Accountability is a common word, but that doesn’t make it fully understood. The modern concept of having an accountability partner may have originated with addiction recovery programs and may be the use you’re most familiar with, but there are many other scenarios where accountability – having to answer to another – can make a huge impact. In fact, you may be surprised just how many accountability partnerships are at work among the people around you; as this is the design of the Body of Christ!

Some Reasons for Needing Accountability

• When you’re trying to break an old habit or begin a new one
• To help you reach goals
• If emotions tend to take you off course, or prevent you from reaching your potential
• When you’ve had it with the way you’ve been doing things and need help to attain a better outcome
• Even more seriously and intensely than the above, if you’re imprisoned to habits and feelings and can’t find freedom without answerability
• To help you learn a new way of living, and better resist temptations to sin
• To have protection from the world, the self, and the enemy, especially when trying to reach Kingdom-oriented goals
• For the sake of improving your relationships
• As a way to grow closer to the Lord

Real-Life Examples of Accountability Relationships

• Two college students have decided to read Scripture over one another for 5 minutes each morning to start their day in Truth.
• A young-adult brother and sister do periodic check-ins with one another to make sure they are remaining in agreement for how they want to shape the future of their family line.
• A teenage introvert makes commitments to herself that if she doesn’t resolve an emotional matter within a certain time frame, she will meet with her counselor for further guidance.
• A father of five meets once a month with an older gentleman to discuss his most vulnerable moments as head of the home.
• Less formal, but no less helpful, several women regularly tell each other when they’ve made a hard decision so they have no choice but to stick with it.
• A mom of a special need’s child promises her husband she will meet with her counselor on a monthly basis in order to have a safe place to process her rawest emotions, so she won’t take them out on others at home.
• A group of several men commit to pray for one another daily, always take one another’s calls, and go away for one weekend together at least once a year for a soul check-in.
• Two women in their 20’s, best friends, and total opposites, are determined to help each other succeed in their completely differing career paths.
• A few, like-minded professionals review each other’s work to make sure they are a good witnesses for God’s kingdom in their public and private lives.
• A small group of women feel the need to share life together in a deep way – by doing regular Bible studies together; praying together on a weekly basis for one another’s marriages, children, homes, careers; and committing to the spiritual formation of their families, side-by-side.
• A group of young, married men voluntarily have check systems on their devices so that if anyone looks at porn, the other guys are notified.
• A senior college student required the freshman who asked him to be his mentor – to sign an agreement of commitments to uphold the mentorship.

Part 2 of this article (to be published tomorrow) will provide tips for how to find good accountability and how to provide good accountability.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and FELLOWSHIP, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts. 2:42)