One of the key concepts of A.A. in the 1940’s: Get the newcomer to Step Twelve as quickly as possible, so he or she can experience the life-changing spiritual awakening that occurs as the direct result of taking the Steps. Assure the newcomer that our program of recovery will relieve his or her alcoholism/addiction. Show the newcomer that the process is simple, straightforward and that it really works.
Earl T. (pictured right), founder of A.A. in Chicago “wished that every A.A. could have the benefit of this type of sponsorship today”. In his story, “He Sold Himself Short” (p. 287 in 2nd and 3rd editions and p. 258 in 4th edition.) he explains how he was taken through the Steps.
“The day before I was due to go back to Chicago, a Wednesday and Dr. Bob’s afternoon off, he had me down to the office, and we spent three or four hours formally going through the Six-Step program as it was at that time. The six steps were:”
- Complete deflation. (Step 1)
- Dependence and guidance from a Higher Power. (Steps 2, 3, 6, 7, 11)
- Moral Inventory. (Steps 4, 10)
- Confession. (Step 5)
- Restitution. (Steps 8, 9)
- Continued work with other alcoholics. (Step 12)
“Dr. Bob led me through all of these steps. At the moral inventory (Step 4), he brought up some of my bad personality traits or character defects, such as selfishness, conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance, ill-temper, sarcasm and resentments. We went over these at great length and then he finally asked me if I wanted these defects of character removed. When I said yes (Step 6), we both knelt at this desk and prayed, each of us asking to have these defects taken away” (Step 7).
“This picture is still vivid. If i live to be a hundred, it will always stand out in my mind. It was very impressive and I wish that every A.A. could have the benefit of this type of sponsorship today. Dr. Bob always emphasized the religious angle very strongly, and I think it helped. I know it helped me, Dr. Bob then led me through the restitution step, in which I made a list of all the persons I had harmed (Step 8), and worked out ways and means of slowly making restitution (Step 9). I made several decisions at that time. One of them was that I would try to get a group started in Chicago (Step 12), the second was that I would have to return to Akron to attend meetings at least every two months until I did get a group started in Chicago, third, I decide I must place this program above everything else, even my family because if I did not maintain my sobriety I would lose my family anyway. If I did not maintain my sobriety, I would not have a job. If I did not maintain my sobriety, I would have no friends left.”
Sponsorship (A.A. Grapevine, April 1961)
“Though three hundred thousand have recovered in the last twenty-five years, maybe half a million more have walked into our midst, and then out again.”
“We can’t well content ourselves with the view that all these recovery failures were entirely the fault of the newcomers themselves. Perhaps a great many didn’t receive the kind and amount of sponsorship they so sorely needed. We didn’t communicate when we might have done so. So we AA’s failed them.” — Bill W.
Someone mentioned in a meeting I’m not one of those who did the 12 steps in 12 weeks referring towards me and essentially my sponsor who was not there and it was eating at me and can’t sleep and I knew I read this. Thanks for being here !! I will rest easy now
In appendix 2 a spiritual experience it says what usually happens in a few months can hardly be realized by years of self-discipline. The big book gives us a timeline, The first 64 pages should be gone through and highlighted with your sponsor Farely quickly, Then although our decision was a VITAL and crucial step it could have very little effect unless at once followed by a strenuous inventory this was step 4. And here is where half measures Avail us nothing begin, The success of your recovery Is totally dependent on the thoroughness of the fourth step( Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty). If our stock and trade is people places and things, People’s principles and institutions if you will, We get them all down in black & white then go back and find out where we had the problems and who with. Until that is accomplished very little else will help us recover. You judge a tree by the fruit it produces. I’ve sponsored men and women through these 12 steps for 21 years, If you can follow directions And are willing to make this the most important task in your life,I can help you Have a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps. In approximately 6 weeks.
Joe poti 386 262 3611 Eastern standard time.
Joepoti3@gmail.com
Thank you so much for this article. I’ve had sponsors that want to rewind steps that I’ve already done; the last was a former atheist that wouldn’t accept that I’m a Christian, and kept trying to put me back on Steps 2&3.
Others seem to skate around the question of how long it should take to do the 12 steps and stick with 90 meetings in 90 days. But 90 days later, a person could still be at step 1, haven’t changed, and aren’t equipped to deal with ordinary life. Some may call the a dry drunk..
This is my second time through recovery and I’m tired of sponsors that don’t know what they’re doing, besides hindering my recovery to feed their own egos.
Man, it’s hard to find a good sponsor! You can go up to someone and ask them to sponsor you, but unless you’re able to follow them around, there’s no way of knowing if they actually walk their talk.
Where in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous does it suggest 90 meetings in 90 days?
No where The founders didn’t know that this magical book would inspire its readers to start groups or meetings. Once seen what had developed Bill wrote the 12 and 12 . I think the only literature that suggest this is Living Sober but I could be wrong it’s been awhile since I read it. None the less it’s a suggestion that can’t hurt.
