Conference Approved...So Now What?Conference Approved...So Now What?
Alcoholics Alive!
Shank and Wayne talk through what “conference approved” literature means in AA, how the conference and Grapevine actually operate, and why some members question their authority. They also have a light-hearted look at familiar meeting slogans and what those sayings might really be pointing toward.
54:02•26 May 2026
Conference Approved or Just Confusing? Shank and Wayne Talk AA Literature and Grapevine
Episode Overview
- “Conference approved” means material has gone through the general service conference process, but this stamp can create a false sense of authority.
- Floor actions at the conference can push items through even when committees have not supported them, raising questions about how much the process reflects genuine group conscience.
- AA Grapevine is not conference approved but is recognised and encouraged by the conference as a “recovery tool”, despite low subscriptions and ongoing financial strain.
- Groups differ widely in practice, with some using only conference-approved literature and others relying heavily on outside books and materials.
- Common slogans such as “stick with the winners” and “keep coming back” are examined critically, with the hosts questioning their usefulness and meaning today.
“Less info and more God is what we need.”
Shank and Wayne start from the classic Big Book line, “We realize we know only a little,” and riff on how “less info and more God is what we need.” From there, they get into the guts of AA’s general service conference, explaining in plain language how literature gets that conference-approved label, and why it can create what they call a “false sense of authority.” You’ll hear them break down the difference between genuinely agreed group conscience and decisions pushed through by last‑minute floor actions, including examples like an Asian American pamphlet and changes to the preamble.
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This conversation on Alcoholics Alive! zooms right in on one of AA’s hot-button topics: what “conference approved” actually means, and why that little stamp causes so much confusion.
They question whether the process still reflects the upside‑down triangle AA talks about, or if it’s drifting toward something “borderline illegitimate.” A big chunk of the chat looks at the AA Grapevine: technically not conference approved, but “recognized” and encouraged as a “recovery tool”, even while very few members actually buy it. Shank and Wayne talk cash flow, business sense, and why it feels strange to pour money into new media and books when the fellowship’s support is so thin.
They also have some fun with “meeting shrapnel” – those phrases everyone’s heard: “Stick with the winners,” “Keep coming back,” and the more obscure “KCB.” They poke at who decides who the “winners” are and why some slogans might be past their sell-by date. If you’ve ever sat in a meeting wondering whether that pamphlet, book, or slogan really has spiritual weight, this chat might nudge you to ask: what does conference approved actually mean to you?
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