Fostering accountability among Church leaders

It no longer surprises me when I hear news of prominent Christian leaders and influencers failing sexually. The latest news of Philip Yancey’s eight year extra marital affair led me to ask myself, why is it mainly male leaders, and less so female leaders, who stumble in this way. While I acknowledge that prominent female leaders are not immune, no one can deny that it is primarily a problem among male leaders.

It is traditionally felt that women talk about the personal things happening in their lives more than men do. Could this be partly the reason that Philip could have engaged in an affair for so long? Of course, this is assuming that none of his friends or colleagues knew about it.

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I think infidelity is now such a heightened problem in the Church and parachurch organizations that as the body of Christ, we need to take proactive steps to stop the trend from continuing. I have never been a part of an organization where this has happened but I imagine that it would, to some degree, involve a manifestation of the enemy striking the shepherd and the sheep scattering as a result (Zechariah 13:7; Matt. 26:31). And in his cunning schemes, the enemy seems to most often go for the biggest targets: in Philip’s case, a highly sought after international speaker and a writer, whose books have impacted perhaps millions. Indeed, we ought not to be ignorant of the enemy’s schemes (2 Cor. 2:11).

So, what can be done to stem this tide and prevent further damage to the body of Jesus?

So, what can be done to stem this tide and prevent further damage to the body of Jesus? I am sure that Philip, and every other leader who has stumbled in this way, has preached verses like 1 Peter 5:8, which warn us to be alert and sober minded because the devil is constantly prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. But let’s get practical. While we depend on God to keep us in every situation, what can we do to be alert and sober minded?

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First and foremost, I think this situation calls for more accountability among men. Sure, that solution is not rocket science. But if we are to be honest, how much accountability is there among male church leaders? Accountability is something we all, perhaps, talk about. But do we practice it?

I was in a church leadership training session recently where the subject of accountability was raised

I was in a church leadership training session recently where the subject of accountability was raised. The question was asked, who are we accountable to? Personally, I had to admit, that though I talk about my problems, I am not truly accountable to anyone. I have not given anyone permission to call me out on any specific issue I may be dealing with. I suspect this may be the same for many male church leaders, though many may speak glibly about accountability.

Maybe the time is right for churches and parachurch organizations to write SMART accountability goals into their constitutions. And if accountability is already written into those constitutions, maybe they need to be actually used.

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The situation may be a bit tricker for freelance Christian leaders, such as Yancey was in most recent times. Perhaps churches need to be more proactive in reaching out to leaders in situations similar to Philips. There needs to be more networks where men can be encouraged to engage with other men in an atmosphere of openness and healing. Were this the case, I think it would have been less likely that Philip could have…would have…continued in the affair for so long.

And when it comes to networks, I think the emphasis should be more on in-person networks. In our digital age, it is easy for real relationships to be eroded as people interact more superficially in social media networks. As outlined in Shane Hipps’ book, Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith, social media has resulted in more individuality, which tends to block accountability. The result: virtual communities characterized by anonymous intimacy where vulnerability is optional.

We are our brothers’ keeper. So let’s be intentional in fostering accountability relationships on all levels as we ‘consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’ (Hebrews 10:24).