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Our History
Some of our visitors, unfamiliar with NorthStar Community of Bon Air have asked about this ministry. Here’s a very personal perspective on the history of NorthStar Community (formerly Celebrate Recovery or CR). All new things begin within one person who has a big dream and no fear. At NorthStar, that person was Bugsy King. Bugsy and his wife Susan joined Bon Air Baptist Church when they developed a plan for working an intentional recovery program. Bugsy was in recovery due to his addiction; Susan was working on her codependency issues. Both realized that pursuing spirituality was essential to finding freedom from their past hurts, habits and hang-ups. I remember the first time I met them. They attended a class my husband and I (Pete and Teresa McBean) were teaching on " The Five Languages of Love" (based on a marvelous book by that name, written by Gary Chapman). They were energetic, committed and personable. Once in a while, their pain leaked out. One day Susan and I met for coffee and a bagel and she told me her story. It was the start of a wonderful friendship. Little did we know that God was in the early stages of birthing NorthStar Community of Bon Air.
Over the years at Bon Air Baptist we had tried on numerous occasions to begin support groups for those suffering from addiction. Maurice Graham, who was then Associate Pastor at Bon Air, knew that the community was filled with hurting people. Attempts to assist them were met with, at best, mixed results. Graham found some material titled "Celebrate Recovery," a systematic program designed at Saddleback Church in California. It was slick. It had workbooks! We loved it.
Bugsy said it wouldn't work. At least, not the way we were planning on using it. I suppose that sounds a little negative, but if you know Bugs, the man is anything but negative! By the grace of God, the leadership at Bon Air listened. Instead of making NorthStar a part of Bon Air's traditional Wednesday night programming, Bugsy thought we needed to take it "off site." Oh, the potential problems…. Oh, the committees that had to be consulted. At that point, Pete McBean stepped in. I suspect Pete looked at the personality types of our team and decided he was needed. That was true. He attended to the meetings and the details. Bugsy and I went with him and tried not to mess things up. After about six months of planning, we were ready to start.
Bugsy and Susan's enthusiasm and passion gathered a team of about 30 people. A band was rounded up. At the last minute, it was decided that I would do the teaching. We made up fliers. As I recall, we sent out about 25,000. A nice article was written in The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Bugsy hit the pavement. He visited treatment centers, and who know where else he went. We were afraid to ask!
It was an interesting time. Our friends told us that we shouldn't feel bad if no one came. After all, anyone coming to NorthStar would be admitting to having a "hurt, habit, or hang-up" - who would do that? Somehow a rumor was started that we were going to rent buses and go downtown and pick up the homeless to try to fill some chairs. (We were serving nice refreshments; perhaps that was the inducement to get on the bus.) I suppose that would have been a kind thing to do, but we didn't plan on trying to manipulate people to attend. Others, not hearing the rumor about the busing in of the homeless, offered to show up the first Sunday so that we would have someone to sing and speak to. That was a particularly loving and kind offer, and we appreciated it. But more than anything, we wanted who God would bring to our door. Bugsy kept saying, "It'll all work out if it's meant to."
A verse had come to our minds early on, “B e still and know that I am God." It became our mantra. We repeated it to each other when we were tempted to "go codependent" and wrestle control away from God (as if we could!).
From the beginning two support groups (one for codependency and another for addiction issues) were put in place on Wednesday evenings at Bon Air Baptist. As time marched on, we added more groups. Bon Air graciously agreed to house two AA meetings a week (at noon on Tuesday and Thursdays).
After a year or so - I'm guessing on the exact date - some folks began to ask for a more in-depth bible study. We waited until enough people asked, and leaders stepped forward who felt a passion for this opportunity, and our bible studies for men and women began on Sunday mornings. A while later a study for teens was launched. It's an awesome thing each week to know that a core group of people are committed to studying scripture. Since then we've begun to offer regular classes including: Walking Through The Christ-Centered 12 Steps, Victory Over the Darkness, Bondage Breaker, Financial Planning, and others.
It is awesome to make new friends and find that there are many spiritual people out in the community who were looking for a worship experience that regularly acknowledges the pain of daily living and seeks biblical solutions. Perhaps after five years we can reflect on this experience and acknowledge that sometimes solutions have seemed in short supply. But we've learned more about crying with hurting people and celebrating with those who, by the grace and mercy of God, find their freedom.
We also learned the universality of the language of pain. We're a very diverse group. We're not easy to categorize as a fellowship. Not everyone who joined what was then called CR in those early years had addiction issues, or struggled with codependency. Even today some of our regulars openly admit that they still aren't sure about this " God thing." We just thank God that they feel comfortable being this honest. I believe that we're joined by a passion to make use of the pain of the past and the present, and consider how our spirituality informs that pain.
As God has moved, healed, and inspired, many have found their freedom. We're a grateful, appreciative bunch of people. And generous? Wow! The first few weeks someone asked us how they might contribute to defraying the expenses of the ministry. We were shocked. As a group of volunteers, we didn't have a lot of overhead. It had never occurred to us that someone would need or want to contribute to this "pilot project." (There is an awful lot that doesn't occur to us!) Pete found some old ratty wicker basket (I think it held sugar packets for the teachers at the school during the week) and stuck it on a chair. Often we'd forget to get it out. People would bug us about finding it. That's how the ministry has been financed since its inception. We think this says a lot about God's faithfulness.
As a result of the persistent and generous giving of the NorthStar Community, we've hosted a major conference for Freedom In Christ Ministries, regularly provided for families in financial crisis, bought a lot of sound equipment, funded a huge educational ministry by providing a book table with lots of cool books, and eventually began paying a salary for our first two paid positions - NorthStar Community Minister and Media & Operations director. The newest and perhaps one of the most exciting (certainly the most nerve racking) additions has been another pilot project. Starting September 21, 2003 we have a TV program on CBS-TV6 at 11:30 on Sunday mornings. We couldn't do this if we hadn't had such generous financial contributors.
This is a pretty personal account of the history of NorthStar Community. Frankly, it's been a very personal experience. Each Sunday as I attempt to deliver God's message of hope, I have the unique privilege of seeing the faces of the people who come to NorthStar. I watch as their hearts interact with God's word; I feel the emotion as it plays across their faces. Sometimes I've gotten to know and love people who didn't make it. They just couldn't surrender to life lived God's way. I've seen the good, the bad and even the ugly. There's been a lot of good, but it would be disrespectful to not acknowledge the pain of defeat. To know that there is a solution, to understand that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us - and that plan is to bless us- and to see some not choose life - you bet it's personal. But oh the joy of watching people find their freedom in Christ. Nothing can replace the privilege of witnessing the miracle of rebirth.
At the end of the gospel of John, the writer says something about how he only scratched the surface in telling about all the amazing things Jesus did. This history only scratches the surface of all the amazing things we've watched Jesus do at NorthStar Community. We could tell you stories of hope, redemption, and new life. We could tell you about families who've been resurrected from death to life. We could tell you about defeat. We could tell you about relapse that results in death. We could tell you about the cost of loving. But we won't. Instead, we invite you to come and experience that for yourself!
God bless, t.
Teresa J. McBean
Minister, NorthStar Community
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