Jump to content
  • Welcome Guest

    For an ad free experience on Online Baptist, Please login or register for free

Reformers Unanimous


Recommended Posts

  • Members

Anybody know much about them? Effectiveness? Costs?

Here's a site that might help:

 

Reformers Unanimous

 

Our former pastor's son went to that 6 month "Residential Discipleship" program.  I'm not sure of the cost, but it was less than a 12 step rehab, but it was still very costly.  I think that site will tell you.

My problem with the entire RU program is their use of the word "Recovery"....which, to me, implies that there is no "deliverance" .  That is very similar to the 12 step programs (I was in one of those --Al-Anon) and "recovery" is a BIG thing with them.

 

Check out the site and get the information.

Edited by LindaR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Our former pastor's son, at his graduation ceremony, stated that he had been a drunkard for the four years preceding his going into the program, but that he was a saved drunkard all along.  He stated in his testimony that if he had died a drunkard, he would have gone to heaven anyway because he had placed his faith in Christ years ago.

I had a serious problem with that testimony.  The Word of God states that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God.

He graduated from the class but still had the understanding that had he died a drunk he would not have missed heaven?  Someone should have corrected him.  Yet, amazingly, no one did.  Not at the school, nor did the Church when he came back and gave the same testimony that he did at the RU school.

Have they truly helped him?  Seriously, I doubt it.  If he still had the mentality that a drunkard could enter eternal life, what's to stop him from picking up the bottle once again? 

 

Just something to think about.

By the way, as soon as he returned to the Church from the RU program, his father put him in the position of teaching a Sunday School class. 

Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I spoke up against it on this forum, and was verbally "beaten" nearly to death when it first came out.  AWANA was big too, but they have fallen by the wayside.  All this "recovery" stuff is no different than the change that comes from accepting Christ and learning the Word of God.

 

Mel Trotter was a drunk to the utmost, (sold his dead babies shoes for another drink!) and he stumbled (drunk) into the Pacific Gardens Mission in Chicago, and was gloriously saved--even without a man made "recovery" program.  He went on to found missions in Grand Rapids Mi, and several all over the country, and became a dynamic evangelist.  Somehow all this happened without RU (if you can believe it!)

Edited by irishman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

AWANA is whatever a local church makes it. They have material available in KJB which helps children to memorize and the KJB, read and learn from the KJB. If a local church uses the KJB material from AWANA, it's still a good program.

 

They do also have material for an MV, but one doesn't have to choose that material.

 

I've no personal experience with RU, but I know the Sword has had ads for it in their paper and I've heard some IFBs say good things about the program. From what I understand, the program is Bible-based and in part serves as a support group of brothers/sisters in Christ who have been delivered from their addictions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

RU has been used as a tool to help people, and we have had it in our church - with good result, but also with no results. However, since the death of the founder things have not been the same.  

 

There is a man who is a member of our church who was on the mission field but had to come off for health reasons (nothing contagious, but doctors can't figure out what it is...) who was burdened and has started a ministry called Help 4U. If you are interested, I can pm you a phone number where you can contact him for information.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Look into H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Put off Entanglements) http://www.hope4addictions.com/

 

Bro. Carter (who developed the program) is so local church oriented that he doesn't object to you using a different name than HOPE, doesn't object to you printing off the materials yourself, etc.

 

If you get a chance, try to catch the next conference they have in Puyallup, Wa  (closest one to you), probably next May

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

The expensive part of RU that you quoted, SFIC, is their School of Discipleship. It's essentially a place that people who are really struggling with addictions can go to get away from the surroundings (i.e. people) that may be encouraging them to return to their addictions and go to the School where they will be surrounded with Bible teaching (through a local church's services and Bible Institute) and discipleship.

 

RU everyday doesn't cost anything. It is NOT a 12-step program; it is essentially a discipleship program that both addicts and non-addicts can gain benefit from (although it is of course aimed for addicts). Those that begin attending while unsaved will either get saved or get out/nothing from it. Attendees are pointed to Christ.

