Intentiality cont'd

The interdependence of Exhortation, Accountability, and Encouragement at FBR

Exhortation, accountability, and encouragement are each highly dependent on one another:

Exhortation advise as believers on what they should do.

Accountability holds them to doing what they should do.

Encouragement support them and doing what they should .

Exhortation, accountability, and encouragement are each highly dependent on one another:exhortation advise as believers on what they should do.Accountability holds them to doing what they should do.Encouragement support them and doing what they should .

All three must be present in the Care Group if genuine spiritual growth is to occur

Without biblical exhortation: accountability and encouragement become aimless and without direction or authority.

Without accountability: exhortation and encouragement lack the follow up and discipline that many people need to implement change.

Without encouragement: exhortation and accountability become offensive and authoritarian. And without encouragement, people often feel alone, spiritually drifting, and perhaps even defeated in their Christian lives.

So, it is absolutely vital that all three elements are present and working together for Care Groups to truly accomplish their goal of genuine spiritual growth in the lives of the Lords people here at FBR.

The results of exhortation, accountability, and encouragement: Life Change

Lives are changed when believers actively engage in the biblical practice of exhortation, accountability, and encouragement. This is because through this process, believers establish goals for change, are held accountable to those goals, and are supported and encouraged and ensuring their goals.

Lives are changed when believers actively engage in the biblical practice of exhortation, accountability, and encouragement. This is because through this process, believers establish goals for change, are held accountable to those goals, and are supported and encouraged in achieving their goals.

Exhortation defines the goals for a change which believers should set.

Accountability holds them to meeting their goals for change.

Encouragement supports them in meeting their goals for change.

An important caution regarding exhortation, accountability, and encouragement

There is a significant danger posed by the practice of exhortation, accountability, and encouragement – we can subtly exalt ourselves so that we become genuine authorities in one another's lives. In order to keep this from doing so, we need to remain humble and realize that all exhortation, accountability, and encouragement must be based directly on God's word.

Therefore…

We must never exhort people to change unless the change is wholly rooted in God's word.

We must never feel that people are accountable to us, but solely to God and His Word ()

We must never encourage someone in such a way that is not biblically justified.

In sum, the purpose of exhortation, accountability, and encouragement in our Care Groups is not for people to play the role of God in one another's lives. Rather, it is to constantly point people to the supreme ruler, Jesus Christ, to whom we will all one day give an account () and to His word, which is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" ().