Richard A. Brown was born and raised in
Cheshire Township, about seven miles south of Allegan,
and graduated from Allegan High School in 1964. His
family attended the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in
Allegan until his father died in 1963. Due to his father's
sudden death and the normal struggles of an adolescent
boy, Richard's emotional life was in turmoil for several
years, although he probably looked alright outwardly. He
made the great mistake of turning away from God, with
whom he was angry, and toward alcohol and pornographic
magazines for comfort.
Cheshire Township, about seven miles south of Allegan,
and graduated from Allegan High School in 1964. His
family attended the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in
Allegan until his father died in 1963. Due to his father's
sudden death and the normal struggles of an adolescent
boy, Richard's emotional life was in turmoil for several
years, although he probably looked alright outwardly. He
made the great mistake of turning away from God, with
whom he was angry, and toward alcohol and pornographic
magazines for comfort.
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He obtained a B.S. in Geology from Michigan State University in 1968. Upon
graduation, he married a good woman and got a good job with the oil industry in
California. Although the marriage was in an Episcopal church, it was doomed
because of Richard's increasing habitual addictions and the lack of personal
relationships with Jesus. In California, the drinking (and occasional use of drugs)
increased, as did his obsession with pornography which had graduated to visiting
strip clubs and later to adultery. Richard's first wife divorced him in 1974. He married
another good woman in 1976.
At the end of 1976, Richard joined Alcoholics Anonymous, a secular 12-step
recovery group for alcoholism, because of his many troubles related to drinking,
including the loss of a good job and marital problems. He stopped drinking for good
through application of the 12 Steps of AA and began helping others to do the same.
Richard's second marriage ended in 1986. His personal relationships, especially
with women, were all failing and he sought his way back to God (like the Prodigal Son
of Luke 15).
By 1992, Richard had given his life to Christ and began the process of turning all
aspects of his life over to Him. In late 1992, he joined a Christian men's group
dealing with sexual purity and then joined a secular 12-step program dealing with
sexual issues. Soon, he was leading the 12-step recovery groups for sexual issues
as well as for alcoholism.
In 2002, Richard established a Christian men's sexual recovery group with the aid of
the pastors of a church in California; he led that group for 4 1/2 years. Then in 2006,
the Celebrate Recovery program was established in the church, which is a Christian
recovery program that incorporates all "hurts, habits, and hangups" that anyone may
be dealing with based on the Bible.
Richard retired in 2007 and returned to hometown of Allegan. It is his fondest
desire to do ministry helping others to obtain recovery, as he has, through the power
of Jesus Christ to recover from any "hurts, habits, and hangups" that anyone may be
dealing with through a Celebrate Recovery program at Christ Community Church.
graduation, he married a good woman and got a good job with the oil industry in
California. Although the marriage was in an Episcopal church, it was doomed
because of Richard's increasing habitual addictions and the lack of personal
relationships with Jesus. In California, the drinking (and occasional use of drugs)
increased, as did his obsession with pornography which had graduated to visiting
strip clubs and later to adultery. Richard's first wife divorced him in 1974. He married
another good woman in 1976.
At the end of 1976, Richard joined Alcoholics Anonymous, a secular 12-step
recovery group for alcoholism, because of his many troubles related to drinking,
including the loss of a good job and marital problems. He stopped drinking for good
through application of the 12 Steps of AA and began helping others to do the same.
Richard's second marriage ended in 1986. His personal relationships, especially
with women, were all failing and he sought his way back to God (like the Prodigal Son
of Luke 15).
By 1992, Richard had given his life to Christ and began the process of turning all
aspects of his life over to Him. In late 1992, he joined a Christian men's group
dealing with sexual purity and then joined a secular 12-step program dealing with
sexual issues. Soon, he was leading the 12-step recovery groups for sexual issues
as well as for alcoholism.
In 2002, Richard established a Christian men's sexual recovery group with the aid of
the pastors of a church in California; he led that group for 4 1/2 years. Then in 2006,
the Celebrate Recovery program was established in the church, which is a Christian
recovery program that incorporates all "hurts, habits, and hangups" that anyone may
be dealing with based on the Bible.
Richard retired in 2007 and returned to hometown of Allegan. It is his fondest
desire to do ministry helping others to obtain recovery, as he has, through the power
of Jesus Christ to recover from any "hurts, habits, and hangups" that anyone may be
dealing with through a Celebrate Recovery program at Christ Community Church.
