Accountability Pt 1

Dear Pastors

For the next two weeks I want to wade into the murky waters of ‘Accountability’ and write about this gnarly subject that we all believe in and we know deep down is good for us but we are reluctant to go there. It’s a bit like exercise really. Let me set this up like this.

1. Scripture is clear that all of us are to live Accountable lives. That is to say that we are called ‘to account (or answer) for our actions’. Ultimately we will give an account to God Himself but in the meantime for ‘life to work’ properly we are called to be accountable to one another, our spouses, our employers, our congregations, our Elders, and our stakeholders. So Accountability is mandated in scripture.
2. I have heard it said many times, “we are only as accountable as we want to be”. I agree. We can choose how accountable and transparent we want to live. It really is in our hands……mostly.
3. In Christian (Spiritual) leadership I believe there are two distinct yet inter-related accountabilities. The first is for our personal and private lives and the second is for our performance as a leader (the work we do) wherever that might be, our public lives. Secular society has separated these two dimensions of life and essentially said that it doesn’t matter too much how you choose to live privately what matters is how you ‘perform’ in public. In Christian leadership that is a dangerous separation which ought not to be so. In fact it is not biblical. God is far more interested in our character then He is in our competencies and talents and what we do for Him.

Today, I want to talk about our private lives as leaders and the associated accountability that we should want and therefore ask for.

As Pastors and Christian Leaders we are as human as the next guy. Right? As human beings we are subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that are ‘common to man and women’. We are not beyond or above the temptations that have to do with ‘the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life’ 1 John 2:16. Given that this is true then like all Christians we as pastors must be the first to apply all the scriptures that pertain to living a life that is pleasing to God. Open, transparent and accountable. Why? Because so much rides on how we live privately.

Over the 35 years that I have led in a variety of contexts I have often times been troubled at how quickly we turn a blind eye to a pastors or Christian leaders ‘blind spot’ or personal problems or character flaws or weaknesses. That is to say that a pastor might have for example an anger problem and we ignore it, or a marriage problem and we ignore it, or a financial management problem and we ignore it or an addiction problem and we ignore it. Please hear me. I am NOT saying any of these problems disqualify a person from Christian leadership necessarily. What I am saying is that an attentive and functional Eldership or Board must hold this leader to account and having done so add in all the help and support he/she needs to ‘overcome’ their personal problem. We do this for the sake of the ‘wellbeing’ of the organisation, the people of God and ofcourse for the leader.

To this end I am a very strong advocate for every pastor submitting voluntarily, deliberatively and intentionally to being accountable to the elders for their private lives 4-6 times every year. Further, to invite one Elder and give him/her permission to ‘speak the truth in love’ at any time and finally that every pastor has a Mentor that is willing to ask the hard questions and refuse to accept………….BS as an answer.

What we are on the inside WILL determine how we perform on the outside if not now then sometime later on. Besides, as a pastor I really want to bring the best version of me to my work and the people God has entrusted into my care. And so do you.

Blessings

Alan

Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.