Submitted PhotoPat Patten and Scott Turner lead a recent Celebrate Recovery meeting at CrossPointe Church. 

VALDOSTA — For 22 years, Scott Turner found himself addicted to opiates. 

He was introduced to pain pills by a physician at the age of 21 when he ruptured multiple discs in his back.

“The longer I took them, the more I had to take,” he said. “I had become physically dependent on them just to be able to function without being sick.”

His wife, Missy Turner, faced a battle with family pain and co-dependency.

Both turned to Celebrate Recovery for help.

Established at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., Celebrate Recovery is a program founded by John Baker under the leadership of Rick Warren, according to the Turners. 

Developed as a Christ-centered program nationally, it came to CrossPointe Church in November 2012.

“The beauty of this program is it accepts everyone right where they are regardless of what they’re dealing with, what they’ve dealt with or anything,” Missy Turner said.

“It’s a safe place that you can come and truly take off that mask and just genuinely share being transparent and know that there’s not going to be any judgment formed in that sharing.”

The organizers of the CrossPointe program have all experienced the 12 steps of the program, including the Turners.

Scott Turner first visited a CR session in Tifton where he witnessed someone sharing a story similar to his experience.

“I realized I was not alone in my struggles,” he said. “That first night I was there, I went down and surrendered everything to Christ. I was altered at the altar.”

Missy Turner began attending CR meetings in support of her husband, and while there, she realized she was benefiting from the sessions, as well.

“She found support from others in the program that had been in the same spot and we can both work on our recovery at the same time and place together,” Scott Turner said. “That’s something you don’t find in other recovery-type programs.”

CR offers a nonjudgmental environment that creates community and family, organizers said.

All team leaders of CR have went through the program themselves, according to organizers.

People who share find that they can relate to others, Missy Turner said.

Scott Turner said CR assisted him in speaking about any issues he faced rather than harboring them.

“Over the years, I had issues that I never dealt with,” he said. “I always just bottled them up and crammed them down, would never open up or talk about them to anyone.”

Averaging 90-120 people per week, the CR meetings are held 6:45 p.m. Mondays weekly. Dinner is 6 p.m. and costs $3 per person. 

Organizers said they receive about 10 newcomers per week.

Each meeting opens with praise and worship. The eight principles based on the Beatitudes and the 12 steps based on biblical scriptures are read and rotated weekly.

A list of 25 lessons and testimonies are alternated weekly. Some of the lessons teach about forgiveness, denial, feeling powerless and inventory.

Chip ceremonies are held at the meetings. A blue surrender chip has the words “celebrate recovery” on the front and “my grace is enough” on the back. They are given to participants during the ceremony.

Following the large group session, breakout sessions divided by gender and concern are held in smaller groups assisted by a support team.

Erika Rister is both a member of the team and a group participant. 

Rister began attending CR meetings more than two years ago in support of someone else.

“I (didn’t) think I had any problems,” she said. “I thought I had it all together, but it took just a couple of weeks to figure out, while I was here to support that other person, that I had a lot that I needed to recover from and work on.”

She said she struggled with co-dependency, family hurts, worry, fear and trust issues prompting her to transition from supporter to participant.

She got involved with the second component of CR — step-studies.

Step-studies are participant guides that help people dig a little deeper into their concerns and recovery, organizers said.

“I had a relationship with Christ before I came to Celebrate Recovery but surrendering it all and just laying it all on the table and allowing God to come in and clean up has deepened my relationship with Him and changed my relationship with others in a positive way,” she said.

Since joining CR, Rister said she’s a work in progress and is becoming victorious through the program regarding her co-dependency.

“When I came here, I learned what it was to have true relationships where I could depend on people and not have to worry about judgment,” she said. “They accepted me right where I was and we are a family.”

The recovery program looks beyond individual residents and have created an initiative titled Broken Chains.

Pat Patten, a CrossPointe pastor, said the intention of Broken Chains is to reach the biker community.

Another initiative of CR, Welcome Home, was originated for the military community.

CR’s most significant asset is its support, Patten said. 

The issues people face affect their families, as well; therefore, making the support of visitors being a great benefit, he said. 

“I think another strength of this program is it’s Christ-centered; it’s biblical-based, not just self-help,” he said. “I think that’s one of the things that’s really important.”

Scott Turner said participants gain restoration within their families.

Missy Turner said they begin to grow in their relationship with Christ. She said the process of CR guides everyone to God and Scripture so they may find freedom in their hurts, habits and hangups.

Anyone who attends CR meetings finds his or her “forever family,” organizers said. 

“We don’t have any perfect people here,” Scott Turner said. “We’re all broken and struggling with something or gaining victory over something in our lives and don’t portray that any of us have it all figured out.” 

Visit crosspointechurch.cc/cr for information about Celebrate Recovery’s 12 steps and eight principles or to learn more about meetings.