- When we spend time with Jesus
- When His Holy Spirit resides in us
- We cannot help but care about what He cares about.
Last week we examined transparency. Transparent allow others to see them for who they really are. They are not hypocrites. They understand that we all struggle, so when they are struggling, they don’t hide it. Who we see is who they are: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Tonight we are going to investigate accountability. Spiritual growth requires both authenticity and accountability. When people are transparent about their struggles, they need to be held accountable to live out the changes Jesus wants to make in their lives.Intentional leaders earn the right to call the disciples on their mistakes. Loving shepherds will have credibility when they speak into the lives of the people they are leading. Once transparency and authenticity have been developed, intentional leaders/ disciple makers can see what people really believe and how they really live. At that point, they can lovingly and courageously address the behaviors that do not glorify God and that hurt the person involved.
In our groups, when someone is sharing a problem or concern, we should affirm that person for sharing and make sure he knows we all struggle. But then there should be a follow up question like, “What can we do to help you with what you have shared?” If the person doesn’t seem to want to change, back off for the time being and deal with it in the future.It’s important to realize that some people don’t want accountability. They would much rather surround themselves with folks who tell them what they want to hear. But the bible tells us, however, that the wounds of a friend can be trusted (Proverbs 27:5-6). It’s valuable to have friends who care about us so much that they are willing to confront us for the glory of God and our own good. True friends tell the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). True friends stick beside us even when we fail, yes, but they also tell us what we need to hear and then help us accomplish what they tell us.
Intentional leaders know that real relationships for disciple making is not one-sided. Accountability must be mutual. Leaders have not arrived at perfect spiritual maturity; we will make mistakes too, and we need to allow those in the group to hold us accountable when we are wrong.
Mutual accountability creates a culture of genuine relationship that will then be a part of the lives of those we are discipling.A word of caution: Be sure not to address every issue that needs to be dealt with in the life of a disciple all at once. A wise intentional leader addresses issues carefully and sequentially.
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