing much like the First Century Christians did as reported in the Book of Acts, much like the early AA Christian Fellowship did before present-day AA developed from the Big Book in 1939, and a good many of these men (and several women) are still clean, sober, relying on God, and hopefully still helping others.

Thanks again for your letter and interest. I hope we can be of help to you in working with others, and apprising you of the importance of AA and the Word in recovery today. And that you can meet us in Hawaii some of these days soon. I’m copying a number of my sponsees—some of whom are in other countries and states and often have not been in touch for some time. These are great people. I would not have known them but for AA and the Bible. And I cherish the opportunity of sharing the Word and AA history with them.

God bless,

Richard G. Burns, J.D., CDAAC
Author and A.A. historian, retired attorney, Bible student (pen name “Dick B.”)
46 published titles & over 1,450 articles on A.A. history and the Christian Recovery Movement
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition
Christian Recovery Resource Centers - Worldwide
Christian Recovery Radio
www.DickB.com
DickB@DickB.com
(808) 874-4876
PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837

Ps 118:17 (NJB):
I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.

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From: ADAMAN ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL [mailto:journals@sltnet.lk]
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 10:37 PM
To: dickb@dickb.com
Subject: RE: Dick B. FYI Message: History of Alcoholics Anonymous: Bill Wilson's 1943 Affirmation of His Born Again Status "in Christ"
Importance: High

Hi Dick B.,
I’m delighted to learn that Bill was a “Born again” Christian.

I’m also a Born again Christian in Recovery in AA.
Hence, I wonder if following 12 Steps & Traditions is really necessary, as I follow the Bible’s counsel very closely & my Creator/God ….
Constantly helps me as my HP on a daily basis.

Pls let me have yr views on this matter…as this question has been lingering in my mind for several years!

FYI ..I’m 8 + years [over 100 months] Sober, & never slipped since I entered the Door’s in AA.

Rgds,
Terrence
Sri Lanka