Accountable Men Part III by Holly Spence

Consistency feeds loyalty the last trait identified as faithfulness. Loyalty is often built over time; however that loyalty is tested and exposes the true heart of the leaders and or followers when a mistake is made. These days it doesn’t require a full out scandal. Any disagreement can test loyalty. I love the reference of the men in 2 Samuel who risked their life to fulfill just a mere desire of David. David is running and hiding for his life. He has been in battle after battle and he simply ask the question if he would ever drink again from the well of Bethlehem.  Those three men loyal to him and his vision broke through the enemy’s camp, putting their own lives at risk. The men had no thought for their agenda, no thought for their dreams or their lives but, to be the answer to David’s question.

I think the most interesting portion of the book speaks to having friends with those that you minister with. I have heard on a couple of occasions, other leaders make mention the needs as a leadership team to fellowship together. We don’t know each other as we should. I personally feel as if we are WORKING together we WILL get to know one another. While working you can’t help but spend time together. This would lend its self for further desire to fellowship outside the work. I believe that when everyone is not working it makes the workload unbalanced and requires more work and there is no time for fellowship. However, if we all join together the work doesn’t take as long and we can have more opportunities to fellowship. Apostle Chuck comes from a greater perspective of having a friend. One you can confide in. The bible tells us to confess our sins one to another. This can’t be done if there is no fellowship among the leadership or trust to expose our open wounds. I do believe this would be accomplished working alongside one another over time of course.

When speaking of being accountable, money always surfaces. The bible says that “…if you haven’t been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches?” Luke 16:10 says it this way “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much”. There are many examples or parables where Jesus refers to money to explain the importance of being a good steward of what has been given to you. This provides us with a great opportunity to do what I refer to as “heart checks”. If we want to be used by God and entrusted with spiritual matters, particularly the ministry of the word ask yourself the question, Can I be trusted? We also have to look at each task as an assignment and not assign any particular importance. All assignments/tasks are important in the kingdom of God. We have to be willing to yield our supply, gifts, talents and all resources to the work of the ministry. 

Our faithfulness to make this yield to another man’s vision activates God’s principals of blessing. Whatever good thing you make happen for someone else’s GOD will cause that same thing to happen for you. I believe this is the main goal of the book “Accountable Men”. Apostle Chuck desires that the body of Christ is enlarged through the equipping of saints and focused on one vision to ensure that occurs. This can only be done when you have accountable men and women to a vision of a house. When we decide that it’s more important to fulfill the vision of our local ministry, it proves to God that we can be trusted for promotion and rule. You will find that the activation of blessings is not limited to your spiritual life, but also in the natural things. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be add unto you”.

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Accountable Men Part II by Holly Spence

Competently and plainly the traits of faithfulness are outlined for the reader - meeting the goal of knowledge concerning the requirements for leaders and the expected self examination that must occur after reading such a persuasive truth. The traits of faithfulness are submission, consistency, loyalty and stewardship. Submission is a foul word in the church today and is often interpreted as control or being a slave. Unfortunately it does stem from abuse of leadership in today’s churches. Pastors making a poor attempt to justify their behavior through the scripture particularly Hebrews 13:17 (NKJ) which reads “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” We are to be submissive because they “watch out” for our souls and the leader should be under the ruling of God. I love how the message bible reads; it puts it all in perspective and makes it quite clear leaders should be lead by God and not their own wisdom. “Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?”

“….They are alert to the condition of your lives and WORK UNDER THE STRICT SUPERVISION OF GOD…” when this is occurring in a leadership team coupled with a believer free of the “slave mentality” the work of the ministry is a joy! While there is much responsibility on the leadership team, those that follow do have a responsibility which starts at agreement. Submission is required from leaders and followers alike. You have need to pass through the gate of the shepherd to be examined and checked for life threatening organism that may have attachment themselves to you. We as sheep can sometimes be blinded by things, situations and people. However the Shepherd won’t miss anything. This examination allows for the fine tuning that is needed to ensure leaders have fruit that remain. 

We don’t necessary care for the correction or assessment of our weaknesses. However, how do we ever expect to grow without such pruning? We need people around us to tell us where we error as well as encourage us when we are doing a good job. This type of correction ensures that as leaders we are meeting the faithful trait of stewardship. The bible says in Luke 16:11 that “…if you haven’t been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches?”

