“The only thing that had changed was the object of my worship—I went from worshiping alcohol to worshiping sobriety.”

Those are the words of Brett Smith.

For years, Brett struggled with alcoholism, eventually finding sobriety through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. He did everything right. He worked the program. He sponsored other guys. He carried the message. He went to meetings religiously. He even became the self-described “poster boy” for AA and a disciple of the Big Book. From the outside, his life looked great.

But something didn’t sit right.

As Brett began to pursue Jesus more seriously, he couldn’t shake a growing tension between what he was reading in Scripture and what he was preaching in AA: the language, the framework, the idea of a “higher power”—while it all claimed to be faith-filled, it wasn't really pointing to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eventually, he realized that despite being sober, he hadn’t actually been set free. Instead, he had just swapped addictions and started worshipping sobriety.

In this honest conversation, Brett brings a warning that many are hesitant to say out loud: “Sobriety is a good gift—but it’s a terrible savior.” And he unpacks how secular recovery programs—even though they may contain some faith elements and language—can lead people away from the true Gospel, giving them just enough to think they are fine while missing the mark where it matters most.

This episode isn’t an attack. Instead, it’s an invitation to more. To go beyond a program. To shoot for Jesus and get sobriety thrown in. To not miss the main thing for a good thing. To get the most flourishing and fulfilled life both now and in eternity. And it comes from someone who nearly missed out on those things because he had settled for sobriety. 

Is there a place for AA? For 12 steps? For programs? What is Gospel-centered recovery? Should Christians avoid AA, or can it be helpful? What about Celebrate Recovery? Why is sobriety an insufficient goal? Brett answers those questions and more honestly and compassionately. 

If you’ve ever felt like something was missing in your sobriety, if AA or the 12 steps haven't resonated, or if you’re curious about Gospel-centered recovery—this conversation is for you.

We explore:

— Brett’s journey from early drinking to full-blown alcoholism
— His experience with Alcoholics Anonymous and becoming the “poster boy” for the program
— Why sobriety alone didn’t resolve the deeper issues in his life
— The shift from worshiping alcohol to worshiping recovery itself
— His growing tension with the idea of a “higher power”
— A biblical look at the 12 steps and their theological framework
— Should Christians avoid AA?
— What about Celebrate Recovery?
— What Gospel-centered recovery actually looks like
— Why the ultimate goal is not sobriety but Jesus

Reach out to Brett: @basmith444
Get Gospel-centered addiction recovery resources and help: veritasrecovery.org
Follow me: @jonseidl
Order my new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic

&ldquo;The only thing that had changed was the object of my worship&mdash;I went from worshiping alcohol to worshiping sobriety.&rdquo;
Those are the words of Brett Smith.
For years, Brett struggled with alcoholism, eventually finding sobriety through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. He did everything right. He worked the program. He sponsored other guys. He carried the message. He went to meetings religiously. He even became the self-described &ldquo;poster boy&rdquo; for AA and a disciple of the Big Book. From the outside, his life looked great.
But something didn&rsquo;t sit right.
As Brett began to pursue Jesus more seriously, he couldn&rsquo;t shake a growing tension between what he was reading in Scripture and what he was preaching in AA: the language, the framework, the idea of a &ldquo;higher power&rdquo;&mdash;while it all claimed to be faith-filled, it wasn't really pointing to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eventually, he realized that despite being sober, he hadn&rsquo;t actually been set free. Instead, he had just swapped addictions and started worshipping sobriety.
In this honest conversation, Brett brings a warning that many are hesitant to say out loud: &ldquo;Sobriety is a good gift&mdash;but it&rsquo;s a terrible savior.&rdquo; And he unpacks how secular recovery programs&mdash;even though they may contain some faith elements and language&mdash;can lead people away from the true Gospel, giving them just enough to think they are fine while missing the mark where it matters most.
This episode isn&rsquo;t an attack. Instead, it&rsquo;s an invitation to more. To go beyond a program. To shoot for Jesus and get sobriety thrown in. To not miss the main thing for a good thing. To get the most flourishing and fulfilled life both now and in eternity. And it comes from someone who nearly missed out on those things because he had settled for sobriety.&nbsp;
Is there a place for AA? For 12 steps? For programs? What is Gospel-centered recovery? Should Christians avoid AA, or can it be helpful? What about Celebrate Recovery? Why is sobriety an insufficient goal? Brett answers those questions and more honestly and compassionately.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like something was missing in your sobriety, if AA or the 12 steps haven't resonated, or if you&rsquo;re curious about Gospel-centered recovery&mdash;this conversation is for you.
We explore:
&mdash; Brett&rsquo;s journey from early drinking to full-blown alcoholism &mdash; His experience with Alcoholics Anonymous and becoming the &ldquo;poster boy&rdquo; for the program &mdash; Why sobriety alone didn&rsquo;t resolve the deeper issues in his life &mdash; The shift from worshiping alcohol to worshiping recovery itself &mdash; His growing tension with the idea of a &ldquo;higher power&rdquo; &mdash; A biblical look at the 12 steps and their theological framework &mdash; Should Christians avoid AA? &mdash; What about Celebrate Recovery? &mdash; What Gospel-centered recovery actually looks like &mdash; Why the ultimate goal is not sobriety but Jesus
Reach out to Brett: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/basmith444/">@basmith444</a> Get Gospel-centered addiction recovery resources and help:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.veritasrecovery.org">veritasrecovery.org</a> Follow me: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">@jonseidl</a> Order my new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4opuOt">Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic</a>

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit christianalcoholic.com for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit <a href="http://christianalcoholic.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://christianalcoholic.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1747239325727000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1G-752Q-1dyjq6GN5gt7xw">christianalcoholic.com</a> for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic" is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts.

Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic with Jon Seidl

Saved from Sobriety: How Brett Smith Got Sober but Realized That Wasn't Enough

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/96aa77c1-b293-41c3-8a8d-b44200330399/transcript