For people who want their recovery rooted in faith, Celebrate Recovery offers a Christ-centered path to healing through community, scripture, and the support of others walking the same road. The need for accessible options like it is real. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA), about 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year — and more than 85% of them received no substance use treatment.
If you’re drawn to a faith-based approach, this page explains what Celebrate Recovery is, the principles it’s built on, who it can help, and how to find a group near you. And if you’d like help finding the right next step — faith-based or otherwise — the National Rehab Hotline is available 24/7 at 866-210-1303.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or having thoughts of suicide, call 911 or call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303 is for non-emergency information, support, and referrals.
What Is Celebrate Recovery?
Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a Christ-centered, 12-step recovery program founded in 1991 at Saddleback Church in California by Pastor John Baker and his wife, Cheryl, with the support of Pastor Rick Warren. It began with 43 people on its first night and has since grown into a worldwide movement. According to Celebrate Recovery, the program now operates in more than 35,000 churches worldwide.
What sets Celebrate Recovery apart from secular 12-step programs is its explicitly Christian foundation — it frames recovery as a spiritual journey supported by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s also broader than addiction. CR describes its purpose as helping people find freedom from all kinds of “hurts, habits, and hang-ups,” which can include substance use, codependency, anger, grief, anxiety, and other compulsive or painful patterns.
The 8 Recovery Principles
Celebrate Recovery is built on eight principles drawn from the Beatitudes, worked alongside a Christ-centered version of the 12 steps. In plain terms, participants move through a process of:
- Admitting they can’t control their struggles on their own and need help
- Coming to believe that God exists, cares about them, and has the power to help them recover
- Choosing to commit their life and will to Christ’s care
- Honestly examining and confessing their faults to themselves, to God, and to someone they trust
- Being willing to let God change them and humbly asking him to remove their shortcomings
- Repairing relationships where possible — offering forgiveness and making amends, except when doing so would cause harm
- Setting aside daily time for reflection, prayer, and scripture
- Giving back by helping others on the same journey
What Celebrate Recovery Helps With
Celebrate Recovery is open to anyone struggling with a wide range of challenges, not just addiction. Common areas people bring to CR include:
- Substance use — alcohol, drugs, and other substance dependencies
- Codependency and unhealthy relationship patterns
- Anger, anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles
- Grief, trauma, and past hurts
- Compulsive behaviors such as overeating or gambling
How to Find a Celebrate Recovery Group
It’s worth knowing that Celebrate Recovery isn’t a phone hotline — it’s a network of in-person and online support groups hosted by local churches. Meetings are free, confidential, and open to anyone, and most run weekly. A typical meeting includes a large-group time followed by smaller Open Share Groups or Step Study Groups, where participants support one another without judgment or “cross talk.”
To find a group, the best starting point is the official Celebrate Recovery group finder at celebraterecovery.com, which lists meetings by location and includes online and hybrid options. Many churches also list their CR meeting times directly on their websites.
Is Celebrate Recovery Right for You?
Celebrate Recovery can be a powerful source of community and accountability, especially for people who want faith woven into their recovery. It works best as one part of a broader plan. For a substance use disorder, peer support is most effective alongside professional treatment — and CR pairs naturally with relapse prevention support and clinical care. If you’re exploring faith-based options, you may also want to look at our broader addiction resources for Christians, and if you prefer a traditional 12-step route, Alcoholics Anonymous is another widely available option. Because addiction affects the whole household, families can find support through CR’s groups as well.
Faith-Based and Recovery Resources
Whatever path fits you best, these free resources are available to help:
- National Rehab Hotline. Free, confidential, 24/7 information, guidance, and referrals to treatment and support resources, including faith-based options. Call 866-210-1303.
- Celebrate Recovery. A Christ-centered 12-step program with free weekly groups at churches nationwide. Find a meeting at celebraterecovery.com.
- SAMHSA National Helpline. Free, confidential treatment referral and information service for substance use and mental health. Call 800-662-HELP (4357).
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Free, confidential crisis support for anyone in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis. Call or text 988.
How the National Rehab Hotline Can Help
Choosing a recovery path can feel overwhelming, especially when faith is part of the picture. The National Rehab Hotline is a free, confidential, 24/7 line where you can be connected with information, guidance, and referrals to treatment and support resources that fit your beliefs and your situation. It’s a non-emergency line — for immediate danger, call 911 or 988 — but if you’re ready to take a first step, call 866-210-1303.
Frequently Asked Questions: Celebrate Recovery
- Is Celebrate Recovery free? Yes. Celebrate Recovery meetings are free and open to anyone. Some groups offer optional participant workbooks for purchase, but attending a meeting costs nothing.
- Is there a Celebrate Recovery phone hotline? Not in the traditional sense — Celebrate Recovery is a network of in-person and online support groups rather than a call center. To connect with the program, use the group finder at celebraterecovery.com. If you’d like to talk through your options by phone, the National Rehab Hotline is available at 866-210-1303.
- Do I have to be a Christian to attend? No. Celebrate Recovery is Christ-centered, but its meetings are open to anyone, regardless of background or beliefs. In fact, many participants first come to CR while still exploring faith.
- Is Celebrate Recovery only for drug and alcohol addiction? No. While many people come for substance use, CR is designed to address all kinds of “hurts, habits, and hang-ups,” including codependency, anger, grief, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors.
- How do I find a Celebrate Recovery meeting near me? Use the official group finder at celebraterecovery.com to search by location, or check the websites of local churches, which often list their CR meeting times. Online and hybrid meetings are also available.
- What if I need more than a support group? Support groups work best alongside professional care for a substance use disorder. If you think you may need detox, treatment, or a referral, call the National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303 — it’s free, confidential, and available any time.
You Don’t Have to Walk This Road Alone
When you’re ready to take the next step, help is just a phone call away. Call the National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303 — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You don’t have to face this alone.
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is Celebrate Recovery free?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes. Celebrate Recovery meetings are free and open to anyone. Some groups offer optional participant workbooks for purchase, but attending a meeting costs nothing.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is there a Celebrate Recovery phone hotline?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Not in the traditional sense — Celebrate Recovery is a network of in-person and online support groups rather than a call center. To connect with the program, use the group finder at celebraterecovery.com. If you’d like to talk through your options by phone, the National Rehab Hotline is available at 866-210-1303.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do I have to be a Christian to attend Celebrate Recovery?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No. Celebrate Recovery is Christ-centered, but its meetings are open to anyone, regardless of background or beliefs. In fact, many participants first come to CR while still exploring faith.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is Celebrate Recovery only for drug and alcohol addiction?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No. While many people come for substance use, CR is designed to address all kinds of hurts, habits, and hang-ups, including codependency, anger, grief, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do I find a Celebrate Recovery meeting near me?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Use the official group finder at celebraterecovery.com to search by location, or check the websites of local churches, which often list their CR meeting times. Online and hybrid meetings are also available.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What if I need more than a support group?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Support groups work best alongside professional care for a substance use disorder. If you think you may need detox, treatment, or a referral, call the National Rehab Hotline at 866-210-1303 — it’s free, confidential, and available any time.”
}
}
]
}