SArmy resource centre | The Salvation Army Southern Territory
Transformation Series: Live Free[1]
A steps (or Life Style) group toward Freedom
The Live Free steps (Life Style) group for Christians toward freedom is a gateway program designed by The Salvation Army Mission and Resource Team specifically for people wanting to improve their lifestyle.
The program has been written with the intention that it will be run by the local Salvation Army Corps in addition to its current mission programs, with the objective of promoting and addressing fundamental Biblical principles and linking participants and their families to existing Church programs and community.
The aims of Live Free are:
• To focus primarily on participants and educating them in Christian life choices
• To lead people into a personal relationship with Jesus
• To provide an environment where practical and life equipping skills can be effectively communicated
• To facilitate value forming of individuals
• To foster the belief that everyone is essentially created with purpose and is therefore uniquely precious and of intrinsic worth.
The objective of Live Free is to equip and empower people to:
• Dream with a sense of hope for the future
• Discover the power to make good decisions
• Make changes that impact any situation they invest themselves into
• Have confidence that they can move towards a better self through Christ
• Realise that they have value, worth and strength: that they belong, are accepted and have a purpose
• Discover the life principles and choices in Christ that determine their destiny
• Be the best that they can be through a new life in Christ.
The format of Live Free should be developed by the following criteria:
• An informal environment that helps people encounter and explore their own values
• A hands-on, participatory approach
• Discussion sessions
• Short teaching sessions
• Testimonies
• Element of surprise
• Worship
• Small Group
• Major group outings eg picnic or dinner
Thank you for partnering with us in this venture.
Signed:
The Salvation Army Mission and Resource Team Recovery
Sydney, Australia
Information
God Grant me the serenity;
To accept the Things I cannot Change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking as Jesus did this sinful world as it is;
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will may all things right;
If I surrender to His, will;
That I may be reasonably happy with this life;
But supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen
Reinhold Niebuhr
This package is designed using the Bible as the basis for the 12 steps with the recognition that God, as made know in Jesus Christ is our only real true source of a Higher Power.
It is designed to be interactive and personal so that participants, regardless of their journey are able to intersect with Jesus.
If you recognise that people in your community or you yourself need to live free and make positive change in their, or you in your life then this is the place you can begin to develop an ongoing relationship with God, through the person of Jesus Christ, others and yourself.
It is developed to help people to begin an ongoing personal wholeness, spiritual understanding and peace with God.
The purpose of developing Live Free is to encourage Corps to celebrate God’s healing power in the lives of their community. We change by sharing our lives with others in safe and nurturing places. We grow in strength as we fellowship and our hopes are given new vision when we grow together with one another in a safe and living free community of God’s people.
Live Free is an all encompassing concept that allows people to begin to live toward freedom and rid themselves of any weight that would hold them back from being all that they could be.
The 12 steps for recovery that Live Free follows is a pathway that millions of people have personally taken to discover or renew their own spiritual commitment. By the use of Live Free a biblically based steps group for Christians toward Freedom, will give to people an opportunity to apply the principles of the 12 steps, and the wisdom of the life changing Word of God, in order to heighten their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Life Free will enable Corps to help people find release from self defeating behaviours that limit them from enjoying loving and caring relationships with others.
Live Free is rigorous but it will reward people with either a new relationship with Jesus Christ or it will help people to grow in their relationship with Him.
Accompanying this package is a training power point that should be used to provide the principles for all training.
Steps for Biblical Freedom
Surrender: Making Peace with God
1. I admit that I am powerless over the effects of my destructive behaviour, that my life has become unmanageable.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18 NSAB
2. I come to believe that God can restore me to sanity.
My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message
3. I made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? Luke 9:23-24 The Message
Confess: Making Peace with myself.
4. I make a searching and honest inventory of myself.
Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalms 139: 23-24 NLT
5. I admit to God, to myself, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrong.
Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. James 5:16 The Message
6. I am entirely ready to have God remove my sin and the defect of my character.
But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:22-23 The Message
7. I humbly ask God to remove my shortcomings.
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Philippians 1:6 The Message
Reconcile: Making Peace with others
8. I make a list of all persons I have harmed, and am willing to make amends to them all.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:30-32 NLT
9. I make direct amends to such persons wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit. Romans 14:12-13 The Message
Grow: Experiencing the peace of God.
10. I continue to take personal inventory and when I am wrong promptly admit it.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NLT
11. I seek through prayer and mediation to improve my relationship with God through Jesus Christ, praying for knowledge of His will for me and a power to carry that out.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8-9
12. Now that I have a spiritual awakening through these steps, I commit to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all my affairs.
Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect. 1 Peter 3:15 NLV
4 Steps for Biblical Freedom
(Alternative)
Surrender: Making Peace with God
1. I admit that I am powerless over the effects of my sinful nature, that my life without the Power of Christ is unmanageable.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18 NSAB
2. I come to believe that God can restore me to a sanctified life.
My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message
3. I made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God through His Son Jesus Christ.
Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? Luke 9:23-24 The Message
Confess: Making Peace with myself.
4. I make a searching and Godly moral inventory of myself.
Search me, O God, and know my heart test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalms 139: 23-24 NLT
5. I admit to God, to myself and to another human being the exact nature of my wrong.
Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. James 5:16 The Message
6. I am entirely ready to have God remove any trace of sin and any defect within my character.
But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:22-23 The Message
7. I humbly ask God to remove my sinful nature.
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Philippians 1:6 The Message
Reconcile: Making Peace with others
8. I make a list of all persons I have harmed, and am willing to make amends to them
All.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:30-32 NLT
9. I make direct amends to such persons wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit. Romans 14:12-13 The Message
Grow: Experiencing the peace of God.
10. I continue to take personal inventory and when I am wrong promptly admit it.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NLT
11. I seek through prayer and mediation to improve my relationship with God through Jesus Christ, praying for knowledge of His will for me and a power to carry that out.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8-9
12. Now that I have a spiritual awakening through these steps, I commit to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all my dealings.
Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect. 1 Peter 3:15 NLV
6 Start-up Strategy
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Never stop praying.” TLV. It is important that if you are to work in the very important area of ministry, you need to make prayer your main concern.
Days 1-30
1. Pray; Start to develop a prayer team for this ministry
2. Put the Live Free program into the Pastoral Care Council agenda or on your ministry team agenda to be discussed and developed.
3. Order a copy of the Live Free material from (The Mission and Resource Team THQ)
4. Use the enlistment form to enlist members and leaders
5. Put up the poster that it is coming, watch this space
Days 31-60
1. Start to prepare to enlist a team or those people who show an interest in the ministry (remember to continue to grow your prayer team).
2. In conjunction with your Pastoral Care Council or Leadership team determine your meeting time and location.
3. Provide the material to your team so they become familiar with the resource.
4. Start the planning for your small groups. Identify the leaders/ and co leaders. Where possible identify your leaders and also those people who could be trained to become leaders. It is important that this group develops so that more small groups can be added us the need arises.
5. Put up the new poster that it is only so many weeks away (do not forget to change it every week) as well as change the PowerPoint.
6. Start to develop a list of AA, NA, Mental Health Teams and other services you can refer to and also receive referrals from.
7. Meet with Local Council, Local Courts, other Family services and Police as to your intention and start up times. See if they will let you put up a poster.
