Saving...“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:15-16
Isn’t it absolutely amazing how God carefully crafted each one of us to have a relational heart in His own image yet tragic how we fight the curses of sin each day and all to often avoid one of the fundamental God-given strains that binds us all together in authentic relationships – accountability?
Mention accountability in small group circles and you may get hissed at, yet in order for small groups to serve one another as catalysts for growth in Christ there must be several components present: spiritual guidance, encouragement, and accountability. In truth, accountability is sharing, in confidence, our heartfelt Christian sojourn in an atmosphere of trust so we can give an answer for what we do, see where we need help, understand our struggles and where we are weak, and be encouraged to stay on track, seek prayer, care, and support when we fail, and model guideposts for one another to keep us going.
All too often, our image of accountability conveys visions of stern people “Bible beating” and condemning us for our attitudes, actions, and intentions – separating us in shame and guilt from the small group, the church, and perhaps even God. This is certainly not the type of relationship Christ envisioned for the ones he died for and nor is it very healthy for small group synergy.
“The highest proof of true friendship is the intimacy that holds nothing back and admits the friend to share our inmost secrets.” - Andrew Murray
As we grow in Christ we encounter new challenges all along the way. One such challenge as a believer is to engage in authentic conversation when being held accountable and see it as a positive reinforcement of the relationship we should be participating in. For the small group leader the challenge is to approach a fellow believer and lead him/her in spiritual growth without the condemning demeanor. The Christian life offers glaring, empirical proof that “all of us make many mistakes,” (James 3:2) and we are grateful for the forgiveness offered to us through Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). Grasp this and you hold the key to understanding the concept behind accountability. To understand that none of us are perfect and that we all make mistakes, a lot of mistakes, and to gently lift up and encourage is not a chore placed upon us because we are suppose to care but a honor given to us as a form of closeness with one another and with God . Learning to communicate and cultivate relationships during difficult times allows us to be answerable to one another and thus nurtures authentic relationships.
The Bible is laced with authentic relationship guidance as it relates to accountability. Here are few Scriptures that may help you in walking the walking for Christ.
- He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
–Proverbs 13:20
- Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
–Proverbs 25:12
- And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
-1 Timothy 3:1-7
- Doing Good to All
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
- Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
– Galatians 6:1-6
- I have heard it said time and time again that being a Christian is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. Christ even says we will be ridiculed for our faith. But can you imagine attempting to love and cultivate a caring relationship under the guise of authentic fellowship with anyone without the Spirit of God bearing fruit in your heart and soul? Me either.