Nowhere!
It doesn’t say to “Stay away from people, places and things” either,lol.In fact you should be able to do that or there’s something wrong with your spiritual status
I believe you’re correct. In early sobriety it’s important to practice staying away from triggers.
Bill Wilson took step one drunk.He took step two drinking gin when his buddy visited him.He knocked out 3-5 in detox approximately 3 weeks after he took steps one and two.He had a spiritual experience after step five and resolving to make amends ,pray and meditate and help others
I’m pretty sure that #6 in the 6-item list above should be modified to read that it relates to Step 12 (not Step 10): _ | _
6. Continued work with other alcoholics. (Step 12)
Thanks Bob… fixed!
very useful page for me
i am an Alcoholic
“Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning “ p63 AA. It says this for a reason. Once you are finished with step 4 and 5. It tells us vigorous action. Not a step a month. You should get to step 10 as quickly as possible so you can look out for selfishness dishonesty resentments and fears when they crop up. If you don’t take a personal inventory daily you going to have new resentments pop up
You can and should do step 10 as you clean up the past as our basic text says.
this is very helpful have allot more learn my sobriety is march 17
Peace and Happiness everyone!
I’ve been criticized for handing out the “12 steps in 4 hours” folders to newcomers. I only did this after no-one came forward to sponsor them (especially women). I told the men to come and see me when they read it and accepted their alcoholism.
I also give them CDs of AA speakers downloaded from http://www.XA-Speakers.org. This has also been criticized by the same group.
The person who started this criticism once told me, after I asked her if she or someone she could recommend to sponsor a particular woman, that the woman was too sick and had too many problems for her to sponsor.
She told me that those people don’t come back to AA because they think they can do themselves with the information I give them.
My thinking on this: they never listened to the CDs or read the folder!
Your SPOT ON, I have relapsed, returned and am searching worldwide for a female sponsor to take me through my steps as per THE program.
Its deplorable in my area, the all to common phrase, “I dont sponsor”, pardon, so “you haven’t worked the steps”?
I am not popular as I speak of recovery from alcoholism NOT group therapy!
I don’t mind, what you think of me is none of my business, foe AA to survive, I am getting back to basics, the ABC’s!
in fellowship.
hi I am very interested in doing the steps in 4 hours please I’m getting no where with all other sponsors I have had my last sponsor still got me on step one since January so please can you help me
I had the same issue, my sponsor said “There’s no rush to do step 4, just let it sit for a couple of months”
That ended that, and I moved on to a sponsor that used the text “Back to Basics” in no time I had genuinely worked through the steps and 12 years later remain a sober recovering alcoholic.
never let someone else control you, that’s their ego trip, and does not help in your recovery.
In the AA Grapevine, December 1986 Vol. 43 No. 7, an article entitled "Doing the ‘Don’ts’": Rule Five: Long-term sobriety is a prerequisite for sponsoring.
"The junior member of the pair of twelfth-steppers became my first sponsor. She had three months of sobriety. I don’t think I would have made it without her." – J.H. San Antonio, Texas.
As the direct result of The Master’s Grace and Mercy, I haven’t been “thirsty” since 17 Feb 2000. I’ve gone through all of the 12 Steps twice, but find peace & strength practicing what some people refer to as the “Growth Steps (10-11-12). From my early days in ‘The Rooms’, I’ve heard a lot of what AA Circuit Speaker Mickey Bush calls, “Party line, lip-flapping BS” which are generally slogans/statements/rules/requirements or ‘group conscience’ conditions that cannot be found in or supported by anything in the first 164 pgs of the Big Book. The only things close to a requirement to carry the message are on pg 132 (We have recovered and have been given the “POWER” to help others.) and in the 12th Step when we have a spiritual awakening as THE result of The Steps where we try to carry the message to alcoholics and practice these Principles in all our affairs. When someone gets the gift of Recovery and has a spiritual awakening is not up to any member of AA…but some act as if he/she has the power. Ugh!
It doesn’t
That’s someone’s opinion- The steps are meant to be done rapidly after Step One -That 1st step has to be really done Conceded to our innermost self- That could take a long long time, and my experience is that if there are any reservations or any lurking notions you’re immune to alcohol you won’t have permanent sobriety, once you can say 100% I can never control or have power over my drinking then the rest of the steps shouldn’t take any time at all. That is my experience-Until you have admitted to the depths of yourself that there is no formula or method by which I can control and enjoy my drinking the rest of the steps are great and will definitely make you a better person but you’re gonna drink at some point if you haven’t done step 1 thoroughly.
