Accountability (cell notes)
ACCOUNTABILITY
WELCOME
Ice breaker: tell the others about a memorable word of correction or encouragement you received.
WITNESS
Discuss which people would like to form accountability triplets in your cell. Make sure you keep boys together with boys and girls together with girls.
To start with, please try the following series of questions to give your meeting a bit of structure. Without structure we might as well not bother. We can always have nice chats over a cup of tea but these accountability groups present us with a rare opportunity to help each other move on in our Christian faith. Please make good use of them. The more you put in (in terms of honesty and commitment), the more you will get out of them.
Here are the six headings (which all begin with “C” like “Christ” to help you remember them). The first three relate to comforting. The second three relate to challenging. The first three start with “C”. The second set start with “Ch”. Please stick to the sequence. Wesley and his friends had accountability groups with sets of questions in the 18th century. It worked wonderfully then. Why not now?
1. Come
Come to Jesus. Come to the group. Come to review your progress, to be comforted, to be challenged and to change. Before you do anything else, diarise when you will meet next. Then open in prayer. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can truly change us from within if we will co-operate with Him
2. Confess
Confess your struggles and fears with the others. Also, share your victories. Be honest and real. Get to the heart of the matter. Don't just choose an easy option. Don't try to sort out all your problems either. Perhaps limit yourself to one or two issues which are on your mind at the moment or are generally a problem.
3. Comfort
Comfort one another. Remind each other that when we confess our sins we are truly forgiven (1 John 1:9). A hug and/ or a short prayer might be helpful. Encourage one another to keep going. There is always hope. Affirm the good.
4. Challenge
Challenge yourself and be challenged by the others. Face the tough questions and pray for guidance as to what you can practically do to change your behaviour, to remove temptations, to find the freedom God has in store for you. Come up with some practical action points (e.g. committing yourself to confess a certain sin to a friend either immediately when it has happened or the next time you see them).
5. Choose
Choose to change. Choose which action point is likely to help you change. Set yourself realistic but hard targets which the others will keep you accountable on.
6. Change
Change your behaviour with God's help. In the coming weeks say “no” when the old ways of thinking and behaving raise their ugly head. Keep your accountability partners closely informed. Help each other to become more like Jesus. Finish in prayer.
WORSHIP
Get that CD on. If there's enough space you could even encourage a bit of dancing for at least one of the songs. Go on! Let me challenge you to get over your English reserve and crucify your pride for Jesus' sake.
WORD
Here's a brief summary of the talk. Pick out relevant points as you see fit. The parable of the narrow and wide gates demonstrates that Christians are called to be different, to be set apart and holy for Christ.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
- Matthew 7:13-14 -
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
1. ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE GOD
We are first and foremost accountable to God.
Romans 14:12 (NASB)
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
Hebrews 4:13 (NIV)
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
2. ACCOUNTABILITY TO OTHERS
We are accountable to each other.
Generally: we are all mutually accountable
Specifically: church leaders and the church have special responsibilities to each other
To illustrate this point, the Bereans in Acts 17 were commended for testing everything.
Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
3. HOLDING OTHERS TO ACCOUNT
There are two sides to accountability: a comforting and a confrontational side. Generally we find the confrontational side harder.
A. Comforting
Ecclesiastes 4:10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
B. Confronting
2 Thessalonians 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness...
1 Thessalonians 5:14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
(i) Excommunication in severe cases (1 Corinthians 5 & Matthew 18)
(ii) Gentle correction in the vast majority of cases (Galatians 6:1)
(iii) Patience in every case (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
4. BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO OTHERS
A. Humbly accept correction
Proverbs 27:5-6
5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
B. Confess
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
C. Be patient with yourself | 