Pastors as Brothers: How to Form Gospel-Centered Discipleship and Accountability Groups

1 TIMOTHY 6:11-12 ESV

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these

things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,

love, steadfastness, gentleness.

1 TIMOTHY 6:11-12 ESV

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of

the eternal life to which you were called and

about which you made the good confession in

the presence of many witnesses.

PASTORS AS BROTHERSHOW TO FORM GOSPEL-CENTERED

DISCIPLESHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY GROUPS

IS YOUR CHURCH A SAFE PLACE?“Rather than a place for people to display their goodness

and hide their failures in fear of censure, the church

should be open, supportive, and compassionate in dealing

with our weaknesses. In such a place, there is no

expectation that people have arrived at some level of

perfection; it's a place where people journey toward God.”

~Larry Crabb, The Safest Place on Earth

HOW TO START A FIGHT CLUB?1. Pray

2. Cultivate friendship

3. Invite

4. Agree to meet

5. Share life story

WHEN PASTORS QUIT

WHEN PASTORS QUIT

STUDY ON 246 MEN IN FULL-TIME MINISTRY WHO EXPERIENCED MORAL FAILURE

1.None of the men was involved in any kind of

real personal accountability.

2.Each of the men had all but ceased having a

daily time of personal prayer, Bible reading,

and worship.

STUDY ON 246 MEN IN FULL-TIME MINISTRY WHO EXPERIENCED MORAL FAILURE

3. More than 80 percent of the men became

sexually involved with the other woman after

spending significant time with her, often in

counseling situations.

4. Each of the 246 had been convinced that sort of

fall “would never happen to me.”

OBJECTIONS AND ANSWERS

#1 – “I’M OKAY.”

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he

stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. 10:12

If we say we have no sin, we deceive

ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1

John 1:8

DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner.

So everybody must conceal his son from himself and

from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many

Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real

sinner is discovered among the righteous. So we

remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy.

The fact is that we are all sinners!

#2 – “I’M STRUGGLING, BUT I CAN DO THIS.” …Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be

tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so

fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he

is something, when he is nothing, he

deceives himself. Galatians 6:1-3

PAUL TRIPP

Our biggest problem is inside us and we

can’t fix it on our own.

#3 – “I WON’T FORGET THE GOSPEL.”

Rather, speaking the truth (the truth in

Jesus, v. 21) in love, we are to grow up in

every way into him who is the head, into

Christ. Ephesians 4:15

TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN

Whatever progress we make in our Christian lives -

whatever going onward, whatever pressing forward -

the direction will always be deeper into the gospel,

not apart from it, or aside from it. Growth in the

Christian life is the process of receiving Christ's 'It is

finished' into new and deeper parts of our being

every day…

#4 – “WE’RE FORGIVEN. NO NEED FOR CONFESSION.”

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and

just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse

us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

JOHN CALVIN

“It is fitting that by the confession of our own

wretchedness, we show forth the goodness

and mercy of our God, among ourselves and

before the whole world” (Institutes, III.IV.10).

#5 – “I CONFESS TO GOD. NO NEED TO CONFESS TO OTHERS.”

Therefore, confess your sins to one

another and pray for one another, that you

may be healed. James 5:16

DALLAS WILLARD

[Confession] will nourish our faith in God's provision

for our needs through his people, our sense of being

loved, and our humility before our brothers and

sisters….We lay down the burden of hiding and

pretending, which normally takes up such a dreadful

amount of human energy.

DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

The assurance of forgiveness becomes fully

certain to me only when it is spoken by a brother

in the name of God. Mutual, brotherly

confession is given to us by God in order that we

may be sure of divine forgiveness.

ANDREW COMISKEY

Sin can be erased only through exposure.

And that exposure occurs as one's sin is laid

bare through confession before God and

other human beings.

#6 – “I NEED TO CONFESS, BUT I’M AFRAID.”

Let us then with confidence draw near to

the throne of grace, that we may receive

mercy and find grace to help in time of

need. Hebrews 4:16

DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. . . .

But it is the grace of the gospel, which is so hard

for the pious to understand, that confronts us

with the truth and says: You are a sinner, a

great, desperate sinner; now come as the sinner

you are, to the God who loves you.

PAUL TRIPP

Rest for the heart only comes when you are

getting your identity and personal security from

the gospel…Because you rest in his forgiveness,

you don't need to fear being exposed since

nothing could be known about you that hasn't

already been covered by his sacrificial work.

#7 – “BUT IT’S SO MESSY.”

PAUL TRIPP

Things will get messy. But if you are humbled by

the messiness of sin in your own life, yet

confident in God’s grace to change you, you will

not be afraid to get close to other sinners who

need that same grace. God will use the

messiness you encounter in others to spur your

own growth in the gospel.

#8 – “I’M TOO BUSY.”

PAUL TRIPP

Being involved with people is time consuming,

messy, and complicated. From our point of view

it is inefficient, but from God's point of view it is

the best way to encourage growth in grace. Our

value system collides with God's, but his means

for bringing about change in us is best.

TO REMAIN GOSPEL-CENTERED, AVOID…

1. Legalism: “I will obey to be accepted.”

2. License: “Because I am already accepted, I

don’t have to obey.”

TO REMAIN GOSPEL-CENTERED, PURSUE…

1.Growing knowledge of God and self.

2. Daily repentance and living by faith:

“Because I am already accepted, I am bound

to obey.”

You Fight Club

1 - Praise 3 - Gospel

2 - Confession 4 - Prayer

5 - Obedience

1. PRAISES

o What is God doing in your life now?

o How is he making himself known to you

through his Word and his works in your

life?

2. CONFESSIONo What sins have you committed lately?

o What heart idol is exposed that is beneath

those sins?

o What temptations are you facing right now?

o What "good works" have you done with the

wrong motivations?

3. GOSPELo Who is Jesus? How does he live as the

righteous one? What did he accomplish in

his death and resurrection?

o In light of your union with Christ, what is

your new identity?

o What are God’s promises (and warnings)?

4. PRAYER

o Truth / love / power

5. PLAN OF OBEDIENCEo How will you fight temptation?

o What adjustments will you make?

o What steps will you take to follow Jesus?