8. Contact Local Doctors and Medical Health Centres, put a notice up on their notice board. Change it if you intend to use a count down strategy in these centres.
9. Let other Churches know what you are intending to commence.
10. Contact local Media.
Days 61-90
1. Meet regularly to develop your team.
2. Continue to use the countdown to Live Free. Maybe now is the time to get to counting by days.
3. Advertise the different groups you want to commence. Encourage enlistment to these groups.
4. Show the leaderships support for the program. If possible have your leadership teams (Pastoral Care Council ) give their testimony about their excitement regarding Live Free.
5. Call a prayer meeting the week prior to your first rehearsal meeting.
6. Have a rehearsal the week prior to commencing Live Free.
7. Never stop Praying.
Preaching Plan
You will find a study in Romans if you like a study plan along with other sermons
|Week |Theme |Scripture |
|1 |Who am I and where am I Going |Romans: 3:10-19 |
| |Who is the Biggest Sinner |Romans: 3:10-19 |
| |Something wrong with Your ears |James 1:22-25 |
|Step 1 |Your wall o f denial: The perfect Will of God |Romans:12: |
|2 |Holiness Alternative Who is Shaping Your Life? | |
| |A Time to Choose: The Conversion of Paul |Romans 12:1-2 1 |
| | |Thessalonians 5:23 |
| | |Acts 9:1-9 |
|3 | | |
| |Access; Surrender to God |Romans 5: 1 |
|4 |Powerlessness: Free at Last |Romans 7:18 |
| |The Search for Excellence |Mark 10:13-16 |
|5 |Powerlessness The Struggle Within |Romans 7:15-20 |
| |Journey into Weakness | |
| | |2 Corinthians 12:1-10 |
|6 |There are many ways to Die |Romans 8:1-17 |
| |Who is the Holy Spirit (Alternative) |John 15:26-16:15 Romans 8 1-17 |
| |Dangerous Self Deception: What is Your Path | |
| | |Judges 16 |
|Step 2 |Coming To Believe: Without Excuse |Romans 1:18-23 |
|7 |Power To Change: Strength out of our weakness | |
| | |2 Corinthians 12:1-7 |
|8 |Dependant on Faith |Romans 4:1-6, 13-17 |
| |God’s Solution to Your Struggle |James 4: 4-10 |
|Step 3 |Transformation Power: The Tug of War on the Inside|Romans 7: 14-25 |
|9 |God Is In Control: The Cross that Matters | |
| | |Luke 9:23-24 |
|10 |Surrender to His Will: A time for true Confession |Romans 10: :9-11 |
| |I Am the Gate | |
| | |John 10:1-10 |
|11 |Confess: Confidence Draw Near |Hebrews 10:19-22 |
|Step 4 |Confession: Where Does it All Begin |Romans 12:1-5 |
|12 |Guilty Conscience | |
| | |Psalms 139:23-24 |
|13 |Submitting to God’s Way |Romans 10: 1-8 |
| |Get Over It |Ephesians 4:17-32 |
|Step 5 |No Condemnation, No Frustration, No Separation |Romans 8: 31-39 |
|14 |A Spiritual Houseclean | |
| | |Psalm 51:1-2 |
|15 |No Excuses, No Exemptions |Romans 2:12-16 |
| |The Problem with self Righteousness | |
| |Forgiveness | |
| | |1John 1: 8-9 |
|Step 6 |To lead the World we must Follow Christ |Romans 6:5-11 |
|16 |Seeking God in Troublesome Times | |
| | |Psalms 51: |
|17 |Who is Your Master |Romans 6:12-23 |
| |Your New Image |2 Chronicles 7:1-17 |
|Step 7 |Understand God’s Plan |Romans 11:33-36 |
|18 |Why Worry be Happy |Philippians 1: 1-6 |
|19 |Have I Lived A Good Enough Life? |Romans 3:23-28 |
| |With Confidence Joyful Obedience | |
| | |1 John 5:14-15 |
|20 |An Atoning Love for the Lost |Romans 9:1-5 |
| |In Newness Of Life |2 Corinthians 5:17 |
|21 |Reconcile Making Peace with God |Colossians 3:13 |
|Step 8 |Reconcile: But Now |Romans 3:21-22 |
|22 |Beware Of Bitterness |Ephesians 4:30-32 |
|23 |Abraham’s Justification By Faith |Romans 4:20-24 |
| |Extreme Makeover |Colossians 3: 1-15 |
|Step 9 |Liberty and Love |Romans 14:1-11 |
|24 |A Real Valentine |Matthew 5: 21-32 |
|25 |Claiming Our Rights |Romans 14:12-23 |
| |Why Did Jesus Come to Earth? |Luke 19:1-10 |
|26 |Grow Experiencing the Peace of God: How to Be Free|Philippians 4:7 |
|Step10 |Where the Law fails Faith Prevails |Romans 4: 13-17 |
|27 |A Sip or a Tsunami |Colossians 2:6-7 |
|28 |Keep on keeping on |Romans 5: 1-11 |
| |Keep on Keeping on |Philippians 3:12-14 |
|Step11 |Reigning Grace |Romans5:15-21 |
|29 |Grow your relationship with Jesus Freedom Isn’t |1 Peter 2:1-2 |
| |Free It Costs | |
|30 |Beautiful Feet Spreading The News |Romans10:14-15 |
| |God’s word is Living, Active and Sharp |Or Romans15: 14-22 |
| | |Hebrews 4:12 |
|31 |Sustaining Power of Prayer |Romans 8: 26-28 |
| |All Things Work Together for Good | |
| |Renewing The Sprit’s Passion for Christ | |
| | |1 Corinthians 2:9-14 |
|Step12 |Never Be Conceited |Romans 12: 8-21 |
|32 |The Unexpected Party |2 Corinthians5:11 - 20 |
|33 |Be not ashamed The Future |Romans 8: 18-30 |
| |with Jesus |Colossians 4:5-6 |
| |How are We Who Believe to relate to Unbelievers | |
|34 |Not A List of Rules But A person |Romans 7: 1-6 |
| |Discovering a meaningful Life in Christ |Hebrews 10:23-25 Acts 2: 41-47 |
| |Step Sermons | |
|Step 1 |We Are Powerless |Romans 7: 15-20 |
|Step 2 and 3 |Yielding To The Greater Power |Hebrews 11: 1-6 |
|Step 4 and 5 |Taking Inventory |Psalms 4: 1-8 |
|Step 6and 7 |Quality Control |Ezekiel 36: 25-27 |
|Step 8 and 9 |Making Amends |Ezekiel 33 11-16 |
|Step 10 and 11|Improving Contact | |
|Step 12 |They Need and Want to Know |2 Corinthians 5: 14-21 |
| |Recovery Messages | |
| |The Storms of Life |Matthew 14: 22-36 |
| |The Giants Of Life |1 Sam 17: 42-54 |
| |From the Pit to the Pinnacle: The Story of |Genesis 39:17-41:1 |
| |Joseph; Life is Attitude | |
| |Sermon Series The Ultimate Ride | |
|Week 1 |The Ultimate Ride: Leaving A Legacy |Text: Duet 6:4-20 |
|Week 2 |The Ultimate Ride: Transforming Your Family the |Text: Titus 3:5 |
| |Wrong Way | |
|Week 3 |Ultimate Ride: It Doesn’t Take Much To Be Happy! |Phil. 4:8 |
|Week 4 |The Ultimate Ride: Transforming Your Life & |3 John |
| |Family | |
| |“What is ‘Quality Time’ with Your Family” | |
|Week 5 |The Ultimate Ride: Transforming Your Life & |Text 2 Timothy 3:13 |
| |Family | |
| |“Dangers that Will Destroy Your Family” | |
|Week 6 |The Ultimate Ride: Balancing The Things Of Life |Ephesians 5:1-15 |
| |Messages on the Sermon on the Mount | |
|Week I |LIFE: The Ultimate Game |Matthew 5: 1-13 |
|Week2 |Dealing With Difficult Players |Matthew 5:1-2 |
|Week 3 |LIFE: The Ultimate Game |Matthew 5:27-32 |
|Week 4 |LIFE: The Ultimate Game |Matthew 5: 33-37 |
|Week 5 |LIFE-The Ultimate Game: Defeating Worry |Matthew 6:19-34 |
|Week 6 |LIFE: The Ultimate Game - You’re Not The Judge! |Matthew 7: 1-6 |
|Week 7 |LIFE-The Ultimate Game |Matthew 7:7-29 |
| |Winning The Game | |
Keys to Live Free
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (The Message)
The Rescue
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
Keys to run the Live Free Project
The four essential elements of Live Free are: planning, teaching, sharing, and fellowship time.
