Who has your back? (For Real)

If you missed last weekend at Concord, you missed a challenge for all of us to build some intentional encouragement into our lives. What is that? Intentional encouragement is spiritual accountability.

We need people in our lives committed to our spiritual development. Those who will help us, encourage us, and even correct us when we are not thinking or living right.

Look, the Christian life was not meant to be lived alone. That is why we are put into a family the moment we come to faith in Jesus. God knew that we would need one another. I once heard the birthmark of the believer is a bulls eye. The devil is on the prowl seeking someone, anyone, to devour. This is one of the main reasons we need each other.

Every man needs at least one or two other men in his life committed to his spiritual development. Every woman needs at least one or two other women in her life committed to her spiritual development.

You may curious about how to get the ball rolling on this in your life. Here are four practical steps:

Step 1: Don’t be embarrassed

You need this more than you know. However, the enemy wants to convince you it would be embarrassing to ask someone to be an accountability partner.

Don’t listen to the voice of embarrassment. Step through and embrace the awkwardness.

Step 2: Decide how you want to be encouraged

Make a list of questions. What do you want to be held accountable to? What areas do you desire to be encouraged in your life? Be specific. Don’t make a crazy long list.

Start with about four or five questions. For example:

• Tell me what God is teaching you from the Scripture?
• Are you enjoying your prayer life?
• Who are you praying for and seeking to share Jesus with?
• Are you using your gifts in a local body to help that body mature?

Step 3: Ask some people

Just go up to someone and ask, “Hey, do you think we could talk about once every two weeks and you ask me this list (present your list) of questions? I just need others to help me stay focused on my walk with the Lord.”

You may be surprised to find out that they want you to ask them the same questions. That has been my experience.

Step 4: Decide when you are going to talk

You can talk on the phone. You can meet for breakfast, lunch, dinner. You can meet before or after church. It doesn’t have to be an extended time, it just needs to be an intentional time. If you don’t set the time to talk, you will discover that this will be something you can easily put off.

The reason I am sharing this is because of the difference that having others in my life has made. Without the help, encouragement and even correction from some men in my life, who knows where I would be? They have added value to my walk with Jesus and I want value added to your walk.

So, let me ask you: Who has your back?