When a person is faithful these traits are seen clearly and concerning stewardship all of the persons resources are available to be used how God sees fit (including our money). Stewardship is not a self-centered or selfish, but rather selflessness which looks for opportunities to serve. Serving others and not for the sake of our own agendas or for our own glory. As faithful stewards we recognize the need to be what God has called for us in the earth – a reflection of his image, an explanation of him in the earth, the answer to someone else’s problem.  The work of the ministry is not about what we want to do and how we want to do it, but carrying out the assignment given to us through the “God-father” (God through the spiritual father/pastor). 

As believers we will not be judged for our sin, because that has been eradicated at Calvary, but on our works. We are going to hear our Heavenly Father say, “Well done…” or “Depart, I knew you not…”

Good stewardship is fueled by consistency, which is yet another faithfulness trait identified in “Accountable Men”. There is a need for us to be steadfast and unmovable. Not on an emotional roller coasters or a worker for God one week and the next week we don’t have time. Noah was consistent in the assignment God had given him. Although he had never seen rain, never built an ark or gone to the university majoring in zoology Noah was faithful to his ministry assignment. I can imagine the looks, stares, and the ridicule he encountered concerning the building of such a massive object. Noah was not deterred. The bible never mentions him being discourage or frustrated. He was a good steward of his time, resources and abilities. He worked faithfully to complete his assignment. 

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Accountable Men Part I by Holly Spence

Accountable Men by Apostle Chuck Clayton is a short but powerful manuscript of the biblical pattern, for the development of people, for the work of the ministry. Apostle Chuck refers to these people as “Faithful Men and Women”.

The Apostle skillfully walks us through the blueprint of God’s plan for affective change, first, by helping us to understand that we as the people of God need changing. That changing is done by God through leaders in our local church.  Ephesians 4:11-12 “…And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…”  This biblical principal foundation serves as the purpose of the book. As an Apostle, Apostle Chuck has left his footprint of the Apostolic for the world; this book through the identifications necessary to move toward the pattern of the New Testament church is quite clear. I believe this is why the book was written and necessary for the body of Christ.

This type of change requires “faith”. Galations 5:6 says “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” I love how the Message bible translates this scripture. “What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.” 

The book allows us as the church to recognize our failures as it relates to the development of workers. The book points out four specific issues, the first being the ideology that the pastor does all the work. This traditional stand point was not taught but more implied. I lived with a perfect example of a servant leader, my grandfather, John William Ray, Jr. however, the traditional Baptist church I grew up in supported church workers but not disciples for the work of the ministry and definitely not as it relates to the ministry of the Word. Ministry of the word was reserved for those males that believed that God had called them to “The Ministry”. This typically was identified as just preaching.

The second problem identified in Accountable Men, is that often church leaders do not release their people to do ministry. In the less traditional churches there may be equipping but then once the equipping is completed there is no activation or opportunities given to exercise the tools or information learned in the equipping session(s). Apostle Chuck points out that this often occurs because the pastor is unwilling, he/she has fears or feels threaten in some way. I think if I poled ten people nine of the ten would agree that this type of behavior incited by a lack of confidence and insecurities. Apostle Chuck boldly declares this is all rooted in pride, which has been fostered from experiences of rejection, attacks and/ or abuse, which in turn has caused pastors or set ministry to build walls of “defense between themselves and their people”.

Another point of our failure as a church is the work of the ministry is the simple mindset that, most people don’t feel “it’s not their job…that’s the pastor’s job”. This carnal response is a direct violation to the scripture Ephesians 4:11-12 mentioned earlier.

The cycles of fear of failure, resisting the unknown, breaking old mindsets and becoming what Apostle Chuck refers to as “Another Man” is clearly defined with practical solutions that can be practiced by leaders and layman alike. This introduction marches us directly into the main theme and goal of the book finding “faithful men and women”.

This pivotal requirement for the work of the ministry leads to Apostle Chuck’s well known believed opinion that we as leaders, we should look for people that are “faithful” versus “able”. In the book he points out that; this primary criterion should be reexamined because faithfulness speaks more to the person’s character than ability. Dr I.V. Hilliard is also the student of this school that believes that faithful people, God can make able. While I do agree with this statement it does make for good dialogue to discuss faithfulness versus capacity. I think about one of my current assignments as Director of Communication, Marketing and Multi-media. While I do hold some ability to function well in this capacity, I know there is someone else more “able” in each of these areas. While this department may do well, will it ever reach greatness? If someone else’s capacity in this area is greater all of my “faithfulness” doesn’t supersede that.  However, Apostle Chuck makes the great point that God is more interested in the character of a person then their ability.

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