Commitment and Accountability

I had attended a meeting at church last night and we were discussing what does it take to continue to grow in our faith.  Actually we didn't so much talk about that in particular but as I had time to think about the topics that we were talking about it appeared to be focusing on our personal transformation and our corporate transformation.  We were talking about covenant agreements and also about what type of process we need to be able to grow the faith.  There has been some members of the church who are interested in seeing that we can reach out to those around us and share our faith journeys.  Maybe not so much to recruit members but rather to invite others to walking with Jesus Christ in their lives.

The work of the church had come up with some suggestions that our leadership would agree to do.  Apparently there has been so concern about some of these suggestions.  As we were talking last night, we realized that we as a church and as leaders have not been consistent in our commitment and accountability and want to implement ways that we can grow in those areas.  What has been reported to me was that there were concerns about two areas that were in the suggested covenants.  One being attending worship weekly and the other being doing a mission project.  As I think about my life prior to being a pastor, I know that I did not attend worship services weekly every week of the year.  So I can empathize with the concern about what is meant by attending worship weekly.

At the same time, we are about worshiping our Creator and giving praise to him.  We are about loving one another and loving the stranger in our midst.  What may be an issue is not that we don't do this but now we are being accountable for doing this.  Most of us do attend services regularly.  Many of us do reach out to support one another and serve those who are in need.  Maybe the issue is stating that we will do this to others much like saying out loud that I am going to lose weight or do any change in my life.  Much like blogging when I stated I wanted to blog daily.  I have had people hold me accountable to times that I have been lax in doing so.

I believe that if we are going to make any difference in this world we need to do what we state that we hold dear.  I marvel at some of what President Obama has stated especially about the need to rebuild trust in our government.  He pointed out that the budget has been hidden by design regarding the expenditures of the war and in other areas.  I agree that something needs to change to have people once again believe in our leadership.  The concern I have is that congress allied themselves with the previous administration to hide these costs and that President Obama was part of that congress.  I am pleased that now he is willing to speak truthfully about these costs that have driven our deficit to the highest levels ever seen and has happened over the last eight years.  It would be easy to blame either party or both parties but in reality we, including myself at times, choose not to live an accountable life.  The buy it now and pay it later lifestyle that many of us live has also created the economic problems that we are facing today.  And it is more than just financial, it is all areas of our lives including our spiritual lives.  So it is no wonder that people might be unwilling to commit themselves to change that is needed and to be held accountable for doing what we know we need to do.

As I continue to examine my life, I realize more and more how I have bought into the buy it now pay it later mindset.  I see hope in that many younger people are beginning to look at their lives differently.  I pray that as they do they also take time to remember God and take time to thank God for the blessings that they have.