Statistics present that as many as 64% of church-going males of all ages and 34% of church-going ladies ages 18-30 have a look at porn commonly.1 Sadly, accountability is essentially absent from the church in the present day. Most Christians aren’t accountable to their church buildings or anybody in them. In keeping with Barna, solely 5% of Christians within the USA have accountability at their church buildings.2
Is accountability within the church actually that essential?
If you don’t see the significance of accountability within the church, you might be amongst most Christians in america. However I wish to persuade you that accountability is essential for the church and even vital for us to hold out our God-given mission.
Accountability, appropriately understood, connects on to Jesus’s command to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). This isn’t some elective program or methodology for some believers. Correctly understood, accountability is a part of the blueprint of the church. The shortage of accountability within the church signifies an issue that church leaders should tackle.
1. Accountability Strengthens Church Management
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and undergo them, since they hold watch over your souls as those that will give an account, in order that they’ll do that with pleasure and never with grief, for that will be unprofitable for you.”
The primary half discusses submitting to church leaders however discover the second half. Leaders within the church are “those that will give an account.” By voluntarily looking for out accountability within the right here and now, church leaders acknowledge that they’ll give an account earlier than God for his or her management within the church.
An article within the Organizational Psychology Evaluation seems to be on the significance of “an internalized sense of accountability.” When leaders really feel that they’re accountable and even take steps to make themselves extra accountable, it provides everybody within the group a larger sense of possession and duty.3
The spouse of a pastor who makes use of our Display Accountability service not too long ago instructed us, “My partner is a pastor and this has been nice for our marriage, but in addition to set an instance and advocate for our church.” Accountability truly strengthens the management in a company!
In a time when church buildings have been rocked by scandals, accountable leaders are extra essential than ever. James 3:1 warns, “Not many ought to change into lecturers, my brothers, as a result of you recognize that we are going to obtain a stricter judgment.” With that stricter judgment in thoughts, pastors, elders, and different ministry leaders ought to earnestly search out accountability!
2. Accountability Encourages Actual Fellowship within the Church
Accountability can appear horrifying, particularly when it runs counter to our typical interactions at church. Nevertheless, removed from hindering fellowship, a tradition of accountability deepens the actual expertise of fellowship within the church.
In his e-book Refuge: How Hospital Church Ministry Can Change Your Church Endlessly, pastor James Reeves challenges the normal idea of small group ministry. As a substitute of merely “doing life collectively,” Reeves says an efficient group is one “the place full and whole transparency might be practiced, the place toe-curling honesty is the norm, the place no secrets and techniques are stored.”4
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And allow us to think about each other with a view to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to assemble collectively, as some are within the behavior of doing, however encouraging one another, and all of the extra as you see the day approaching.”
Does your congregation “provoke love and good works”? The Bible teaches that that is important for actual fellowship.
3. Accountability Fosters Private Development within the Church
Self-help gurus and efficiency consultants have lengthy acknowledged the worth of non-public accountability. One oft-cited examine discovered that scheduling a gathering for private accountability could make individuals 95% extra more likely to accomplish their objectives!5
Extra importantly, Scripture prescribes private accountability as a key instrument of development and therapeutic from our brokenness. James 5:16 says, “Subsequently, confess your sins to at least one one other and pray for each other, so that you could be be healed. The prayer of a righteous particular person may be very highly effective in its impact.”
All of us have to follow confession to at least one one other—it’s important for our continued development in godliness. What James has in thoughts is a deeply engaged fellowship marked by confession and prayer. Confession is one facet of accountability and prayer is one other.
That is important for private development.
4. Accountability Safeguards the Mission of the Church
In Galatians 2, the Apostle Paul recounts a narrative the place the mission of the church was threatened by cliquish habits among the many management. The Apostle Peter, it appears, was bowing to look strain from the in-crowd.
What did Paul do? He held Peter accountable to the Gospel. He reminded Peter that the Gospel is inclusive, not unique, and that believers are referred to as to like and fellowship no matter class, race, or background.
This is only one instance amongst many. Actually, a method to consider the epistles of the New Testomony is a sequence of “accountability letters,” the place the apostles are reminding church buildings of the mission of the church and warning in opposition to distractions.
Hebrews 3:13 says, “Encourage one another every day, whereas it’s nonetheless referred to as in the present day, in order that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” There are all types of issues that deceive us and distract us from the church’s true mission.
Church buildings want accountability to remain on monitor!
5. Accountability Is Required by Love
Lastly, Jesus mentioned that love was the defining mark of the Christian. John 13:35 says, “By this everybody will know that you’re my disciples, if you happen to love each other.” Love is so important following Jesus that in Romans 13:10 Paul says, “Love is the success of the legislation.”