Planning time: it is important that adequate time is put aside to prepare for the teaching. The meeting outlines include the meeting lead format, the message and journaling page numbers. Some weeks will require more preparation than others so it is best to read the outline in advance to appropriately organise the meeting. If possible, group facilitators should be included in the planning and preparation.
Teaching time: This is the face-to-face time that you have with the group. Remember that the people who have come to Live Free want to develop their relationship with Jesus Christ , so it is important to keep this in mind when considering how you will teach the material. Try to teach clearly, positively and conscientiously. The material lends itself to be taught without too much fuss - it is simple and interactive. To stimulate discussion, it may be beneficial to use open ended questions. If a participant asks a question that you do not know the answer to, tell them you will find out and give them your answer the next time you meet together. Hint: this is your time -prepare well and use this time to engage the group.
Sharing time: This is the time for group facilitators and participants to share different ideas and to investigate others: feelings, thoughts and suggestions. It gives participants an opportunity to share their experiences, strengths, hopes, and struggles.
Fellowship time: This is a great time for the facilitator, greeters and group facilitators to connect with the participants and share with them about who we are and the opportunities the corps/Jesus can bring to them and their families. It is an opportunity to be a witness.
Leadership Training
When the country is in chaos, everybody has a plan to fix it—but it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out. Proverbs 28:2 (The Message)
The development of Live Free will rise and fall dependent on the leadership.
It will require that you and your team continue to learn regarding this ministry. It is the intention of the Mission and Resource Team to continue to network the Live Free groups, so that learning and development can take place.
Include your Pastoral Care Council or ministry team into the training program.
Do not forget to schedule regular training meetings at a minimum you will need to schedule four training events a year. It will be important that you train your people to lead well. Use this time for sound Biblical instruction. A number of leadership training programs are available however, if you need guidance, The THQ Mission and Resource Team will help you identify the best available resource for you to use.
There is also assistance in the Mission and Resource team to help you and the Corps workshop your Corps to develop the vision for this ministry.
Natural Church Development could also be useful for you to consider in the development of your ministry. It is designed to help you to ascertain where you should best focus your attention on your resources. It will give you a current health snapshot of your Corps. It will assist in helping to see what is perceived about leadership. It will also allow you to distinguish if people’s skills match their spiritual gifting. The Territorial Mission Team is able to assist in this.
It may well be helpful to you to contact the Recovery Services Centre in your local area and also make contact with the Recovery Services Headquarters.
The Divisional Mission Team will also be able to help identify the resources and teams that may be able to assist you in the development of Live Free
It will be important that you allow enough time with in your teaming meetings for you to allow for small groups. It could be helpful to break your leaders into groups of 3 to workshop a leadership strategy.
The major element of the leadership training that needs to be in place is consistency. You need to plan your leadership training and keep it regular.
Remember that the leadership training measures will require the components of Planning, Teaching, Sharing and Fellowship. Do not assume that it is only leadership training. We need to prepare the same way for training as we do for other ministry.
Allow time within this training time for your people to give testimony about the victories and concerns. Do not forget to pray after each person has shared. Celebrate your leadership team.
A major part of this group is the journaling exercises. There is intensive instruction in the Small Group development section.
A training package for journaling is available from the Mission and Resource Team.
Ministry Support
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29 (NIV)
This is a ministry that will need the support of the senior leadership team of the Corps. Although it is a small group, and should be seen as a small group of the Corps, you need to give it support for the reason that it will help to make it a safe place for new Christians to be.
This ministry needs to be safe so that hurting people can find a safe place to heal from their hurts.
The ministry will require that it is an integral part of the life of the Corps and not a place just for THOSE people. Testimony of changed lives and the changed life of the Corps maybe a very powerful and integral part of your Corps’ life.
Live Free is a ministry that is based on God’s word. It is a ministry that is forward looking. Live Free is designed to help people move from hopelessness to hope from powerlessness to power, from unloved to loved.
Live Free calls people to make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. It is designed to be a small group based ministry however as part of its structure a large group concept is part of the whole picture. The ministry is not intended to stand on its own it is designed to build the local Corps. And it will be important for Corps to have clear strategies to link people across to the other Corps’ Ministries and the wider Corps.
The Live Free ministry will be for your Corps a leadership factory for your Corps.
Officers and leadership teams of the Corps are in place for the hurting people. You cannot lead a Corps when you ignore people’s hurts.
As part of your major approach, you will need to have in place recruitment. Expect people to be saved from this ministry and as such you will need to put into place ideas to disciple people. The Mission and Resource Team and THQ will be useful to you as you plan this aspect of Live Free.
Fellowship Events
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:13-14 NCV
Design Live Free to help people develop healthy relationships with God, with others and with Themselves. Relationships that will help people to be accountable and supportive will enhance the ministry of the Corps.
It will be important that Live Free is not just another “add on” for Those People but it is in fact a vital part of the ministry outcomes of the Corps. The need to incorporate people into the healthy life of the Corps will be vital for them, vital for the Corps and vital for God’s Kingdom.
As part of the Fellowship component of Live Free it will be essential that you develop a very focused team to mentor and disciple people. Do not take this too lightly, people need to be cared for it will not just happen. Be aware of gender issues and safe practice. People are venerable and we must care for them. Do not allow people to mentor just because they are available. It will be necessary to interview all mentors and have them accountable to the leadership team. They are vital for people to Live Free.
Fellowship days and events will help new people to belong. Picnic days, BBQ’s and other Corps social events will be vital for the Corps to grow together.
Although we don’t assign sponsors it is important that a person finds and establishes that important personal relationship themselves. However, we will need to provide training.
On your Live Free meeting nights encourage people to belong, arrange either a BBQ or refreshments for people to connect and develop new relationships in a healthy place.
Remember Dysfunctional Families Don’t Talk, Don’t Feel and Don’t Trust. However safe families do. The Corps is a family as well. It could be dysfunctional where people are not able to talk, trust or feel, or it could be a place where people are able to share, where people are able to feel, and where people are able to trust.
