A.A. Serves As My Church-Away-From-Church

Alcoholics Anonymous is a church, only freeer. "Freeer?" "More free" sounds better.

Either way, I've come to see many similarities between A.A. and church congregations, but with important differences, too.

In A.A., people come from different economic status, different races, different life stories, different backgrounds. Churches are like that too, but sadly some don't provide the diversity of A.A. Both are (or think they are) cordial and welcoming, and members attend for one reason: sobriety for one, worship for the other. Both preach helping others. Singleness of purpose (a Higher Power) glues both groups together.

But A.A. and churches have some differences, for sure. A.A. has no structure, no hierarchical leadership, no paid positions. If A.A. were to tighten its ropes, it would lose the casual feel that cries, "Keep coming back."

Churches have a way of complicating things. A.A. tells us to love God and people, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly, treat people as you want to be treated. If you want to be great, be a servant.

Hey you A.A.ers, doesn't that describe us well? Actually, these words come from Jen Hatmaker in For the Love as she describes what a church should be like (http://jenhatmaker.com/forthelove.htm). A.A. and churches, you see, seek the same basic needs.

Hatmaker goes on to describe churchgoers in a way I would describe A.A. members: "It lets anyone in the door! All sorts of hooligans fill the sanctuaries: kind and good ones, angry and cynical ones, mean and judgmental ones, smart and funny ones, broken and sad ones, weird and awkward ones, precious and loving ones, scared and wounded ones, brave and passionate ones, insiders and outliers, newbies and lifers and trying-one-more-timers. Just a whole bunch of human people."

Yep. That sounds a lot like the A.A. meetings I attend.