The Power of Accountability

I don’t know about you but I am a very private person. While I can be very hard on myself, I’m not a big fan of others being hard on me (it just adds to my self-inflicted pain and suffering). Unnecessary vulnerability is not my favorite place. (Oops – I just made myself unnecessarily vulnerable.)  My “dirty underwear” will rarely be seen in public (while not denying that I have dirty underwear). There’s just one problem with that hyper-private tendency: It blocks certain areas of personal, spiritual growth and it creates an environment where sin can thrive. (Sin grows best in hidden places.)

On the other hand, Scripture raises the value of things like honesty and openness and the confession of sin, qualities referred to generally as “walking in the light.” Consider these important passages: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God” (John 3:19-21). Everyone has a basic urge to keep evil deeds hidden in darkness. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). “Walking in the light” is simply walking in the light of Jesus who brought the liberating power of his light into our lives. “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46). In fact, in his preaching Paul summarized the mission and message of Jesus as “the message of light” (Acts 26:23), and refers to the kingdom of God as “the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12). For that reason, Paul exhorted Christ-followers, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). Paul went on to ask, “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Paul also summarizes the Jesus Way like this: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8), and “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6). The problem with light is that it exposes everything – and who likes to be exposed? However, once we have allowed ourselves to be exposed to the light, we become a light in the midst of darkness. “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light” (Ephesians 5:13).

Paul wasn’t the only New Testament writer who referred to a life lived in the light of Christ. Peter taught, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). The apostle John loved to refer to the need to “walk in the light”: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), and “Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble” (1 John 2:9).

All this paints a clear picture of living openly and honestly, with transparency and integrity. The key idea is what the Bible calls “confession,” as in, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). “Confessions” simply means “to say the same thing, to agree.” Confession means to agree with God concerning his view of our lives, including our sins, faults and weaknesses. When we agree with God, and even verbalize our agreement, it has the effect of bringing our sins out into the light, exposing them to the light, and in the process, breaking their power. As you know, there can be no forgiveness without repentance, and there can be no repentance without confession. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When we expose our sins to the light, we will no longer blame others, rationalize, minimize or seek to excuse any aspect of our sin. Instead, we will take full responsibility of our folly and the consequences of our sin.

In that way we can easily appreciate the power of accountability. One of the deepest, most profound relationships we can have with someone is an accountability relationship. It is a sacred relationship, relying on God to bring the right people into each other’s life. It is a high-level trust relationship, governed by consistent confidentiality. It is a covenant relationship, guided by a clear commitment to pray for each other’s healing. In an accountability relationship we give each other permission to ask, “How are you doing in this area?” with a commitment to always answering honestly. Very few things are more liberating or empowering than a godly accountability relationship. Unfortunately, very few ever take the time to explore relationships deeply enough to carve out an accountability relationship with a brother or sister. We know that in the end, “the whole world [will be] held accountable to God” (Romans 3:19). However, we have the option of holding ourselves accountable in our present life by having that kind of relationship with another dedicated Christ-follower. Are you willing to explore that possibility? If so, begin to ask God to show you someone he knows will be a source of healing in your life. 

Relationships are HARD WORK!

Human beings were made primarily for relationship. The first time God said that something in creation was “not good” was when he commented on the man “being alone” (Genesis 2:18). Humans were made for relationship with God, relationship with each other, and relationship with the rest of God’s good creation. It’s at the point of relationships that we reflect the nature of God most completely. “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and not just any kind of love; God’s love is committed, unconditional, voluntary, loyal, covenant-keeping love.

So what went wrong? In one word (here it is again), “Sin!” Yes, that pesky tendency to view all of life with self at the center consistently blocks real relationships. For that reason, healthy, happy relationships do not come naturally or easily to us humans. Even in the context of grace and a new relationship with God, relationships are hard work!

Not only are relationships hard work, every time a relationship goes “to the next level,” it requires more diligent, thoughtful, sensitive, intentional effort. There are several levels of relationship, from the very superficial to high levels of “oneness”: (1) Acquaintance, in the context of occasional, casual encounters and conversations; (2) Friendship, when two people explore the things they have in common and begin to share life on a more consistent level; (3) Commitment, a decision to be loyal to a relationship, “for better or worse,” seen most completely in a godly marriage; and (4) Oneness, two people becoming one in heart and mind as a result of sharing life through many trials over a long period of time.