Your Corps needs to be a Safe Place.
Small Group Development
It should be remembered that small groups are built on individual needs.
All groups must be a safe place to be, so, with this in mind it is important that we do not have groups that are co-ed.
Where possible we should always have a leader and a co leader for each group. This will help to develop a process for further group development. However when you do start a new group you need to identify new co leaders.
Your small group’s leadership is very important. It will be necessary to select your leaders carefully. It will be critical that you take a number of things into account before you select your leaders;
• Leaders must be people with visible spiritual maturity.
• Leaders must be people who can be taught before they can teach others.
• Leaders must be familiar with Live Free
New people will be critical to the development of Live Free you will need to put into place clear directions on how you will welcome them. Remember, although we may say that the new person is the most important person in the room, so often it is the regular person that in fact really is, because everything we do is geared around your regulars. This then will require a paradigm shift in the thinking of the way we do things. It will be important that your greeters are people who know how to welcome people and also connect them to people who will support them. It will not help if they are welcomed at the door and then left to make their own way. As soon as they are in the building, they will then be wanting to get out side to feel comfortable. It may be comfortable for us in the building, but for new people it is very uncomfortable. So make sure new people are connected to someone who can support them and who are going to look for them next week. Send them a letter during the next week. Have this person sit with the new person in the small group.
Group Guidelines:
1. Keep your sharing focused on your own thoughts, feelings and actions.
Please limit your sharing to three to five minutes.
2. There is NO cross talk please.
Cross talk is when two people engage in a dialogue during the meeting.
Each person sharing is free to express feelings without interruptions.
3. We are here to support one another.
We will not attempt to “fix” one another.
4. Anonymity and confidentiality are basic requirements.
What is shared in the group stays in the group. The only exception is when someone threatens to injure themselves or others.
5. Offensive language has no place in a Christ- centred Live Free group.
Small Group Development
(If the step group is run on another night this format is suggested)
1. Commence with Supper : 15 Minutes
2. Welcome: Open in Prayer : 5 Minutes
3. Discussion of the Message : 15 Minutes
4. Journaling : 40 Minutes
5. Close : 5 Minutes
6. Conclude with Supper
(If group is run after the meeting this format is suggested)
1. Welcome: Open in prayer : 5 Minutes
2. Discussion of the message :10 Minutes
3. Journaling : 30 Minutes
4. Close : 5 Minutes
1.
14 Newcomers 101
Due to the nature of interactive journaling and the need to have people start at the beginning, it is necessary that we have people join a Newcomers 101. The module for this is designed around helping people to understand journaling.
We have a range of journals to use however, the best journal for this is the Quiet Time Journal which help people to develop a quiet time. This is an open-ended Jjournal which could be used with one to eighteen topics.
[pic]
However the first week there is a Power Point option which helps to explain journaling. The Power Point presentation is in the Appendix and has the transcript included.
The goal of the Newcomers 101 is to explain how Live Free works. You will also need to include the fellowship events, the Large Group Format, the Open Share Group Format and the Small Group Guidelines,
When someone attends for the first time, they come with a lot of
apprehension and concern. This group encourages the participants to
ask questions, letting the Newcomer know, from their first meeting, that
Live Free is a safe place.
Be careful not to hold people in this group for too extended a time.
Interactive Journaling
It will be important that you remember with interactive Journaling that:
A. The participant’s belief in Interactive Journaling as a tool for change will mirror your own. The journals will be core to a successful reintegration into the community. All change is self-change. The participants have to do the work, but you are there to provide an environment for change, and the tools for change.
B. It is important for participants to be willing to journal, and be open and honest in their responses. The journals will become their personal roadmaps for change. Participants will determine where they are today, where they want to go, and how they will get there.
C. Interactive Journaling is structured writing. It guides individuals to express their inner most thoughts and beliefs. It helps individuals get to their personal heat issues. What’s really important to them?
D. There are four principles of Interactive Journaling: Read – Respond – Share – and Receive Feedback. Sharing responses to journal questions and receiving feedback from peers is critical to the change process. Sharing in the group dynamic will help individuals who are pre-contemplative or ambivalent about changing behaviors.
E. Interactive Journals are application based. They constantly present the questions “What does this mean to me? And “How do I use this in my life.” Giving journal assignments between sessions encourages participants to practice their new behaviors.
Scott Miller and Barry Dunkin of the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change have performed post hoc analysis on Project Match and Meta-Analysis of Dr. Wampold’s work and determined there are four factors that are predictors of a participant’s outcome for change.
• Extra Therapeutic Factor: This is everything the participant walks in through the door with. Their job status. Relationships good and bad. Religious beliefs or lack of any. Financial issues. Legal issues. All the people, places and things that occupy their consciousness. Taking time to understand the individual’s goals and potential roadblocks to change can have a 40% effect on their outcome.
• Relationship Factor: This is you. It is your ability to build rapport with the participant. You need to support the participant’s self-efficacy (define this term if your facilitators are not clear on its meaning). You need to provide an environment that is safe and conducive to change. You need to collaborate with the participant on a plan for change. This is commonly known as the Therapeutic Alliance and it is considered by many to be the new evidence-based.
Note: If you work with the person to understand their objectives, and build a helping relationship that provides a space for the individual to make change happen, you will have 70% of the factors that affect the outcome of change covered!
• Placebo/Hope: Everyone needs to believe that there is a brighter future. Why would we change anything if we thought it would only result in more misery? As a facilitator of change you need to paint the picture of what a new future will look like. You also need to transfer the belief that you are totally capable of helping the individual make the changes necessary to achieve the better life. You also need to transfer the expectation that the Journal is the best tool for helping them change, but they need to participate in the process. Remember, their belief in the journaling process will mirror your own.
• Model/Technique: The category where many of us place all our emphasis turns out to be only 15% of the total. We know from Project Match that it doesn’t matter what modality we use to help an individual make changes because they all have the same effect on the outcome. What’s important is that you stick with the technique you prefer and believe in.
Note: Another way to look at this data is that if you introduce the journals properly and get the individual reading the content, answering the targeted questions and applying the new information through behavioral exercises you will have had a 65% effect of the outcome of change without any intervention on your part.
Remember that:
Change is a Universal Life Experience
Ask the group, “How many people in this room have been through change in their life?” “How many believe that was the last time you ever go through change?”
1. All of us have experienced change in our lives and all of us will continue to do so. The fact is, individuals you work with experience change in a very similar way - just like you and I do. We all go through basically the same thing just at different degrees and intensities.
The key is if change has been purposeful, or if it’s been change by trial and error.
For example: Create a story of the difference between someone you know who changes by trial and error-vs- someone who makes purposeful change.
The most common would be how people drive places. We go until we realize we’re lost. Then we back up and randomly try another street hoping that one leads to our destination. We continue this process until we find our way or give up and ask for directions. When we have purposeful change it is internal change. We recognize the need to change, look for things that will help us change, and then take action. This type of change is long lasting.
Change is Possible
Two elements are included:
When you are talking about change being possible, you have to look at two elements:
1. First there is a Transmission of Expectation from Facilitator of change (you) to person in need of change (participant).
