Sunday, January 4, 2009

40 Days of Purpose




It is official. We are one week away from the 40 Days of Purpose. What an exciting time for KCC! Though I am looking forward to being reminded about my purpose and encouraged to live it out I am really excited about the starting of small groups.

American Christians need deeper fellowship and greater accountability. Fellowship is more then getting together for a meal and superficial conversation. Fellowship is getting into the lives of one another. It involves the breaking down of personal barriers and mutually sharing lives. Scary but so needed today.

Accountability is the scariest part!! I try to approach accountability light-heartedly in church but the truth of the matter is I shouldn't. We are a generation in need of accountability. What is accountability? I think many of us equate accountability with control. Allow a person to keep you accountable and you give the control over your life. I will admit that this view is taken by some churches, but I don't believe that accountability equals control. Accountability begins with relationship. It is at least two peope learning how to be honest with one another concerning their lives. There must be a desire to live differently in order for accountability to work. The person who does not want to change should never be in a relationship of accountability.

Accountability is encouragement. Once we open up and allow others to see into our lives we need to allow them to participate in our lives as well. As I said, it is not control. We are not allowing people to tell us what to do, but we are allowing others to encourage, give advice, come alongside of and pray for us.

Accountability is mutual. It goes both ways. It may start out being one sided but it cannot continue to be healthy unless it evens out. Why? Because accountability is really a natural part of relationship.

I can't wait to see what happens over the next 6 weeks. My prayer is that KCC grows deeper in relationship as a result. I really think the deeper we grow in relationship the more we will be able to accomplish for God and His kingdom.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Pastor Brian, you hit it right on the head when you said, "Once we open up and let others see into our lives, we need to allow them to participate in our lives, as well." Being and having an accountability partner is a big deal in Celebrate Recovery. I'm looking forward to more accountability partners with my CR step study coming up, and through the 40 days. Giving my testimonies, as hard as that was, is a piece of cake compared to actually letting others into my life to hold me accountable. I'm hoping to break through some of that fear in this New Year. I hope we all conquer the fear and become more transparent and accountable, with the help of our small groups. See ya Saturday at the kick-off!