 

Irish, you mentioned that "All this "recovery" stuff is no different than the change that comes from accepting Christ and learning the Word of God." That's exactly right. And that's what RU is providing - a structure to help local churches with presenting this to those who need it most.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I have a son who works at the RU national headquarters in Rockford, Illinois. He and his wife are members of North Love Baptist Church. After seeing first hand what RU has to offer I reject it whole-heartedly. My reasons:

 

#1 - Man-centered teaching. Steve Currington wrote the majority of RU material and it is man-centered not Bible centered (centered around Steve Currington).

 

#2 - Copying the world when it comes to promotions and fund raising (anyone ever heard that at one time they were selling 1 sq inch of Lincoln's Family Farm for $100).

 

#3 - Fraudulent Activities. Each year they would lay their employees off for about 6 weeks, have them collect unemployment, and then tell them that they still needed to do their jobs. This was done to save RU money.

 

#4 - I despise the use of the word "Reformers" because the Bible calls us overcomers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

All very good words here. I looked at them-the basic starter kit I would have to purchase is over $900.00. I think I won't be doing this.

 

I suppose I will just look into maybe doing a common-sense, Bible-based program, so to speak. Its a shame everyone thinks they need some sort of long-term, semi-secular program. I think many of the prpograms, even AA, have some good aspects to them-the best being, I think, having someone to be responsible to, and that you can call anytime day or night when temptation comes-a calling.

 

And for those who really think a Christian can't fall to alcohol or some other sin, remember, we are all subject to falling to temptation, and the more we think we can't., the better the chances we will. I have had my problems as a Christian with alcohol and some other issues I won't speak of here. Yes, the Lord has delivered me, but I am still human and a sinner in my fleshly nature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

All very good words here. I looked at them-the basic starter kit I would have to purchase is over $900.00. I think I won't be doing this.

 

I suppose I will just look into maybe doing a common-sense, Bible-based program, so to speak. Its a shame everyone thinks they need some sort of long-term, semi-secular program. I think many of the prpograms, even AA, have some good aspects to them-the best being, I think, having someone to be responsible to, and that you can call anytime day or night when temptation comes-a calling.

 

And for those who really think a Christian can't fall to alcohol or some other sin, remember, we are all subject to falling to temptation, and the more we think we can't., the better the chances we will. I have had my problems as a Christian with alcohol and some other issues I won't speak of here. Yes, the Lord has delivered me, but I am still human and a sinner in my fleshly nature.

The ministry that our friend has started is definitely common-sense and Bible-based.  And not in any way secular.    Your last paragraph is absolutely true.  "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
And for those who really think a Christian can't fall to alcohol or some other sin, remember, we are all subject to falling to temptation, and the more we think we can't., the better the chances we will. I have had my problems as a Christian with alcohol and some other issues I won't speak of here. Yes, the Lord has delivered me, but I am still human and a sinner in my fleshly nature.

I agree...a Christian can fall to alcohol and many do. However, drinking alcohol should NOT be the "lifestyle" of a born again Christian.  A person who professes Christ and continues to "act like the devil" and live in habitual sin, IMHO, is not a born again Christian.  Where is the conviction of the Holy Spirit and why does this "professing" Christian not feel the chastisement of the Lord? (Hebrews 12:6-8).

The problem with our former pastor's son is that he "professed" Christ to the church, but continually got in trouble with the law for drunk driving and was jailed several times...all during the period he said he was born again.  His daddy kept on "bailing him out" of trouble...until the decision (not sure if it was the pastor's son's decision or the pastor's decision) was made to send him to Chicago to that RU Residential Discipleship program for 6 months and get some help.

 

Even after he came back to the church and was immediately given a position as a SS teacher for the teens, I was still kind of wary about his behavior.

 

BTW, I was married (for almost 20 years) to a man who "professed" Christ and literally drank himself to death in October, 2000.  He lived in continual sin, yet "professed" to be born again in front of our friends and church members. 

Edited by LindaR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...