Later, in Galatians 6:1-2, Paul clarifies {that a} real demonstration of affection will embrace holding individuals accountable. “Brothers and sisters, if somebody is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who’re non secular, restore such an individual with a mild spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you just additionally received’t be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens; on this method you’ll fulfill the legislation of Christ.”
The legislation of affection is the legislation of Christ, and it requires accountability. So, the query is: Do we actually love each other?
Why is accountability unpopular within the church?
For many who are held accountable by their church group indirectly, the commonest method to accountability is thru a small group. Besides, amongst those that attend a small group, solely 7% say it’s an accountability group. There are a lot of causes for this, however listed below are a few of the commonest.
1. Individuals hate battle.
The Barna Group states church leaders don’t typically interact in accountability (both by following up on members’ duties, residence visits, or church self-discipline) as a result of they don’t wish to be confrontational. The identical is true amongst church members. Few individuals wish to name out others for his or her sin.
2. Christians don’t perceive group.
Many texts within the Bible assume or state outright that one of many methods we develop as Christians is thru gospel-centered dialog with each other. The New Testomony locations nice significance on motivating each other to like and do good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25), bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2), and instructing each other (Romans 15:14). Many Christians are by no means taught that sanctification is a group challenge.
3. Individuals like their privateness.
Accountability is about confessing sin to at least one one other, however few in the present day like the thought of divulging their temptations, sins, and the state of their coronary heart. That is far too private for some.
4. Christians aren’t taught about biblical accountability.
We’d like a correct understanding of what biblical accountability actually is. James 5:16 just isn’t a suggestion however a command. “Confess your sins to at least one one other and pray for each other, that you could be be healed.” Furthermore, it is a command tied to our well being as Christians. On this textual content James mentions circumstances the place private sin results in a severe bodily or emotional sickness, calling for the church’s elders to manage therapeutic. Earlier than we get to that time, nonetheless, we should always follow the common “preventative drugs” of confessing our sins to one another and praying for one another.
5. Christians imagine accountability is just for habits modification.
Some reject the thought of accountability as a result of they imagine it’s all about worry or shame-based change. Accountability for them is about staying away from sure taboo sins to allow them to keep away from a clumsy dialog sooner or later. However the Bible says there’s a sort of dialog that addresses the center—not simply outward habits (Hebrews 3:13).
6. Some Christians have skilled unhelpful (or hurtful) accountability.
For some Christians, accountability companions and teams merely didn’t “work” for them. They skilled no change. In some circumstances, overbearing management or non secular abuse was disguised as “accountability.”
However what if we used this excuse for something: listening to sermons, praying collectively, taking communion, partaking in service tasks? We don’t hand over on any of these items as a result of at instances they don’t appear to “work,” or are executed badly. Fairly, every time we try to do them higher, with a real coronary heart, and with cautious thought.
7. Christians imagine accountability is just a crutch for when issues get actually unhealthy.
Typically we search out accountability when issues have come to a head in our lives when we face a grave consequence. However the numerous “one anothers” of the New Testomony aren’t only for these dealing with particular penalties for his or her sin, however for all Christians.
8. Christians aren’t discipled.
Accountability makes essentially the most sense within the context of discipleship: being personally mentored, guided, and directed by spiritually mature people, and within the context of a group of disciples. In a church tradition that makes true disciples, accountability is essentially the most pure factor on the planet.
9. Christians lack high quality friendships.
Accountability can be most pure in a gospel-centered friendship. We’d like the sort of mates talked about within the proverbs: women and men who follow us by thick and skinny, who aren’t afraid to confront us, and who compel us to do what is correct. Accountability just isn’t solely giving an account of my sin to a different however receiving an account of God’s grace in return from a Christian buddy.
10. Christians haven’t tasted gospel-centered accountability within the church.
The gospel of Christ is what guides and protects good accountability. Knowledgeable by the gospel, a great accountability accomplice won’t be condemning, however gracious. Knowledgeable by the gospel, a great accountability accomplice will deal with sin significantly as a result of Christ took sin significantly. A great accountability accomplice will use the everlasting guarantees of the gospel to inspire us to a better normal. As Christians, we must be taught find out how to do accountability partnerships nicely.
Get a Step-by-Step Plan to Develop a Church Tradition of Accountability
Greater than ever, accountability is important for the church. That can assist you get began, we’ve created a free downloadable PDF with a step-by-step plan for growing a tradition of accountability in your church.