A. The best example of this is Rosenthal’s “Pygmalion Phenomenon”- also often referred to as the “Oak School” experiments
Robert Rosenthal conducted a study called “Pygmalion in the Classroom” named after the George Bernard Shaw play “My Fair Lady”, in which a professor transforms a flower girl into a lady, because of his beliefs that it could be done. Rosenthal told teachers, at the beginning of a school year, that half the class would achieve normal progress in the coming year, but the other half would blossom and achieve great success well beyond the norm. At the end of the year the prediction came true, however, the groups were really not any different, just randomly assigned to be in the normal or great expectations group. The outcome was due to the self-fulfilling prophecy of the teacher who no doubt communicated her greater expectations through differential attention and reward to the higher achieving group. Morale: A facilitator’s beliefs about the capacity of a participant to change are a powerful influence on treatment outcomes.
2. Second, is a person’s sense of Self-Efficacy. The belief of the individual in their ability to cope with a particular task which influences effort, persistence, etc. The best example of this is the Project Match Outcomes (studying matching clients to modalities ranging from CBT, 12-step facilitation, to MI). Within the $17 million study only two variable were found to have impact on outcomes. The individual’s sense of self-efficacy & the relationship between the counselor and the individual.
Change is a Process not an Event
1. Change is not linear in its nature, it is actually continuous or cyclic, (i.e stages of change and recycling). Sometimes it is best to look at change as climbing a mountain, with small peaks and valleys along the way to the top.
2. Change comes in degrees or phases/stages. It is not ‘an all or none’ concept. Sometimes it appears as though an individual is moving backward when they are actually moving closer to making internal change. We often take one step forward and two steps back when moving through the change process. A relapse might be referred to as recycling or a therapeutic relapse if the individual learns from it and moves forward.
3. You can measure behavior change by its Frequency, Duration, and Intensity of the Behavior. The goal is to gradually reduce frequency, duration, and intensity of maladaptive behavior and increase Frequency, Duration, Intensity of adaptive behavior.
Key - so often providers lose sight of what role they play in an individual’s change process. Many look at taking a person from A when they walk in the door to Z a fully functional role model of society at the top of the heap. Truth is, we are at best the place from A to C- and that is a great place to be. So, do you have a realistic view of what realistic change is with your participants?
Interactive Journaling provides interventions with a specific focus on the stages and processes of change an individual progresses through in their journey.
All Real Change is Self-Change
The fact is -
1. The responsibility for change is ultimately on the individual. So don’t mistake compliance with rules and regulations for true internal change.
2. Your role is to provide the conditions. It is the conditions provided that will determine how readily change occurs. You provide the guidance, help build skills & strategies- yet you can’t force people to change no matter how much better you believe their lives will be if they do change.
3. Interactive Journaling reinforces the point that it is under the individual’s control whether change will occur or not.
While journaling has been practiced for centuries, Ira Progoff was the first to use journaling in Facilitation.
He was a student of Carl Jung’s (who was himself a student of Sigmund Freud) and studied with Jung in Switzerland. He is best known for his role in developing Depth Psychology at Drew University. Depth Psychology seeks to explore the unconscious mind and how we can better understand the processes of our lives as opposed to just the content.
He discovered that many of his more successful patients were journalers and began using journaling within, and between sessions, to help people work through issues more quickly. Through his research he refined the approach called Intensive Journaling.
In a nutshell, Intensive Journaling is about exposing underlying emotional issues. We can see the effects of those issues in our daily lives in the form of thoughts and behaviors which sabotage rather than help. We hear self-judgments and see ourselves avoiding or overreacting to others, but we don't know why.
Intensive Journaling techniques allow us with writing, to drop underneath the daily problems to find the deeper issues lying below. As participants journal, they discover those parts of themselves long neglected. The unfolding process of discovery can be healing in itself or add to therapy sessions already in progress.
With a slight twist, Interactive Journaling helps focus participants, through content, graphics, and questions on areas of ‘personal heat’, and then guides them through proven strategies in making life changes.
Since Progoff developed his Intensive Journaling approach, there has been a growing body of research on journaling as an effective strategy for behavior change.
Let’s briefly review some of key point of that research.
James Penebaker has assembled a large body of research around structured writing. He is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas Austin.
The truth is, people who journal disclose a remarkable range and depth of traumatic experiences. Lost loves, deaths, incidents of physical and sexual abuse and tragic failures are common themes in all the studies.
Why is journaling as effective as talking? There are two theories.
• One is the Inhibition Model, which states that constraining thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are linked to physical and psychological problems. Writing releases this inhibition.
• Secondly, the Cognitive Change Model suggests that, through writing, a person translates experience into language. They translate an emotive experience into the written word, resulting in more coherent personal descriptions of themselves and their life experiences.
The actual change process takes place as much – if not more – outside of structured sessions. Doesn’t it make sense to give participants something to guide them in that non-therapy time other than their usual methods of coping?
Now, imagine combining the transformational capacities of talking and writing Journaling is not designed to replace ‘talking’ interventions such as group and individual counseling with clients, however, it does provide participants with a structured roadmap when they are not in front of a professional- which as most of us understand is the majority of time. It further strengthens the therapeutic bond between provider and participant.
The actual Change process takes place as much- if not more -outside of structured sessions. It is the application and practice of skills learned that drives ongoing success. Doesn’t it makes sense to give participants something to guide them in that non-therapy time other than their traditional methods of coping?
• KEY- The ‘Journals’ becomes a personal roadmap through the change process
The more personally relevant the writing, the more beneficial it is. Adult learning principles tell us that education alone is not effective. For education to effective it must be relevant and applicable to our daily lives whether in the workplace or personal relationships. An individual should be asking “What does this information mean to me?” and “How can I use this information or new skill in my life?”.
The more a person journals, the stronger the clinical effect. Pennebaker conducted some very simple experiments. He had a control group that did no journaling. He had an experimental group that journaled for one hour one day a week and another that journaled 2 hours twice a week. The control group had no significant improvement; the group that journaled one hour showed some improvement; the group that journaled the most had the greatest amount of change.
Studies have shown that if you look at certain variables, journaling does not have substantial diffences.
Lets look at a list of variables found to not have a negative impact on writing:
• Age: Whether young or old, late teens to arthritis sufferers: no statistical difference
• Race: Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Native American: no difference
• Inhibition: For people who are typically quiet in a group discussion setting, writing is a way to overcome that, as we discussed previously
• Education Level: Whether engineers with advanced degrees, or inmates with a 6th grade education: no statistical difference
• Ethnicity: International studies in Belgium, Mexico, the Netherlands and New Zealand mirror the results of those found in the United States: no difference
• Hostility: Interestingly, the higher on the hostility scale, the more effective. Those who are more hostile tend to engage the most in the writing experience and benefit more than those who are less hostile.
• Sex: no statistical difference
• Anxiety: Those with emotional issues experience better results than those with less. It should be considered a reason for journaling.
• Constrained: Individuals in constrained environments, such as prison settings, show benefits from the writing experience as much as any other population. In a study published in Abnormal Psychology in 2000, inmates in a maximum security psychiatric prison who wrote about trauma visited the infirmary less often in the 6 weeks after writing than inmates in both control groups. (This study is a further illustration of journaling’s ability to impact behavior: in this case the focus was health and wellness in a prison setting.)
