Does this concept have any place in reformed theology?

thanks,
Larry

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Larry Cook
Greenville, SC

Yeah, its called 'the wife'

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Jonathan Hunt

Preaching Elder
Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church (Confessionally Based)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
-- Thomas Elsworth

Opinion only:

Other than what Jonathan said, no. It is a modern phenomena and for the most part decentralizing to the base unit of the church - namely the family.

ldh

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Larry Hughes
Geologist
Tates Creek PCA
Lexington, KY
PCA

Galatians 4:29, "But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also."

thanks.....for confirming a long held (edited) suspicion...

Larry

[Edited on 6-12-2005 by LarryCook]

Among teenagers this is an atrocious idea. Well, it doesn't really work. For example,

Say a young guy has an accountability group at church composed of like-minded seventeen year olds. He confesses that he looked at p0rn on the internet and really stumbled into lust. His friends nod sympathetically and say they will pray for him. At worst, he might get told this is wrong. In reality the situation has not changed.

Now let's pretend that his dad sits in on the accountability meeting. All of a sudden, the young guy has his computer privileges taken away.

Now which one worked?

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

Well, what you (rightly ) condemn is the one application of the idea...not the idea itself.

Many people have no other christians in their family....do you think the idea might have any benefit for them? or is it completely irredeemable?

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Mark
Independent baptist
Singapore

Good point. I was assuming there was a Christian dad or guardian in the household. My above post is modified on that contigency.

Still, it seems that one is much better off being accountable to church officers than to a peer.

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Evie B.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Attending Park Street Church, Boston

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)

I could see how this concept could have some merit. For one thing, there are a lot of Christian singles who have a difficult time becoming connected to the larger church body, especially in such a way that "true accountability" can happen (meaning someone is free enough in the relationship to be completely honest w/o worry of reputation).
Another reason is that most of the church staff can be too busy to accomodate the person's accountability wishes on a regular basis.
To take a lonely person and team him up with someone who promises to "walk with him" thru his struggles and help him and encourage him in his war against this world can surely be of some benefit.

I used to be a part of an accountability group. I no longer believe in them the way I did and so would not want to participate again, other than to be there to share the Gospel with hurting brothers. As far as "confessing sins to one another" in this type of arrangement, it usually just ends up in trying to "rearrange the flesh" as someone once said, and I don't really see the value in it other than relationship (which some are desparately longing for).

In fact, I could tell that one of my "brothers" was getting a sick thrill out of listening to other's escapades, so you have to be careful that your sins are not enticing others.

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Christopher Hinton
Northland, A Church Distributed;
Altamonte Springs, FL

We are to hold one another accountable, that's in scripture (I will look up verse later). Though I've not heard of this "accountability" movement. For me, I've been partaker in a very indepth Bible Study group since 1993. With them ost being numbered at 15 or so it was VErY easy to pick up on when things aren't right. Most of us have formed such tight friendships that we can open up voluntarily with the others, or just one on one conversations. But this accountability goes both ways. When we see someone "High on the mountain" ie., enjoying God's best, we encourage that person as well. I can honestly tell you when we see a brother in a bad way they are brought one on one and talked to, if the problem continues to exist we have another go with that person, and if that doesn't work we address the issue in front of the entire group.

Much more accountability than a church organization could ever hope to have IN THAT it's too easy for someone to slip in and out of their pew every meeting and leave without saying a word to anyone and no one would be the wiser that they are in a bad way! I was in a church organization for five years, when I left not ONE person came to call and ask where I was, was I alright. (Yes, I was alright but I couldn't handle their doctrine, it was a pentecostal church... (cringes!)