Forward to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Editions

Forward to the 2nd Edition

  1. Read the Forward to the 2nd Edition of the Big Book.
  2. What does the phrase “wholesale miracle” refer to?
  3. Where was the first AA group started?
  4. What “took” the drink obsession away from the New York Stockbroker (Bill W.)?
  5. Who taught the Bill W. the grave nature of alcoholism?
  6. What are the Oxford Groups?
  7. Name the six (6) tenets of the Oxford Group that Bill W. accepted.
  8. How many people did Bill W. keep sober through his first six (6) month of sobriety?
  9. What did Bill W. need to do in order to save himself?
  10. To whom did Bill W. carry his message?
  11. Define the word, “Vital”.
  12. What is “vital” to permanent recovery?
  13. In 1937, what was the membership convinced of?
  14. What two things did the membership want to place before the world?
  15. How did they communicate these two things to thew world?
  16. What are AA groups named after?
  17. How did people respond to the book, Alcoholics Anonymous?
  18. By the end of 1939, how many alcoholics were on their way to recovery?
  19. What did the group realize during their adolescent period?
  20. What do we call the principles that held the early groups together, and still hold us together today?
  21. When were the 12 Traditions approved?
  22. Where were the 12 Traditions approved?
  23. Name the three (3) reasons that the wide spread approval of AA grew.
  24. The Big Book says, Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way…”, what do you think the authors meant by the phrase “really tried”?
    1. What does it mean to “really try” to work the 12 Steps?
  25. In 1955, when this 2nd Edition was written, how fast was A.A. growing at?
  26. Where do the first 100 (68) hope that alcoholics would find an answer to their alcoholism?
  27. Why do you think we are not growing at the same rates?

 

Forward to the 3rd Edition

  1. Read the Forward to the 3rd Edition.
  2. In March of 1976, how many members of A.A. were there?
  3. In March of 1976, how many A.A. groups were there?
  4. What percent of A.A.’s were women?
  5. What percent of A.A. were under 30 years old?
  6. Does the program change for people of different lifestyles or those who live in foreign countries?
  7. What summarizes the A.A. program?
  8. What traces exactly the same path that was blazed by the earliest members of A.A.?
  9. What happens each day somewhere in the world?
  10. How does recovery begin?

 

Forward the the 4th Edition

  1. Read the Forward to the 4th Edition.
  2. In 2001, approximately how many recovered alcoholics were there in A.A.?
  3. How many groups?  In how many countries?
  4. What are the “seeds” that get planted in country after country?
  5. What causes these “seeds” to take root in these countries?
  6. What has preserved the integrity of the A.A> message?
  7. What is the language of the heart?

 

Closing thoughts and questions…

  1. Have you ever studied the Big Book in this way?
  2. How does it feel to be going through the Big Book in detail?
  3. What did you learn from these questions that you didn’t realize before?
  4. How can you apply the information this week to your home group?
    1. To your family?
    2. To newcomers that you meet?
    3. When working with your sponsor?
    4. When building your relationship with God?

 

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