There are several other variables that have not been mentioned including lack of sleep, substance use and high stress levels. Initial studies show none of these variables cause a negative impact on journaling as a counseling tool.
Let’s have a look at the different components of the Interactive Journaling definition. All are important.
Interactive: Allows for personalization. It engages the individual to participate in the change process.
Structured: Different from “free” journaling (stream of consciousness) because it directs the end user to journal about specific information.
Experiential:
a) It helps to organize thoughts and feelings about experiences into writing.
b) It raise consciousness about experiences and its impact on oneself and others.
c) The behavior of writing can become the first step of helping individuals develop positive ways to function in their lives.
d) Interactive Journaling is the experiential equivalent to Motivational Interviewing because it is phased by the stages of change, meets end-users where they are, uses Motivational Interviewing principles in the text, dialogue examples, and journal questions. When Interactive Journaling is used with individuals or groups, MI is the recommended delivery modality as well. Tie back to the research.
Motivates:
a) It creates an immediate hook to engage end-users through its focus on the individual talking about themselves and their unique experiences
b) The focus is not on right or wrong answers.
c) It is engaging through posing questions that go to ‘personal heat’ areas without being “in the end-user’s face”, but rather by inviting more and more authentic participation.
d) Each page offers a success through attainable goals and completing one journal or series motivates participants to commence the next one.
e) Interactive Journaling is ‘phased’ by the stages of change by introducing experiences that begin with contemplation and then move toward preparation and action
f) Sense of permanency of the Journal motivates by providing a durable and attractive record of the achievement
Guides:
a) It offers ‘bite size’ core information with a consistent tie to “What does this mean to me?”
b) It takes the individual through a journey of the topic area. Information is sequential as the person works through a story about self.
c) In a safe place, one’s room, people can record their thoughts as they attempt to develop positive ways to function in their world.
d) Story format with a logical sequence and a beginning, middle, and end.
There are basic models of change that the interactive journals use they include:-
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change which was introduced 25 years ago when Prochaska, DiClemente and Norcross published “Changing for Good”. Having studied thousands of self-changers they concluded that most individuals go through stages of change that they identified as pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. More significantly they learned that individuals employ catalysts or processes specific to the stage of change they are in. And as mentioned earlier that change is a process, not unlike this staircase where the stairs are going up, yet at times they appears to be going down. It is natural for an individual to move back and forth between the stages.
The Process of Change
The processes individuals employ within the stages of change are:
Consciousness Raising (Increasing Awareness) - Involves increased awareness about causes, consequences and cures for a particular problem behavior. Education, feedback, and media campaigns are examples
Social Liberation (Environmental Opportunities) - Requires an increase in social opportunities or alternatives. Smoke free areas, Self-help groups, salad bars in school.
Helping Relationships (Supporting) - Combine caring, trust, openness and acceptance as well as support for the healthy behavior change. Rapport building, therapeutic alliance, buddy system can be source of social support.
(Note: the process begins in one of the stages, but is used in other stages as well. What is important is that they are used at the proper stage of change).
Emotional Arousal (Dramatic Release) - Initially produces increased emotional experiences followed by reduced affect if appropriate action can be taken. Role-playing, grieving, personal testimonies are techniques that can move people emotionally.
Self-Re-evaluation (Self Appraisal) - Combines both cognitive and affective assessments of one’s self-image with and without a particular unhealthy habit, like one’s image as a couch potato and as an active person. Decisional balancing pros and cons for change is a technique for self-appraisal.
Environmental Re-evaluation (Social Reappraisal) - Combines both cognitive and affective assessments of how the presence, or absence, of a personal habit affects one’s social environment such as the effect of smoking on others. Or, the awareness of how one may serve as a role model to others. Empathy training, documentaries and family interventions.
Commitment (Self Liberation) - Both the belief that one can change and the commitment and recommitment to act on that belief. Motivation research indicates that people with two choices have greater commitment than people with one choice. Those with three choices have even greater commitment. Four choices does not further enhance will power.
Reward (Reinforcement Management) - Provides consequences for taking steps in a particular direction. Can include punishments, but successful self-changers rely more on reward than punishments. Reinforcements are emphasized.
Countering (Counter Conditioning) - Requires the learning of healthy behaviors that can substitute for problem behaviors. Relaxation techniques, learning to be assertive, active lifestyle, nicotine replacement.
Environment Control (Stimulus Control) - Removes cues for unhealthy habits and adds prompts for healthier alternatives. Avoiding people, places and things that trigger old behaviors. Join a gym or church group.
Key Transfer Point: All change is universal - everyone changes the same way. Everyone can change. All change is self-change.
Motivational Interviewing
“Motivation can be understood not as something that one has, but rather as something one does. It involves recognizing a problem, searching for a way to change, and then beginning and sticking with that change strategy. There are, it turns out, many ways to help people move toward such recognition and action”- William R. Miller
1. Collaborative Nature
• Exploration over Exhortation; support over persuasion or argument.
Being aware of and monitoring one’s own aspiration for the participant.
2. Enhance motivation by evoking from the participant their perceptions of their beliefs, values, and goals
• Eliciting as opposed to imparting. The goal is to draw out of the individual the motivation for making change. You are calling forward the intrinsic motivation of the individual in need of change.
3. The responsibility for change is the individual’s
• It is up to the participant to choose to take in your counsel. It is the participant who should be making the argument for change.
The principles of Motivational Interviewing: Express Empathy, Developing Discrepancies, Rolling with Resistance, Supporting Self-Efficacy (EDRS)
Recommended Facilitation of Journal pages: Open-ended Questions, Affirming the Client, Reflectively Listen, Summarizing, + Eliciting Change Talk (OARS+1)
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Interactive Journals tap into concepts from leading CBT experts such as Albert Ellis, Arron Beck, Glenn Walters, and Maxie Maltsby. Some of the specific strategies include:
(a) Cognitive Restructuring- identifying, challenging, and replacing faulty thinking
(b) Behavioral Rehearsal- practicing new skills with guidance and corrective feedback
(c) Contingency Management- reinforcement designed to acquire new skills.
Journaling and tracking in itself is a CBT Strategy.
• CBT is a family of over 100 approaches
• All CBT comes down to two things: modifying thought or cognition and modifying behavior.
• You can change thoughts, which in turn change behavior, or
• You can change behavior, which eventually will change thoughts
• There are 3 elements to remember in CBT:
• (A) The antecedent circumstance that led to the event…
• (B) The belief (self-talk)…attitudes and values…
• (C) The consequence…both positive or negative…
• Most people will describe A---->C in reality, it’s A----->B----->C
• How we evaluate cognitive-behavioral change:
• FREQUENCY ---> DURATION ---> INTENSITY
Are these indicators increasing or decreasing? If someone was driving intoxicated daily and now they are only driving intoxicated twice a month, are they changing their behavior or not? If F-D-I is static or increasing then the individual is not changing. If F-D-I is decreasing, the individual is moving through the stages of change.
The amount of time devoted to each objective within the journals is dependant upon the length of the program. Every page of the journal can be facilitated, but generally there is not enough time to do this. It is important for the facilitator to know the journals well enough to decide what elements they want to facilitate in group. It is recommended that participants complete all the journal pages as homework, and then the facilitator may choose which pages to facilitate in group. If there are pages in the journal that are identified as important for specific individuals, it would be recommended that the facilitator work one on one with the participants on those pages, if they were not chosen for group facilitation.
