Big Book Study: The Disciplines of Service (Part 13 of 15)Big Book Study: The Disciplines of Service (Part 13 of 15)
Sober Cast: An (unofficial) Alcoholics Anonymous Podcast AA
Chris S. shares his journey from feeling hopeless to celebrating 20 years sober, stressing Big Book action, spiritual growth, and disciplined service. The session focuses on why thorough step work and genuine sponsorship are presented as crucial for real alcoholics seeking lasting recovery.
46:29•6 Oct 2026
The Disciplines of Service: Chris S. on Real Recovery in AA
Episode Overview
- Simply attending meetings is described as fellowship, not the AA recovery programme; the steps in the Big Book are presented as essential for real alcoholics.
- The set aside prayer is shared as a practical tool to temporarily lay aside prejudices and become open to new spiritual experiences.
- A detailed walk-through of the steps links honest inventory, amends, prayer, and meditation to a spiritual awakening and changed perception.
- Service and sponsoring others through the steps are framed as vital disciplines that protect against relapse and selfishness.
- Soft, half-measure sponsorship is criticised as dangerous for chronic relapsers, with strong emphasis on thorough, experience-based guidance.
“If you think you're working your program because you're going to meetings, you are sadly mistaken.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This Big Book study session, led by Chris S., lands right in the heart of what long-term recovery in AA can look like, especially for those who see themselves as "hopeless cases".
Celebrating 20 years sober, Chris talks frankly about arriving in AA feeling like a "scumbag" who had let everyone down, and how the Big Book and a set of workshop tapes shifted him from just going to loads of meetings into actually working the AA programme.
He challenges the idea that simply turning up at meetings is "working your programme", saying bluntly: "If you think you're working your program because you're going to meetings, you are sadly mistaken." For anyone stuck on the meeting treadmill but still feeling spiritually empty, this will hit home. You’ll hear how the set aside prayer became central in his home group, encouraging people to temporarily park what they think they know so they can be open to new spiritual experiences.
Chris walks through the steps in practical terms, showing how honest inventory, amends, prayer, and meditation build towards a spiritual awakening that changes perception, behaviour, and the very way you see life. The heart of the talk is service. Chris explains why real alcoholics can’t stay sober by self-will alone and why “work and self-sacrifice for others” is vital.
He digs into the responsibilities of sponsoring, the dangers of soft, half-measure sponsorship that lets people drift back to drinking, and the many ways service can extend beyond AA meetings into families, communities, and places like soup kitchens and institutions. If you’ve ever wondered why people with plenty of money and success still feel empty, or why some AA members relapse over and over, this session gives you plenty to think about and question.
How might taking service more seriously change your own recovery journey?
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