Before explaining what accountability is I want to share some history about accountability and why I believe accountability is needed apart from church attendance.
Let me first talk about "Why is accountability needed apart from church attendance?" It has been my experience that men do not serve at church often because of low confidence, not knowing their spiritual gifting but most of all because of hidden sin or life controlling habits. Often men do not want to go to their pastor or other leaders out of fear of rejection and separation.
I found the following in "Character Counts" by Rod Handley concerning some history about accountability. "I was surprised in my research on accountability to discover that during the mid-1700's John Wesley developed an accountability model. Wesley influenced thousands of people into Christian discipleship and growth. He said, '"Preaching like an apostle without joining together those that are awakened and training them in the way of God is only begetting children for the murderer."' Wesley established his converts and leaders in small cell groups for mutual care and discipling. The following are some guidelines he established for those cells. Keep in mind that these were to be followed in the spirit of the law not the letter of the law:
"In obedience tot he command of God, by St. James and by the advice of Peter Bohler (Moravian Missionary), it is agreed by us,
1. That we will meet together once a week to confess our faults one to another, and pray one for another that we may be healed.
2. To come punctually at the hour appointed without some extraordinary reason.
3. To begin, (those of us present), exactly at the hour, with singing and prayer.
4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting."
Wesley believed that every member should be responsible for every other member. The style of life they sought to share with each other was characterized by openness, transparency, a caring community and submission.
Accountability means "Submission". In Ephesians 5: 21 we are called to be submitted to each other. In James 5: 16 we are told to confess our sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that we may be healed.
My personal belief is most men RUN from accountability because they do not want to be beat up for the things they do wrong. They fear losing respect and acceptance. My personal view of accountability is it must be centered in love. Jesus set the example for us as He moved from town to town healing and talking to people. He showed respect to the individuals He healed and those He confronted about their sin. To me that is how we should do accountability. Unlike Jesus though we must always keep in mind that the person confessing their sins to us is confessing to a fellow sinner who is also in need of the covering Jesus provides. The job of accountability is two fold: 1. admit we have faults and weaknesses and 2. pray for one another. It is being a source of encouragement not being a source of beating up on each other.
What I have personally experienced in a group that was patterned on Ephesians 5: 21 and James 5: 16 was men looked forward to attending the group because they found support and encouragement from the other men. Instead of RUNNING from accountability these men RAN TO accountability. They did not overcome their sins instantly but little by little they won the battles and over time developed the ability to rely on the Holy Spirit as they fought through the temptations they faced.
I suggest you purchase Rod Handley's book "Character Counts" which you can get at Character that Counts.
Here are other resources for accountability:
I encourage you to follow Wesley's example and find someone you can be accountable to. Choose the person carefully and prayerfully. Then RUN to Accountability and experience what God will do in your life because you trusted Him by submitting to another man or woman.
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