A Brief History of Celebrate Recovery...

Celebrate Recovery began in 1991 at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. This ministry was a vision for Pastor John Baker, a recovering alcoholic who realized that secular 12-step programs didn't provide the depth
and focus on Christ that is needed for true recovery of body, mind and spirit.

He approached Senior Pastor Rick Warren, through a now-famous 13-page, single spaced letter, with details of his vision and hope for this new recovery ministry. Pastor Rick promptly replied, "Great... do it!". And with that, Celebrate Recovery took it's first steps as a ministry to adult men and women with hurts, habits and hangups.

Now, 17 years later, the outreach program that began at a single church in California is used in over 4500 churches world-wide, as well as a prison ministry called "CR Inside".