Human society not centered around the Lordship of Jesus Christ finds it almost impossible to have deeper levels of relationships. Our American “individualistic” culture works against committed relationships. Everyone knows that we have become experts, not at growing a healthy marriage, but at breaking marriage vows at the first sign of trouble. As Christ followers we need to take another look at the personal and interpersonal skills needed to grow Christ-honoring, God-glorifying relationships. We need a revival of relationships that are governed by God’s self-giving love – at home, in the local church, in our communities.

Recent research into healthy, committed relationships has described such relational skills and qualities as (not in any particular order): (1) Kindness, (2) Being open to change, (3) Commitment to meeting the other’s needs, (4) Encouragement, (5) Ability to negotiate win-win resolutions to conflict, (6) Cheerfulness, (7) Respect, (8) Being a good listener, (9) Trust, and (10) Patience. Above all, healthy relationships require commitment and loyalty to another person. For Christ-followers commitment is based on the conviction that God has brought another person into our lives and is joining our hearts together (for whatever reason). When Christ is at the center of a relationship, our mutual commitment to Christ will hold us together, in good times and in bad.

The quality of God’s love not only summarizes God’s character, it is the primary evidence that you and I have a growing relationship with God. Jesus told his disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). Paul taught, “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). Paul also summarized the qualities of a person of faith: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Peter also gave primary importance to our committed relationships: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). On the other hand, Jesus prophesied, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

When you have a casual acquaintance with someone, you rarely ever have a conflict; your communication is too superficial for that to happen. However, the more you get to know someone, the more you will encounter objectionable, irritating aspects of that person’s life. That’s why at each level you have to ask: Is God in this relationship? Does God want me to commit myself to this relationship? Is God calling for covenant-keeping loyalty in the midst of our mess? If the answer is “yes,” then it’s always possible to find a positive way forward toward greater commitment, intimacy and oneness.

Every relationship (except the most temporary, superficial relationships) encounters challenges along the way, some of them very painful, difficult challenges. Husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters (natural and spiritual) encounter many opportunities to give up and move on. Anyone involved very deeply in the life of a local church will face obstacles and offenses along the way. In every situation the question remains the same: Is God the source of this relationship? Is Jesus at the center of this relationship? If so, then God is calling for his committed love to rule. Our commitment to unconditional love will always empower us to do the hard work needed to heal a relationship and move on into greater levels of oneness in the future. By this, the world we know we are apprentices of Jesus. 

The Gathering

Democracy was invented in Athens around 508 B.C. It was a direct democracy, meaning that the citizens voted for every issue – they did not vote for representatives who would vote on issues for them (that’s a Republic). All legislative and executive issues were determined by the citizens. Imagine an issue of taxation coming up in Athens. An assembly of the citizens (to be honest, only wealthy, adult males) was scheduled for a certain time and place. The assembly then heard arguments pro and con, often accompanied by political satirists and comedians (their own SNL), and then a vote was taken. You had to be physically present in order to be a part of the assembly and to have a vote on the matter.

The Greek word for the democratic assembly was ekklesia. It literally means “those who are called out,” i.e., called out of their homes to gather as an assembly. That same Greek word is very important in the New Testament and is always translated “church.” Unfortunately, the word “church” has come to mean a lot of things other than this picture of the assembly. Traditional and historical baggage has been attached to the idea of “church,” resulting in our understanding of church having little to do with the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles.

Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. However, he taught about the idea of his “ekklesia” on two different occasions. The first occasion was when he asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” You’ll recall that Peter responded with this important confession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:13-16). Jesus then made this statement about his ekklesia: “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus made a very clear declaration: “I will build my church,” my assembly. Jesus committed himself to building a community of gathered ones who would have authority to “bind” and to “loose.” This new assembly would gather in communion with heaven and share in the authority of heaven. It would be an entirely new kind of assembly that would triumph over the gates of hell.

On the second occasion Jesus was teaching his apprentices about the unique nature of his kingdom, describing the greatest in the kingdom as “someone who takes the lowly position of this child.” He went on to condemn those who cause one of his little ones to stumble, to recommend leaving the ninety-nine sheep to find the one who has wandered off, and to describe the process of restoring a fallen brother or sister (Matthew 18:1-17). Jesus then made this statement: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:18-20). Jesus expanded on his earlier teaching about the unique authority of his assembly by describing a concrete example of a Kingdom gathering, one involving “two or three” real people gathered at a specific time and place. This assembly would share heaven’s authority to bind and loose. Why? Because “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This human gathering has heaven’s authority because they are gathered “in my name” and as a result, Jesus is with them.