Yes Jerry C., I absolutely agree with the excerpt you provided but I am also aware that same was written in 1940 when the "common solution" was common to all. Nowadays, one would be hard-pressed to find a member of the Fellowship who has ever read even the Title page of the basic text, much less the first portion thereof. As the Fellowship has become the program to the vast majority of our members, "Don’t Drink & Go To Meetings" has become the only message that mot can carry which is not even one of the Twelve Steps. The very ad fact remains that that the A.A. Fellowship has become the substitute for THE A.A. Program and the "slogans", a substitute for the Steps!
Bill Wilson might be singularly responsible for the current confusion between the Fellowship and the Program. In the Long Form of the Third Tradition, it states in part, “…Hence we may refuse none who wish to RECOVER”. However, when the Short Form was approved and published, the ONLY requirement for AA membership became a desire to stop drinking. If I had been able to solve my spiritual malady by stopping drinking, someone else cold have had my seat in every meeting I attended during the past several 24 hours. Today’s treatment facilities and their staff and a good many counselors have also added to the further dilution of AA’s Program of RECOVERY.
As written in A Guied to the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1940 and commissioned by Dr. Bob.
"It is important that the newcomer be introduced to the twelve steps at as early a date as possible. On these rules depends his full recovery. If you feel that the steps are a bit too complicated at first, you can introduce them to your "baby" in a simplified form going the complete program later."
Sponsorship? Hmmm! Yes, I believe in "sponsorship" to the extent that a "sponsor" is an individual who helps a "suffering alcoholic", (newcomer or oldtimer) through the Steps as they are laid out in the Big Book. There is a very clear description of "sponsorship" in the story, "He Sold Himself Short" in the Big Book where Dr. Bob took Earl through the Steps.
I believe that in order to "Recover", our real reliance must be on a "Higher Power", not a "human power" as stated in the ABCs from "How It Works". All too often in the Fellowship, alkies try to pass on something they haven’t got and that can kill! My "only" job is to carry the Message found in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. When someone asks me for advice on anything, I refer them to the Big Book. This way, I can’t screw up a perfect message. If my best advice got me into the messes I’ve been in, I’m certainly not going to pass "this advice" on to others.
When I look at children in my community, I can tell, for the most part, who their parents are by the resemblance they bear to one of the parents. Coincidently, in the AA Fellowship, it is much the same. When I look at individuals in our A.A. community, I can tell, for the most part, who their sponsors are by the resemblance they bear in speech, outlook, ideas and lives. It is important for sponsors to ensure that we are not creating "mini-mees" or "pigeons". We must help the sponsee to become independently dependent on his or her Higher Power! When people look at those I have sponsored, I want them to see that person’s Higher Power. I don’t want them to see that person’s sponsor. A very awesome responsibility!
Who’s Resemblance Do You Bear?
I totally agree. Guiding someone through the steps is my only responsibility. I do not wish to be anyone’s higher power. The Big Book text is a signpost, complete with directions, pointing toward God. I do not and do not imply that my sponsees stop and “worship” the signpost or me. History is chock full of the human tendency to find a replacement for God. We can turn AA into a religion (the replacement) if we aren’t careful and many do that very thing. The Big Book is clear that a spiritual awakening is required for the real alcoholic to recover. I think some confuse an awakening with the emotion often felt in a meeting. That short lived “floating” feeling that is the same as when leaving a concert of your favorite band, etc.
Clarence Snyder (Founder of A.A. Cleveland) would take newcomers through the Steps in a weekend. He called the process "fixing rummies." He’d say, "come to me on Friday evening on Step One and by the time you leave on Sunday morning you’ll have taken all Twelve Steps. Then, in order to stay ‘fixed’, you’ll need to practice Steps Ten, Eleven, and Twelve on a daily basis." (Back To Basics, The Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners’ Meetings. Wally P. page 152)
hey Cameron do you sponsor??
Yes, I sponsor… usually two people per day taking about 10 days taking the newcomer through the steps using the 12 Steps in 4 Hours workbook.
if you read the book in step 12 it says a few short months if you take him through too quickly and he relapses he’s going to blame you I’m paraphrasing but I’m sure I read that right
Whenever I work with a newcomer, I always spend 4 to 5 hours outlining our program of action and laying out the kit of spiritual tools for their inspection. In doing so, we actually take all 12 Steps together. I have witnessed on many occasions the newcomer finding that spark of hope and spirit that dwells deep within them. My experience has shown me that this approach gives the newcomer a "lick-of-the-ice-cream-cone" and they always want more. If that be the case, the newcomer and I are usually inseparable for the next 60 to 90 days working the first 7 chapters of the Big Book together–studying the text, doing steps and having vital spiritual experiences together. I want to be there with them when they find God. When they get the "visit"–I always get the "visit" too.
can you sponsor me
Give me a ring at 416-533-6024
In my opinion every newcomer should be taken through the steps as quickly as possible. By doing this their life will evolve swiftly giving them rewards quickly making relapse less attractive.
