Questions and Answers on Sponsorship (contd)

The AA (General Service conference approved) booklet: Questions and Answers on Sponsorship)

Extract:

“Can a member sponsor more than one newcomer simultaneously?

A.A. members differ in their enthusiasm for sponsorship work, in their ability to handle it effectively, and in the time they can give. Members who are willing and able to sponsor several newcomers simultaneously should certainly not be discouraged. At the same time, it should be kept in mind that sponsorship is, in a sense, a privilege to be shared by as many members as possible and an activity that helps all members to strengthen their sobriety.

Further, members who do too much sponsorship work may get exaggerated ideas about their abilities, may even risk their own sobriety. As in so many phases of A.A., common sense is the best guide.”

(our emphases)

Comment: As we've said before anyone who's sponsoring more than maybe two or three members is probably on an ego-trip and certainly of no use to any potential sponsee; far better a one-to-one relationship. With regard to “exaggerated ideas” Clancy springs immediately to mind (together with the ever expanding ranks of 'super sobers', 'Big Book experts', 'circuit speakers', 'gurus' and sundry 'con artists' who promise a lot and deliver nothing - henceforth to be denominated the 'trouserless ones'  as in “all mouth and no trousers” (Ooh! What images spring to mind!). As for "common sense" when it comes to the cult forget it! A non-starter!

But remember: a sponsor is NOT ESSENTIAL to recovery. And NO sponsorship is better by far than BAD sponsorship!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(to be continued)