I’m convinced that most of what we think of as “church” is not really church at all. We all know that the building is not the church, the people are the church. What we don’t appreciate is that the people are the church only when they are assembled together. I am not the church when I leave the assembly. We are the church during the times we are assembled together. And when we gather in the name of Jesus, with Jesus at the center, representing the mission priorities of Jesus, he is present with us, standing in the midst, speaking and working to and through us. It’s not enough just to be together; to share in heaven’s authority we must “agree” together in unity. And when we agree together as we agree with Jesus, the authority of God’s Kingdom is extended to and through our gathering.

May I suggest that there are many reasons why we occasionally assemble together that really miss the point:

·         To see and be seen. While we thoroughly enjoy our human connections and interactions during the times we are together, the church/gathering is not primarily a social club.

·         To serve and be served. For many the local church exists to provide a menu of religious goods and services. Some gather only when they are scheduled to serve. There is really no understanding of the authority of Jesus in the midst of a gathered, united community of Christ followers.

·         To put on a show for seekers. While we are committed to being a welcoming church and not a religious getto, our primary purpose is to gather in the name of Jesus to exercise the authority of God’s Kingdom.

·         To earn favor with God. In our Bible belt culture we are committed to the thought that “going to church” is always a good idea and contributes to our reputation of being good people. But we do not “go to church,” we are the church when we gather together in his name.

Instead, we must understand that the regular practice of assembling together is vitally important to our lives as apprentices of Jesus, to the Jesus Way, and to our experience of being transformed and empowered to being instruments of transformation in the world. We are committed to the regular practice of gathering because:

·         We are the “called out ones,” called out of the world by the grace of God.

·         We are representatives of Jesus, gathering in his name, gathering as instruments of God’s Kingdom in the world.

·         Jesus is with us; we gather to celebrate Jesus, to fellowship with Jesus, to worship together.

·         We have Kingdom authority when we are gathered together, taking advantage of the opportunity to “bind” and “loose” in Jesus’ name.

It’s no accident that you find all of us together at certain times and places. We are God’s Kingdom Gathering – transformed people transforming the world.

Nobody's Perfect!

Have you ever met someone with a “perfection complex”? It’s usually someone who grew up with a lot of pressure to be perfect, to make no mistakes, while being continually criticized for making mistakes and being imperfect. So this unfortunate, wounded person goes through life with an unhealthy compulsion to be perfect, to not make mistakes, to not fail. There are a couple of serious problems with this “complex”: (1) a fear of failure will keep a person from attempting anything of significance, and (2) nobody’s perfect. This person can either decide to live a very safe life where there is little chance of making a mistake, or they can live with a cycle of attempting perfection, failing, attempting again, failing again, etc., etc. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more miserable person.

On the other hand, some people are so completely committed to imperfection they make no attempt to live with any degree of excellence or integrity. They live to flaunt their imperfection, sometimes using “grace” as an excuse.

The fact is, the Bible talks about perfection. In almost every case, the word is used to refer to God (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 25:1) or God’s Word (Psalm 19:7). Human perfection is another thing. “To all perfection I see a limit” (Psalm 119:96). Human perfection keeps bumping up against sin and mortality, injustice and death. God created human beings to perfectly reflect his glory. Unfortunately, all have sinned and fallen short of that glory.

Then Jesus came and painted a new picture of human perfection. Perhaps the high point of his “Sermon on the Mount” occurred when Jesus made this statement: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Is that even possible? To the rich man Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). It’s no wonder “he went away sad” (verse 22). It appears as though “the Jesus Way” is the way of perfection.

The apostle Paul went on to say that the renewing of our minds will enable us “to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). He instructed the Corinthian believers to “be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10). He also told them to purify themselves of everything that contaminates the body or the spirit, “perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (1 Corinthians 7:1). Paul wrote this to the Colossians: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14). The letter to the Hebrews refers to the sacrifice on the cross this way: “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).

So what is it? Is human perfection this side of Paradise impossible, or are their dimensions of perfection made possible by the work of Christ?

