My post is not about current events, but just something on my mind for a while…Back in February, I had to take a 2-week online class to maintain my status as a lay servant and speaker in my denomination. The class looked promising to me, yet I ended up disappointed and mildly frustrated. It was about accountable discipleship, which is something I do think is in dire need among more believers. See this past blog post: Accountability and a brief history of Methodism.
The class, while it did have some good content, somehow failed to get the idea of authenticity across. I could tell that most of the participants just weren’t getting it. They still seemed to think of Christian accountability as just a group of believers …being friendly, and sharing prayer requests for sick people. Sigh.
Also, the question we were directed to answer each day in a journal, that the instructor read, was to share the ways we had succeeded in our spiritual life that day. It was like a “be positive approach” – share your success, and thus…you are evading ways you have struggled and your weakness or sin. And historically at least, Wesley and Methodism had an emphasis on being open and honest about temptation and sin!
Well, all the critique of this class, is to get to a good example of modern day accountable discipleship in an evangelical Methodist setting. I saw this shared (thoughts continue after it):
I loved so much about this guide for a discipleship group! Such as the Scripture based opening and closing prayers, and note that the questions focus on struggles and successes. I like how questions 4 and 5 are for when you are ready. It does take time for trust to develop, and some personalities or those with certain past experiences may need more time. They may need to observe first, that this group of Christians are lovingly sharing their struggles and successes in order to help each other, and not to judge or gossip about one another.
That’s all…perhaps you’ll find the weekly meeting format helpful.
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Enough Light 
I really like this!