Philip Yancey interviewed a young alcoholic who had formerly been an active church member, but had allowed Alcoholics Anonymous to replace the church. When questioned why, the young man responded, "Mainly I'm trying to survive, and AA helps me in that struggle far better than any church."
Yancey explored further, "Name one quality missing in the local church that AA somehow provides."
The alcoholic stared at his coffee, watching it go cold. Finally he looked up and whispered one word: "Dependency."
He explained, "Most church people give off a self satisfied air of superiority. I don't sense them consciously leaning on God or on each other... Maybe God is calling us alcoholics to teach the saints what it means to be dependent on Him and on His community on earth."