Accountability the Secret Sauce of Discipleship

Unless you overlay accountability onto the micro-shift we described in Starbucks, Micro-Shifts and Discipleship, all you have is a solid lesson in a discipleship class. Our world desperately needs disciples who not only call themselves Christians, but who reflect Jesus. 

The accountability factor is what takes this micro-shift from the individual level to the organizational/church-wide level and where we can begin seeing discipleship as a system from a thirty-thousand-foot level. When a micro-shift is made at this level, your church will embark on a new trajectory to both spiritual and numerical growth.

The Accountability Spectrum

The accountability spectrum is not a spectrum focusing on whether or not individuals have personal accountability in their lives. This spectrum is actually a way of measuring one of the most important cultural aspects of a church: accountability from a systems perspective.

In other words, when the leadership of your church asks the congregation to do something, do they do it?

Is the “ask” seen as conjecture, suggestion, a strong recommendation, or a command?

And after the “ask” has been made, how is the follow-up process? Is it vertical, from church leadership to church member? Horizontal, from church member to church member? Or inversed, from church member to church leadership? Where is your church on the spectrum?

Low Accountability--------------------------------------------High Accountability

Low Accountability

• Scattered

• Lop-sided ownership

• Exempt

A church with a low accountability culture will either let everyone choose their own adventure when it comes to discipleship, or they might not even mention it.

The church’s leadership assumes that discipleship is either the responsibility of the individual, or the result of their preaching and programming – the right preaching and the right beliefs automatically lead to maturity. As a result, many models, programs, and ideas, if implemented, have a short shelf life at the church.

High Accountability

• Organized

• Mutual ownership

• Responsible

In contrast, a church with a high accountability culture will be highly organized. The church’s leadership will craft specific pathways and steps for newcomers to become a part of the church and for the mature to stay engaged.

There is a high degree of mutual ownership where both the leadership of the church and the members are keeping one another accountable, so that promises are kept and expectations are met.

When you combine the destination model with high accountability you grow an intentional disciple-making community around clear next steps. Discipleship does not just become another program. 

Daniel Im, Senior Associate Pastor at Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton, and author of “No Silver Bullets,” describes the process as having “guardrails and a moving sidewalk that members can use if they want.” Both are designed to point people toward Christ.

The intentional church creates multiple environments to move people toward Christ, instead of assuming people will move in that direction if given opportunity.

Pastoral Focus

1. Create and communicate a clear First Step (connection to community) – Next Step (small group) – Lead Step (volunteer/lead) for every age group.

2. Prepare your message and prepare small group leaders to apply your message in their weekly group meeting.

3. Offer message follow-up in a short-term, stepping stone group that leads to connection with an established group or the formation of a new group.

4. Consistently champion the value of discipleship in all corporate and small group gatherings.

Combining direction-based discipleship with a culture of accountability is your best shot at forming disciples who reflect Jesus. How is your process going? Please leave a comment in the section below. Thank you.

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