“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for
one another, that you might be healed. The prayer of a
righteous person has great power as it is working.”
James 5:16
I really like the two groups of men that I meet with weekly. Last night, all of us came to the meeting having been significantly afflicted through spiritual warfare. It didn’t take long at all for this to become apparent, and we addressed the problem accordingly. Things suddenly got better.
There is something powerful about meeting together. Satan scatters and isolates so that he might destroy, but God gathers in a community to heal. If you are serious about recovery, you somehow must get involved with like-minded people. Going it alone is what the devil is looking for. Don’t play into his hand. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
So, do yourself a favor and intentionally get connected with others. They need to be the same sex. Don’t mix vulnerability with sexual temptation. Apart from AA and a few other recovery groups, you likely will have a difficult time finding what you are looking for. Frankly, you may very well have to start your own group. That’s OK, it may take some time. Start today with prayer. It is God’s will that you connect in community, so he will answer that prayer. It may take time, so be patient.
Start by asking your friends. You may be surprised at who is or isn’t interested. In order for this to work, everyone must be willing to be honest and open about their problems. It won’t work if one or two of you spill your guts and the rest sit there in silence with wide eyes. Some people are ready for this and others aren’t. Look for the ones who are.
You may want to do some studying on this while you are prospecting. There are plenty of great resources specifically geared towards men’s or women’s ministry. Look for ones that focus on accountability. You may want to focus on courses for particular topic, such as food or pornography. There are lots of resources available.
Pay particular attention to the leader’s guide. You may find you need to be the first leader, even if that isn’t your cup of tea. Don’t worry about that. God has designated us ALL to make disciples, so all of us have the internal wiring to be leaders. Trust me, it’ll be good for you. Our small church rotates leaders each week. We don’t have a pastor, nor do we want one. Our men are developing their own skills to lead a flock. Ask any of their wives if they like that. Trust me, developing leadership skills will benefit you in so many ways, including your home life.
I might suggest that you DON’T try make this a church ministry. Look and see for yourself. How many churches have successful, on-going accountability groups that actually do something? Not many. It’s not from lack of trying. There are lots of reasons why, but they simply don’t get traction and quickly fizzle out. Perhaps it’s because there is no real buy-in from the pastors. They simply don’t become part of a confess-all group. If they do, they tend to dominate and fail to be one of equals. No, you’ll probably find your group consisting of men from different congregations. That may be best for everyone involved.
Enough said. I know one thing. Last night I witnessed this come to life:
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort, too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Father, thank you for the men in my life. Amen.
Copyright © 2020 Scott Powers