I recently came across an article by the Barna Group that included research statistics related to how well churches were providing members with accountability opportunities. The results weren't that great with only 15% of evangelicals polled claiming to have some form of church-centered accountability. While this percentage was the highest out of the "Christians" polled, it still shows how lacking our churches are at accountability. (I used the quotations on Christians because I don't know what criteria Barna used to determine Christian designation)
George Barna gave his opinion as to why churches aren't holding its members accountable.
"Barna Group studies among pastors and other church leaders have consistently shown that such leaders have a distaste for initiating any type of confrontation and conflict with congregants. Another barrier is that many followers of Christ are uncertain about the difference between judgment and discernment. Not wanting to be judgmental, they therefore avoid all conversation about the other person’s behavior—except, sometimes, gossip.
One of the cornerstones of the biblical concept of community is that of mutual accountability. But Americans these days cherish privacy and freedom to the extent that the very idea of being held accountable by others—even those with their best interests in mind, or who have a legal or spiritual authority to do so—is considered inappropriate, antiquated and rigid. With a large majority of Christian churches proclaiming that people should know, trust and obey all of the behavioral principles taught in the Bible, overlooking a principle as foundational as accountability breeds even more public confusion about scriptural authority and faith-based community, as well as personal behavioral responsibility."
To read the entire article, go to http://www.barna.org/congregations-articles/454-study-describes-christian-accountability-provided-by-churches
So what does this mean for college ministries? Well I believe that in order to change this statistic around it starts with the future leaders of the church, which are college students. I would encourage you to implement some form of accountability for professing Christians in your ministry, at the very least for those who are leading in your ministry. Let them see the value of living in community with other believers and confessing struggles and sins and even encouraging one another. I would also encourage ministers to model this accountability structure to their students, for as goes the leaders so goes the students.
George Barna gave his opinion as to why churches aren't holding its members accountable.
"Barna Group studies among pastors and other church leaders have consistently shown that such leaders have a distaste for initiating any type of confrontation and conflict with congregants. Another barrier is that many followers of Christ are uncertain about the difference between judgment and discernment. Not wanting to be judgmental, they therefore avoid all conversation about the other person’s behavior—except, sometimes, gossip.
One of the cornerstones of the biblical concept of community is that of mutual accountability. But Americans these days cherish privacy and freedom to the extent that the very idea of being held accountable by others—even those with their best interests in mind, or who have a legal or spiritual authority to do so—is considered inappropriate, antiquated and rigid. With a large majority of Christian churches proclaiming that people should know, trust and obey all of the behavioral principles taught in the Bible, overlooking a principle as foundational as accountability breeds even more public confusion about scriptural authority and faith-based community, as well as personal behavioral responsibility."
To read the entire article, go to http://www.barna.org/congregations-articles/454-study-describes-christian-accountability-provided-by-churches
So what does this mean for college ministries? Well I believe that in order to change this statistic around it starts with the future leaders of the church, which are college students. I would encourage you to implement some form of accountability for professing Christians in your ministry, at the very least for those who are leading in your ministry. Let them see the value of living in community with other believers and confessing struggles and sins and even encouraging one another. I would also encourage ministers to model this accountability structure to their students, for as goes the leaders so goes the students.
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