Accountability

Video review of 2013 - (Photos from various church events set to the music of "Press On" by Selah)

What a great review. Some events were missed but it looks like we’re a group of believers who love one another.

What about our personal lives? What about our personal relationship with Jesus? What if God made up a video of your life in 2013; what would that look like? Your devotional life. The way you treated others. The way you handled the finances with which the Lord has blessed you.

Would we want that video to be shown for all of us here today?

During the video we heard a song about “pressing on”. (by Selah)

They lyrics are awesome:

When the valley is deep - When the mountain is steep

When the body is weary - When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard - When we're battered and scarred

When we've spent our resources - When we've given our all

Chorus:

In Jesus' name, we press on - In Jesus' name, we press on

Dear Lord, with the prize - Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on

In Jesus' name, we press on - In Jesus' name, we press on

Dear Lord, with the prize - Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on - To press on

Hosea 6:3 (NASB) says it this way:

“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”

“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the (drenching, winter) rain, like the (gentle) spring rain watering the earth.”

Pressing on, going deeper with the Lord, how can we do this?

Recently Pastor Karenlee and I have been discussing our Sunday evening service. This is basically what our church activities look like week after week:

Sunday School (Bible lesson)

Morning Worship

Sunday Evening Gathering (Same as SS but with a few hymns)

Tuesday Women’s Luncheon (lunch with Bible lesson)

Wednesday Evening Gathering (Same as SS but with food and an extended time of prayer)

In essence we have four SS (Bible Study) sessions and morning worship.

Is this bad? NO, it is not!

Now, let me make this REALLY clear! We love gathering together to study the Bible. Bible knowledge is critical to our lives in Christ.

But, Bible knowledge without applying it to our lives is disobedience.

(Accountability Groups) One of the ideas we’ve been discussing is the idea of having accountability groups on Sunday evening.

John Wesley developed three types of small groups: societies, classes and bands for the purposes of support, accountability, and encouragement.

Accountability groups are a modern version of this model

First there were Societies. These were large groups of believers with the men and women separated to opposite sides of the gathering place. The speaker gave a lecture or sermon. There was no interaction, no questions asked and no responses. This was informative and not evangelistic.

Second, there were Class meetings

(medium mixed groups of 10 - 12 people)

Now, imagine that you are in such a meeting and you are being asked the following questions to which you must give a verbal response …

Group Questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I

am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass onto another what was told me in

confidence?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to someone about my faith?

10. Do I pray about the money I spend?

11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12. Do I disobey God in anything?

13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is

uneasy?

14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the

Pharisee who despised the publican?

19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold

resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do

about it?

20. Do I grumble and complain constantly?