Some participants have many life challenges and literacy is often an issue. There are three suggestions when working with these individuals.
1) Use the buddy system and pair the individual up with someone proficient enough to help them read and write.
2) The facilitator can work one on one with the participant reading the core content and writing down the individual’s responses on a sheet of paper. The participant would then be instructed to re-write the responses directly into their journal.
3) Have a participant who has successfully completed the journal to record the questions and their answers. The challenged participant can then follows along with the tape and write, draw or verbalize their responses.
It is best to transfer the expectation that the journals are personal property and the participant’s responsibility. Participants need to take ownership of the change process, and the journals are a key component. It is also important for participants to have their journals between session to complete assignments and practice new behaviors.
Again, the reading and responding portion of journaling is best done between sessions. The more you can keep participants focused on change and practicing new behaviors, the better the outcome. Likewise the more you can have participants sharing and receiving feedback in group, the better the outcome.
Adult Learning
Adult learning is self-directed and individuals need to take a leadership role in the learning process.
All change is self-change. All learning is self-learning. When was the last time you were able to force someone to learn something or to change a behavior. We need to motivate individuals to recognize they need to change and provide the positive environment for this to occur. We use influencing responses to guide individuals to take the leadership role.
In the Therapeutic Alliance this is asking individuals what they feel they need to work on. We ask what are your objectives for this training?
Use, open ended questions: that require experiential answers.
Information Giving: communicates data or facts about experiences, events and alternatives. Self-disclosure: sharing of personal information or experiences that are pertinent to the topic. Interpretation: makes implied client responses more explicit.
Confrontation: challenges participants by developing discrepancies and patterns of inconsistencies
Scott Miller and Barry Dunkin have done a lot of work at the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change on the Therapeutic Alliance. Part of the Alliance is a piece they call “extratherapeutic” or outside factors that have a 40% influence on outcome of changing behavior.
We need to use varied methods in our trainings as well. Didactic teaching is necessary for some content, but real learning occurs in the group setting where individuals get to try on the new information. Techniques like role playing and triads are very effective.
Uses “collecting” with questions like “What else can we learn from this exercise?” and transitional summarizing like “In this module we learned about the five key concepts. In the next session, we’ll be discussing the effects of alcohol and other drugs.”
Not everyone wants to participate. The question is, did the instructor try to involve everyone in the group, concentrate on a few who are active communicators, or no one. Was this done in a non-threatening way that did not create unneeded anxiety?
Lifetime experiences include misconceptions, biases, prejudices, and preference. In other words, a lot of what we know is wrong!
Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I will comprehend. Get me involved and I will remember!
- Adults need to see the relevancy of the knowledge being transferred. As children we were forced to learn for knowledge sake. As adults we learn or change because it is important to our lives and careers.
- We learned from the 2005 Duke study that simply giving knowledge has little effect. The information must be practical. Many of us sat in high school thinking, “Why am I learning algebra…I’m never going to use this in my life?” The clearer students can see how they can apply the information to their personal lives, the better.
- Some information is obvious, but it doesn’t hurt to reinforce it especially if it applies to the persons work or family responsibilities. It helps to have a license to get to work. It puts stress on the family to have to drive you around. It puts financial pressure on the family.
- All great coaches lay out the expectations for their teams right from the start. People need to know the expectations of the person teaching them. Coaches are motivational and create a desire to achieve goals. Our goal is to not have repeat offenders.
- Interactive Journals are motivational in that they constantly ask the client “what’s in it for me?” and encourage them to “try on” new behavior.
- Adults need to know that they are capable of learning and that what they are learning is beneficial. Adults need a vision of the end result so they have a positive mental image of the end result.
- Trainers should talk about the positive results they have seen in others over the years who have used these tools and information in an open minded and willing way. All change is self change and individuals must take responsibility for changing. Eliciting change talk is beneficial to learning because we mentally practice or new behaviors and become comfortable with the idea of change.
Respect = esteem
The individuals belief in themselves and their ability to change (self-efficacy) is a major contributor to the helping alliance and a positive outcome.
Facilitators can build rapport by acknowledging and respecting an individuals experience and individuality. Treat people as individuals not a group and adopt a caring attitude (empathy).
Create an environment of collaboration and mutual trust. Acknowledge individuals who share openly. People are like dry sponges waiting for a drop of appreciation (reinforcement)
Use responsive listening skills to reinforce that you are actively listening to the individual and are taking the time to understand what they are saying. This builds rapport while the individual is reflecting on their thoughts and behaviors.
Motivation is not something someone has but something a person does. A person needs to identify a need for change, seek out the tools for changing and then put them into action. All these components exist in the OK ADSAC program.
Social: Adults look forward to meeting with peers and making new friends and associates. The people in the DUI course are from all different walks of life, but they all have one thing in common. Using small groups will establish a team atmosphere.
External expectations: Some motivation comes from compliance with instructions from a formal authority like the ADSAC classes. Keep in mind the Tarzan swing. Compliance generally does not produce long term change. It does create some initial motivation like “I need to get my license back”.
Social welfare: Some adults are motivated by the desire to serve the community. You wish to train facilitators in reducing recidivism in DUI/DWI. Facilitators hope to reduce the number of individuals who are driving under the influence. Students should get the message that driving under the influence is anti-social behavior.
Personal advancement: Adults can be motivated by the thought of monetary or status gained. A Certified Master Trainer designation is something to be proud of as is Certified Facilitator.
Cognitive interest: Many adults are motivated to learn simply because they are interested in the material.
Resistant’s Strategies
Research suggests that the use of authoritarian and confrontational approaches is far less effective than using motivational approaches that enhance the alliance between the facilitator and the participant. Research demonstrates that the single largest variable that influences a positive outcome rests with the participant’s perception of the relationship with their facilitator. It is this alliance that should be the underlying theme of all facilitated intervention strategies.
Recognize that resistance experienced from a participant should be seen as signal for the facilitator to modify their approach.
This may include slowing down the topic of discussion to gather further information through the use of reflective listening skills, expressing empathy, reframing negative statements into positive opportunities or changing the topic of discussion recognizing you can always revisit it at a later point.
Recognize that the more resistant a participant is, the more there is a need to validate their point of view. This is not to say you are in agreement with the participants' thoughts, feelings or behavior. Rather it is an awareness and ability to genuinely demonstrate to the participant that you can understand what it is he or she is saying.
Clarify what it is the participant wants. Remember, everyone is motivated by something.
Focus on small attainable goals. You can help establish a successful experience by setting goals with the participant that can be achieved and recognize allowing the change process to proactively gain forward momentum.
Consider modifying the environment if possible. Based on your policies and procedures, this may include taking a walk during your session, going to a location that has meaning to the participants to facilitate the session or modifying your environmental setting such as room arrangement and surrounding stimuli. For example if tables are arranged classroom style the expectation is that you are going to teach and participant will be listening. On the other hand if you arrange the room in a circular or U-shape, the expectation is participants will be engaged and collaborating.
The reading levels of all Gateway journals are 5th to 6th grade. Interactive Journaling® uses the 30 second rule meaning a slow reader should be able to read the core content on any page in the journal in 30 seconds or less.