Jerry C
Wow. Congratulations on the new article of October 6, 2009 and its emphasis on sponsorship. What I see are several important things. And I would like briefly to mention each.
First of all, of course, is the vital importance of sponsorship and mastery of the Big Book and Twelve Steps. I believe if one is not conversant with these basic tools, he just isn’t in the game and may languish for years as a meeting sitter only. Sponsorship is the heart. Recall that after a five hour session with Bill Wilson at the Seiberling Gate Lodge, Dr. Bob said he had heard it all before. But what gripped him was how Bill had mastered the concept of "service" while Dr. Bob had not. In fact, the lesson of how the first three got sober for good is a lesson in the simple principles Bill and Bob put together: (1) Trust in God. (2) Clean house. (3) Help others. These are completely consistent with the important abc’s in the Big Book especially since the abc’s follow the description of the "steps they took."
Second, you have included the important approach that Clarence took and which is still incorporated in the "Our Faith Legacy" that is available from the "Came to Believe" groups (came-to-believe.org)that still pursue his method. Recall that it was the Cleveland Group which built on the Big Book and the 12 Steps but took with it from Akron the Four Absolutes and the Bible. The result? A documented 93% success rate; and Cleveland groups grew from one to thirty in a year.
Third, I’m always somewhat dismayed when any presentation does not cover the distinctly different programs that led up to the Big Book. These roots are covered in the new, "The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide," 2d ed. The presentation shows the very clear 7 point program of November, 1937 that led to the "counting of noses" by Bill and Bob, the conclusion that of the 40 original pioneers, 50% had maintained continuous sobriety, 25% had had a relapse but returned to sobriety , and 25% "showed improvement." This was astonishing primarily because the 40 pioneers were the "worst of the worst." They were, as Bill called them, the "last gasp real alcoholics who had been deemed "seemingly hopeless," "medically incurable," and yet had gone to any lengths to establish a relationship with God (Big Book, p. 29). Frank Amos reported the details of the 7 points, and they are published in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, page 131. Without this astonishing record by the members of the Akron Christian Fellowship (whose names and addresses and sobriety records we had, but now are confirmed by a list in Dr. Bob’s own handwriting that has just been made available by an A.A. friend. Next came the so-called "word of mouth" steps–as Bill chose to describe them. These certainly weren’t the steps of the program, because there were no steps–as Dr. Bob pointed out. They were diverse,differently worded according to the whim of the user, and were not producing success. Then Bill obtained authority to fashion a book that would carry the message. He did not use the 7 point Akron program. Nor did he use the six "word of mouth" ideas. Instead, he worked with Sam Shoemaker, reviewed the Oxford Group life-changing ideas, and proposed Steps which he asked Sam to write but that Sam turned back to Bill. The chapters were written chapter by chapter, sent to Akron for review (with warmest approval), and then set up in a manuscript which was circulated to all kinds of folks. When the suggestions were in, they were melded into what has now come to be called the "Holy Grail," which was purchased at auction by Ken R. This document shows the major changes that were made in Wilson’s drafts. God was removed from the Second Step. "As we understood Him" was added to Steps Three and Eleven; and many more changes appear in various handwriting changes throughout the book. Then came the battle in which the committee of four our put the manuscript together, let it be edited by Tom Uzzell, and discarded between 400 and 800 pages–mostly Christian and biblical material which Fitz was contending should be retained. The final manuscript has apparently been lost. But the book was published in the Spring of 1939. And it was Clarence who almost immediately seized on the Big Book, used the Four Absolutes, and continued to stress the Bible.
That is really the end of the story as far as the three types of "original" programs are concerned. To be sure, many had a crack at the ideas during Bill’s severe depression years thereafter–Clarence, Sister Ignatia, Richmond Walker, Father Ralph Pfau, Ed Webster, the AA of Akron pamphlets which Dr. Bob commissioned, and then the so-called "beginner’s meetings" ideas of the 1940’s. And how can this all fit together? I believe we first have to learn, know, and practice what the Big Book and 12 Steps of the 4th edition prescribe today. To do otherwise, is to attempt a new movement which is neither Christian nor secular nor universal. It is just self-made religion and personal opinion. On the other hand, Christians in recovery today need to know that A.A. has changed. To know it is not a Christian Fellowship as it once was. To know that A.A. today has proclaimed you may believe what you like or believe in nothing at all. To know that this doctrine is neither Christian Fellowship A.A., Six word-of-mouth A.A., First Edition A.A., Cleveland A.A. or much but a palliative for those who would rather meet and chat than study and recover. At any rate, that’s just one guy’s view–someone who has made 23 years of uninterrupted sobriety in A.A., loves A.A., and has found belief in God, changing old behavior, and helping others to be a touchstone that fits well with the abc’s of the Big Book and has served well for lots of us. God Bless, Dick B.