What does the Bible mean by “perfect”? The New Testament word (Greek teleios) for “perfect” means “to be brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness.” It simply means “full-grown, adult, mature.” It refers to moral and spiritual maturity and wholeness, to character that reflects the heart of God.

New Testament “perfection,” therefore, means at least these things:

1.     The perfection of Christ and the perfect salvation he has provided can be counted as ours – by faith. Referring to Jesus the writer to the Hebrews claimed, “once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). We find our perfection only within the perfection of Christ.

2.     It is possible, by grace, for the character of the Father to be formed in our lives. For James, that included the way we use our tongues. “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check” (James 3:2). We are growing, developing spiritually, being transformed “from glory to glory,” so we expect to see the heart of God increasingly reflected in and through our lives.

3.     Our human weakness becomes a context for our growth in perfection. Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). There is no hope for perfection independently of God and the grace of God.

4.     The only basis for human perfection is God’s perfect love. Indeed, perfection is ultimately about an ever-increasing measure of love. “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17-18).

We know we make mistakes. Human perfection is fundamentally impossible outside of Christ. However, the power of God’s grace and love is working mightily in our lives. God’s love is increasingly ruling in our lives. As our Father/Parent God is working to grow us up. We are, in fact, being transformed. In that way, God’s glory is shining in the midst of a dark world. Transformed people transform the world.

Who Is Seeking Whom?

In the church I grew up in we used to have “testimony services.” Folks were encouraged to stand up and volunteer a good witness for the Lord. (If enough didn’t respond we “blessed” them with a request to stand and testify.) I honestly don’t remember anything I may have said, but I do remember that everyone seemed to say about the same thing every time. It was like a rehearsed “elevator speech.” Those who were new to the church often started something like this: “I’m so very thankful that I finally found the Lord!” (Amen! Hallelujah! Well!) It made me wonder – is the Lord lost? Is it up to us to do God a favor by looking for him, finding him? Aren’t we the ones who are lost? And isn’t God the one who is looking for and seeking us?

My conclusion is that human beings are so lost we are incapable of even considering looking for God. “There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). If faith is our response to God’s initiative, then you never found God – God found you!

Jesus came seeking the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). The Parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (Luke 15) all show the nature of the Messianic mission as seeking to find those who are lost. The Father is seeking worshippers. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). Quoting the prophet Isaiah Paul wrote, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me” (Romans 10:20). Everyone human being is equally lost, and God is seeking to have a relationship with everyone. However, only those who know they are lost, only the ones who are willing to admit their absolute need of God, will be open to God when he comes knocking.

As you know, Jesus compares us to sheep. And that’s not necessarily a compliment. Sheep are delightful creatures, but they are also a bit nervous, insecure, easily frightened off, and in constant need of a shepherd. (Goats have just as much need for a shepherd but…but…but they are unwilling to admit it.) In his teaching Jesus was very clear about the value sheep had in his eyes. To the Pharisees he said, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep” (Matthew 12:11-12). It’s no wonder Jesus is referred to as “that great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), “the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25), and “the Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4).

Jesus had a strong passion and motivation for everything he did in life, and here it is: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). He saw people as sheep and, as a shepherd, was moved with compassion. His shepherd’s heart moved him to travel “through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35). At the same time he exhorted his new followers to take up the shepherd’s mantle. “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (Matthew 9:37-38). “Found” sheep share in the shepherd’s heart and mission. But they continue to be sheep themselves, requiring wisdom and a humble dependence on their Chief Shepherd. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

After his resurrection Jesus encountered Peter and asked him three times, “Do you love me?” Three times Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And all three times Jesus replied with the same words of instruction, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Those words summarize our mission as yoked apprentices of Jesus.

All we like sheep tend to go astray, but the Great Shepherd of our souls is continually looking for us, seeking us, finding us. And when we are found, we are called to share in the Shepherd’s heart and mission. In reality, there are no human “seekers.” God is the compassionate Seeker in our midst. God is seeking you. God is seeking your loved ones and neighbors. God is constantly looking for those who will respond to his initiative in their lives. God then calls us to join him in looking for lost sheep. It’s not up to the lost to come to us; it’s up to us to seek them out. We begin by “praying for laborers,” and then we answer our own prayer by reporting for duty.

Do you know anyone who is lost? Do you see who is missing? Sharing in the Shepherd’s heart for sheep will move you to seek them out and let them know they are loved.