Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Accountability

In the preceding post I stated I want to Encourage existing Community Groups to take one year and focus on discipleship. I’d like to speak to that for a minute.

For the past few years the DNA of Community Groups has been C.A.R.E. Most – if not all – groups have done a superb job of CARE-ing for the needs of their group members. We want to continue with that same quality of CARE within our groups. However, as we expand the definition of some of the letters of this acronym, we will find ourselves focusing on discipleship as well.

  • C = Caring for the tangible needs your group. This is what has been done with excellence!
  • A = Accountability for members of the group to be growing in:
    • Knowledge of God through His Word, Holy Spirit, prayer, and intimacy with Jesus
    • Changed behavior or life style because of this increased knowledge
  • R = Replication of Christ in us - in all our relationships with others
  • E = Equipping us to continue our spiritual growth toward becoming Kingdom People
A –Accountability to:
  • time in God’s Word
  • listening to Holy Spirit
  • living a life of prayer
  • increasing my intimacy with Jesus through various spiritual disciplines
  • Scripture memory

Here’s the CHALLENGE: which item under accountability can you incorporate into your regular meeting that is not presently part of what you do? Try it this month and see how it changes the tone of your meetings and discussions. I’m betting you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

A FAVOR to ask: please let me know how it goes as you 'up' the accountability within your class, group, or fellowship. You can comment here, via email, or phone call.

2 comments:

  1. This is good stuff, pastor Sherrie. I'm looking forward to being real and being a little more vulnerable than is possible in a big Sunday setting. Thanks for setting the tone...

    Joel Miller

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  2. I agree that evangelism and discipleship are different things. They relate synergistically with one another.
    Are we evangelized only once? Are not belief and trust in Christ continually emerging in the life of a disciple? Isn't it so that the very activity of leading other persons to trust in Christ has the effect of producing progressively greater (or as I like to think of it, purer) faith in Christ, and thus, in a sense, evangelizing the one in role as evangelist?
    As I effort to evangelize another it's very humbling to recognize that the person I hope to lead to faith in Christ is as much a blessing to me as I may be to him or her. God has provided a precious opportunity for both of us to be conformed to the image of His Son. For her it is an opportunity to begin receiving God's excellent work for and in and through her. For me it is an opportunity to cooperate with His continuous, Christ conforming workmanship within and upon me.
    Through her comes His gift to me and within me is His gift to her. He Himself is the precious Gift given as we accept and receive one another. -- Matthew 25:32-40.

    Keep His Peace,
    Robin

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