A: Biblicalaccountability is a vital aspect of a Christian's walk with the

Lord. Accountability means that we have anywhere from 1 to 3 people

that hold us responsible for our actions in areas of our lives in which we
consistently struggle with sin, or fail to live up to God's standards.
Accountability is meant to help us overcome these sinful strongholds in
our lives.

I don't personally know of any person that doesn't struggle with at

least one (or more) particular sin in their life. However, if you ask them
"Who are you accountable to?" they will reply "No one" or "What is
accountability?"

People fail to realize that if sin is kept in the darkness, it is nearly

impossible to overcome. Sin thrives and grows in the darkness. It must
be brought into the light if it is to die (Eph 5:11-14). So many people
think they can walk the Christian walk alone... These "Lone Ranger"
Christians don't feel they need other believers to come along side of
them. They don't want to depend on others, but would rather be
independent. Many see dependence as a sign of weakness. Some have
abuse in their past, and don't trust anyone. Others don't want anyone
to judge their behavior, nor do they want to judge anyone else's
behavior. These obstacles must be overcome. They are the opposite of
God's will for our lives.

Accountability means finding that person, or better yet several

persons, who love Christ, will love you unconditionally, and want to see
you come up higher. They should be people you respect, people you
trust, people who will support and encourage you, people who will not
condemn you no matter what sins you struggle with. Most importantly,
they should also be people that you can confide in, and know without a
doubt that what is said to them will be kept confidential, and not
shared with anyone else. Breaking confidentiality will destroy an
accountability relationship.

Building these relationships often takes time. It is not easy, especially

for those who are very independent or who have trust issues. There is
nothing wrong with starting slow. Possibly, start with a smaller issue,
that you would like help with that isn't so hard to discuss, and begin to
build that trust and bond. As time goes on, you should be able to deal
with deeper issues. You will also find yourself built up as you are able to
be there for your accountability partners, and know that they are
depending on you. Brothers and sisters in Christ depending on each
other; this is a Biblical concept.

(James 5:16) Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one
another, that ye may be healed.

(Gal 6:1-2) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are

spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (2) Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ.

(Eccl 4:9-10) Two are better than one... (10) For if they fall, the one will
lift up his fellow (friend): but woe to him that is alone when he falleth;
for he hath not another to help him up.
(Heb 3:13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest
any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

(1 Th 5:11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one

another...

(Prov 27:17) Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the

countenance of his friend.

(2 Tim 4:2) reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(Also see: Rom 15:14, Heb 10:25)

(2 Cor 1:3-4) ... the God of all comfort; (4) who comforts us in all
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.

The Bible clearly shows us that God never meant for us to walk
alone. Even Jesus had His group of 12 to support Him, and of that 12,
He also had a smaller group of 3 that He shared even more deeply with.
When Jesus sent out the 70 men to go ahead of Him to the places he
Himself would later go, He sent them out in twos (Lk 10:1). When the
apostles went to proclaim the Gospel all through the New Testament,
they went in twos. They needed each other. WE need each other.
We need each other as a body of believers that form the church in
general (large group).

We also need to support and be supported in a local church (Heb 10:25)

(a smaller group).

We need to form even closer bonds in such places as small groups,

Bible study groups, and Sunday school (an even smaller group).

And, we need to go even further in forming an accountability group

(the smallest and most intimate group).

The larger groups are certainly important and vital to a believer, but
they are not meant to bear the most intimate details of your personal
life. We must go deeper.

How do we do this? We must allow these accountability partners

TOTAL access to our lives. We must be willing to openly share our sins
and struggles, and they need to be willing and able to ask some tough
questions. Questions about our relationship with God, our spouses, and
our children. Questions about our temptations, and the sins we have
committed when we gave into the temptations. Questions in areas such
as: sex and pornography, alcohol and drugs, gambling, finances,
temper, unhealthy relationships, how we use our time, what we watch
or listen to, pride, etc...
 This can be VERY uncomfortable. It is meant to be so. This is how we
overcome. When sin is brought into the light, it helps set us free. There
are few things more difficult in life than to openly confess your faults
and hidden secrets to another person. It can be embarrassing, scary,
and humiliating. However, one thing you will come to find out, is that
you don't want to keep confessing the same sins over and over. We
want to come up higher.

*** Note: Let me add here that accountability partners should be the
same sex. For married people this is a MUST. Married people should
NOT be sharing intimate details of their lives with the opposite sex. This
is a dangerous road to travel. However, even for those not married, you
need same sex accountability. The old adage is true, men will never
understand women, nor will women understand men. We have
different thought processes, desires, and needs, and will never fully
understand these in the opposite sex, nor can we fully give them the
help they need.

Accountability groups should meet at LEAST once a week.

Accountability partners should readily be available if you need them
during the week as well. They should be available to support,
encourage, and pray with you, if you are struggling to avoid sinning, or
if you have given into temptation and sinned and you need help.
Meeting once a week is great, but what if you struggle during the
week? You need someone who can help you through right then, not
later. That is important.
 Make every effort to meet when you are scheduled to do so. I think
it is safe to say that Satan and his demons hate accountability groups,
and will do anything they can to hinder or break them apart. If you
don't meet on a regular basis, and frequently, the group will likely be
ineffective, and neither you, nor your partners will overcome. Each
person in the group must be COMMITTED! They must be in it for the
long haul.

Always make sure whenever you meet, that prayer surrounds your
meetings. Open with prayer, and close with prayer specifically for the
needs and problems discussed. Cover with prayer those who are
struggling.

Let me add here, one other aspect of accountability. That is

accountability to an individual or individuals that you have harmed, and
you need to make things right. This is not the same thing as an
accountability partner or group, and it doesn't have the same function,
but it is important in the process to help us overcome sin in our life.
Have you hurt someone? Have you caused someone pain because of
your sin? Do you have a secret sin that you haven't confessed to a loved
one? If this applies to you, accountability may well force you to confess
that sin to whomever you have hurt, whether they are aware you have
done it or not. You will need to apologize and seek forgiveness. I can
guarantee that you won't want to have to do that again at a later time.
If there is a secret sin, the person may be hurt and angry. Restoration of
the relationship may take time. Trust may have to be rebuilt. Healing
will have to occur. It will take effort, and may even require outside help,
such as counseling, to restore the relationship. However, rest assured
that if you are wholeheartedly seeking to follow and do God's will, He
WILL take care of you and will work all things for your good (Rom 8:28).
Our accountability group can also be there to support and encourage us
during this time.

Friend, please keep in mind that some accountability relationships

don't work out for one reason or another. Do NOT stop trying! There
are plenty of men and women out there who are lonely and hurting and
struggling with sin, that need someone to come along side of them, and
who would love to help you too. They are just waiting for someone to
ask.

Also, it is important to understand that accountability alone will not

help us to get free from the sinful strongholds in our lives. There are
things only WE can do. We must take steps to "flee" when
opportunities to sin appear (1 Cor 6:18)(1 Cor 10:14)(1 Tim 6:11)(2 Tim
2:22). We must avoid putting ourselves in situations that we know will
tempt us, or cause us to sin. We must remove things in our lives that
are associated with the sin (i.e. If you struggle with alcohol, don't keep
it in your house. If you are addicted to internet pornography or internet
chat, get rid of the internet.) We must make a covenant with our eyes
(Job 31:1), set no wicked thing before our eyes (Ps 101:3), and should
not let our eyes wander (Prov 4:24). We must make no provision for the
flesh (Rom 13:14).