If a participant has literacy issues and cannot read or write, we then suggest you employ the buddy system. Do not pair up the individual with the brightest individual in the group, but with someone slightly more proficient. This individual can then assist the person by reading the content and then encouraging the individual to write down key words or draw their responses.
In individual sessions ask the participant to open to the page of the journal being discussed. Slowly read aloud the content of the page. Discuss the participants understanding of what you read. Use a sticky note or separate page to write down the participants response. Direct the participant to rewrite the response directly into their journal.
Another option is to record journal questions and first person responses. Ask a participant who has successfully completed the program to assist in creating these recordings.
Interactive Journaling® is evidence-based materials. We have taken the best practices of the Transtheoretical Model of Change, Structured Writing, Cognitive-behavioral Techniques, Motivational Interviewing and 12-step disease model and loaded them into a delivery system we call Interactive Journaling® for you the Change Agent to use to assist individuals in making lasting life changes.
Basis of Program “The Word of God”
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. (Romans 15:4 NLT)
The truth of the matter is that there is wide variety of resources to use, however for Live Free the foundation of the core curriculum is the Word of God. We make no apology for that.
God’s Word must be at the centre of your program and if it can’t be at the centre if it is not at the centre of what you teach Then Live Free is not for you. On the other hand, if it is not at the centre of your teaching than maybe you need to evaluate what it is you are really teach anyhow.
You need to be certain that Live Free as a total package has as its centre theme the Word of God. And it must apply to all groups. All the areas of doing life with people. It may well be ask will this work, Yes! it will if you keep it biblically sound. Put the Word of God at the centre of all you do in Live Free.
Remember in recovery if it looks like a duck if it swims like a duck and if it walks like a duck then the chances is it will be a duck. So be biblically based and do not compromise. Because when you don’t then it will be what it looks like.
It will be important that you take small bites of the cherry. You cannot do this in one big bite. Take it easy and be specific.
Be creative with a progressive movement through the steps. If you get boged down in an area it can make Live Free seem to hard and to complicated.
Remember Live Free is built on the Word of God. It can be used in all areas of your program. We do have other journals and ideas that will enhance your program approach the Mission and Resource Team for help. It is built to be progressive so that you can take smaller bites of the cherry.
Make God enrich your Corps as you progress with Live Free Ministries.
Worship
Honour the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness. Psalm 29:2 (N LT)
Worship is exceedingly essential to the delivery process of Live Free. Worship is important because it is a major strength and difference between a Christian and Bible Based recovery program to that of a secular recovery program and for this reason it should never become just another add on. It is a very important key to the delivery of Live Free.
Your worship time will help the people to come aside and slow down from the world’s worries and the concerns that people live with on a daily basis. It is a time when people are able to put off the ways on men and woman and allow the Spirit of God speak.
It needs to be a safe place for people to come.
Remember people will attend worship who have been hurt so badly that the only way they may be able to express this could very well be in prayer and worship. We need to be sensitive in our worship design.
Worship will give to you an opening to celebrate people’s journeys that will allow people to focus on the joy of the Lord, It will allow the presence of God to bring peace and power to help people to enjoy their life and live Free.
On the next page is a sample Lead for worship. It is only a model make somebody's day by creating worship to fit your community. If you intend to conduct your Journaling Group on another night and have focus groups then simply conduct your focus groups where the journaling section is
Remember this is only a guide there is no reason why any adaptation to this will not work. There is no reason why you should not adjust this to fit your local community.
Live Free format
• Have refreshments 0.00
1. Opening Song ………………………………… 0.30
2. Welcome………………………………………. 0.33
3. Call To Worship……………………………… 0.34
4. Worship Song…………………………………. 0.36
5. Worship Song…………………………………. 0.40
6. Opening Prayer…………………………………0.43
7. Introduction to the step you are teaching or reading of the 12 steps and biblical comparisons…………………………………… 0.44
8. Worship Song Testimony time……………….. 0.47
9. Offering Song:…………………………………. 0.57
10. Teaching……………………………………….. 1.00
11. Appeal Song……………………………………1.15
12. Serenity Prayer…………………………………1.23
13. Closing Song for people to leave……………..1.25
14. Refreshments…………………………………..1.30
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
15. Journaling Groups…………………………… 1.45
16. Close…………………………………………... 2.30
Outreach
11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
(2 Corinthians 5:11-20 NLT)
If you was to build a fire in a fire place then all the wood on the fire would burn, however if one of the pieces of wood was to fall out it would go out. The same its true of Christians. You need to fellowship with others to continue to burn brightly for Him. It is important that you meet with others for encouragement and fellowship. It is important that we encourage others to stay part of the fellowship. Just don’t let people fall away. Follow up is important.
The natural tendency is to want to share with others the good things that are happening to you. Once you have had the experience you want to carry this message. To those who are suffering in their darkness. It will be vitally important that you encourage people to share the Good News of Live Free. It will grow best from within. But if people have nothing to share it will die on the vine.
It will be critical for you to extend your land. “There was a man named Jabez who was more honourable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez[a] because his birth had been so painful. 10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-0 NLT)
There are many ways that we can extend our territory within the community we live. There are many secular groups out there that need to hear the good news of what you are offering, as far as live Free is concern.
• Use the local media to advertise the event.
• Contact the AA NA groups. (It will be important that you approach them from a networking point of view we want to work with them not against them. Offer to refer to them but offer to provide a safe place for Christians in to Live Free but make sure you inform them that you know people in to Live Free still need groups like AA.
• See if AA NA GA need meeting rooms offer your Corps as a place to allow these meeting to take effect.
• Contact the Local Churches let them know what is taking place
• Contact Council to see if they have Interagency meetings
• Contact the Local Area Health centres
• Put up notices in local Doctor surgeries make sure they know what you are intending to do.
• Try any thing that may work!
• If you have safe houses such as refuges contact them and let them know what is happening. Put up a notice on their notice board.
Another outreach opportunity that is vital for your own growth is help another Corps or Church to commence a Live Free groups. If Live Free is right for their community introduce it. However there are many other resources available contact the Mission and Resource Team at THQ.
Encourage other Corps to come and see what is happening. They will learn from what you are doing but the people will be encourage to see what they can do. Don’t keep your group insular. Give it an external focus, because as you do so will your people look outwardly.
Another step I would take is to inform local Christian counsellors what you are doing They are constantly looking to refer people to safe places., Ask if you can put up a notice.
[pic]
-----------------------
[1] This resource is supplied by Maj. David Pullen, AUE Director – Territorial Mission and Resource Consultant – Recovery. As it is an extensive and challenging resource, it may be beneficial to consult Maj. Pullen concerning use of this resource, including supplementary materials.
-----------------------
[pic]
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- precipitous events the impact of classroom experience and
- treatment plan goals objectives
- sarmy resource centre the salvation army southern territory
- title and subtitle
- rosie d
- health framework chapter 6 curriculum frameworks ca
- independent study paper duke university
- alabama positive behavior support office welcome to apbso
Related searches
- army element of resource list
- army mentorship resource center
- army human resource portal
- salvation army giving tree
- salvation army angel tree 2020
- salvation army christmas application online
- salvation army giving tree 2020
- salvation army christmas gifts applications
- salvation army application for assistance
- salvation army angel tree program
- what is the highest army rank
- the journal of southern history pdf