I don’t know about you, but I am tired of seeing famous people modeling immoral life styles and being called heroes. Not that they don’t do some great things in their lives, but sometimes I get disillusioned and wonder if I could falling into sinful traps if I am not careful. I am reminded right away that I need boundaries and I need friends around me to help me walk in a way that honors God.

We all need friends to go to when we really want to share our heart with someone. As a leader, we want someone to ask the hard questions about life, about faith, about what is right and wrong.

Do you have someone you consider an accountability partner? Or perhaps you are in a small accountability group of women who challenge each other to live by God’s standards and to continue to grow in your walk with Christ. As leaders, it is essential that we have a built in set of “checks and balances” to help us walk in a manor that is worthy of our call.

I have a friend who has been an accountability partner for me for a couple of years now. We wish we had more face to face time, but we stay as connected as possible through email, facebook, twitter, and at church. We make special arrangements to spend extended time together just to check on each other, our families, our ministry, and our walk with the Lord. We both know that if we do not make this a priority, we too, could become careless about honoring God in our daily life.

There are many benefits of having an accountability partner.
• Matthew 18:20 talks about needing accountability when we need restoration “among brothers” (See Matt. 18: 18-20). We all need friends who will get in our face and speak truth when we are not living according to scripture.

• Proverbs 27:17 tells us “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (HCSB) What does that mean to you? Do you want someone to “sharpen” you as a leader? We need one another to spur us on to be leaders with integrity and wisdom.

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” (HCSB) You benefit from having a close relationship with someone who knows you intimately and wants to see you grow in Christ and become the leader God has called you to be. If one of us falls, our “companion” can help us stand back up and walk once again. Proverbs is filled with advice about learning from the “wise”. Scan chapters 11 and 13 for some scriptures showing the importance of “wise counsel”.

Decide on what qualifications should you look for in an accountability partner.
5 Steps to Find an Accountability Partner
10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Accountability Partner

Set goals for yourself and your partner. Decide how often you would want to meet. Stay in touch also by email, facebook and twitter. Pray for each other continually.

Read more in the article written by Julie Woodruff: Building Accountability as a Women’s Ministry Leader: Building Accountability

For more ideas on starting and maintaining an accountability partner or small group see Heart Friends: Beginning and Maintaining a Small Accountability Group Heart Friends
by Margaret Kennedy and Shirley Moses, and read Margaret’s article Tips for Starting an Accountability Group

How are you handling the issue of accountability for yourself personally and in your women’s ministry?