Accountability

     Accountability is a word that many in our culture run from.  We are a people who don't want to be accountable to anyone.  We want to live life our way.  We don't want others pointing fingers at us.  We don't like the idea of being watched.  Yet, if we want to grow and become the person God wants us to be, we have to have someone who can hold us accountable.

     Those who want to get healthy find a trainer.  Those who want to get smarter find a teacher.  Those who want to mature spiritually find a fellow believer or group of believers to help them grow.  As leaders of our groups and classes we have a responsibility to challenge our people.

     In our Sunday Morning bulletins at the end of the Group Study there is a new section labeled "Accountability".  I encourage you as leaders to use these questions of accountability in your group.  Whether you use the sermon study or not, you can still use the accountability questions. 

Here are the questions:

Accountability: (Have group members answer on a scale from 1 to 10)

1. How is your relationship with God right now?
2. Did you spend time with God by reading your Bible this past week?
3. Have you spent time with God in prayer this past week?
4. Have you treated others around you as you would want to be treated?

What's next???

Summer groups are off and running!  This is our first time to do a Summer Season.  Numbers are lower, as we had predicted, since everyone is out and about over the summer.  We have seen a good number of first timers jump in though, so that's really cool! 
If your group isn't meeting over the summer, be sure to keep in touch with your groupies. 

What's next?  That's a good question.  Here's the answer: FALL!
The Fall season will be here soon and that means we need to prepare by raising up some leaders.  We still have close to 300 adults who have not plugged into a group.  (Remember, when I say "Group" I'm referring to both Life Groups and Classes)  But, honestly, if they all signed up we would have nowhere to put them.  We need more leaders!  We are striving to create a culture of Leaders raising up Leaders.

One of the first things Jesus did in his public ministry was to identify and develop future leaders who would advance his kingdom and mission (Mark 1:16-20; John 1:35-51). Paul modeled this as well, investing in emerging leaders like Timothy and Titus, among others.

Who is ready to get off the bottle?
Who in your group are you raising up to take the Lead?