The message Christians too often hear is, “You’re a prisoner who’s been pardoned, but you’re still the same person you’ve always been. Try harder not to sin. You’re heart is suspect and prone to wander, but try harder not to wander and stray.” That’s why we have ‘accountability groups’ – brothers and sisters policing us in order to help us manage our sin. The assumption behind ‘accountability’ as practiced today assumes all the wrong things about the believer’s heart. Author Wayne Jacobsen was sent a cartoon of Jesus inviting people to come to him. The caption read, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you an accountability group.”
Accountability is so … Old Covenant.
We pressure Christians to be holy, and then tell them they’re not. We start with a negative: “You’re job is to become like Christ, but good luck, because you’re clearly not like Christ: You’re too selfish, too needy and too committed to your own happiness.” Because we don’t start with the believer’s new heart – with the goodness that is now theirs because they trust Christ – we wound people with a shame-based message: “You weren’t enough to please God before you became a Christian, and you’re still not enough to please him even now.”
Here are some sample sermon titles that demonstrate the difference between accountability preaching and biblical preaching:
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OLD COVENANT PREACHING |
NEW COVENANT PREACHING |
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“How to Avoid Temptation” |
“Gratifying Your New Purity” |
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“The Seven Deadly Sins” |
“You No Longer Want That … Really.” |
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“Becoming a Better ______” |
“Learning to Live from the Heart” |
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“Just Do It” |
“Released From Pressure” |
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“Seduced by Desire” |
“Exploring Your New Appetites” |
The assumptions of Old Covenant preaching are no longer valid. The supremacy of Christ is uniquely demonstrated through the supernatural renovation of our hearts. Therefore, we no longer need messages invariably telling us to avoid sin, or to become a better spouse, more faithful church member, or involved parent. Nor do we need messages that pressure us to serve, or Old Covenant teaching that assumes all our desires are still selfish. Rather, we need a different focus, a different obsession – we need to uncover the rich purity and new passions of our redeemed hearts.
(Excerpted from Jim's upcoming book, Recover Your Good Heart)