According to Patrick Morley, “accountability is to be regularly answerable for the key areas of our lives to qualified people.”  Charles Swindoll adds, “Accountability is giving a few trusted persons the permission to ask you the hard questions.”

Tim serves this purpose for me.  We’re in contact twice a month: a 30-minute phone chat, and a face-to-face lunch meeting.

I gave Tim the following questions to ask me.  I need someone to do this because I’m a sinner who can’t trust his heart.  I also believe I’m in grave danger morally and spiritually when there’s too much privacy.

Every follower of Christ will probably need several of these questions.  But the list of probes can also be personalized based on one’s history and felt needs.

• Have you maintained a regular “quiet time” with the Lord during which you read Scripture and prayed in an unhurried fashion?
• Have you said or done anything this week that constitutes a breach of integrity?
• Have you spent adequate time this week investing in your relationship with your spouse and children?
• Have you consistently adhered to the standards and policies established for your organization?
• Have you taken care of yourself physically through sound eating habits and exercise?
• Have your relationships with members of the opposite sex been “above board”?  (Have you said or written anything to another person that you wouldn’t want your spouse to hear or to read?)
• To what extent have you resisted or fueled sexual temptations?
• Has your use of time this week been characterized by diligence and loyalty to the responsibilities you agreed upon?
• Have you lied in response to any of the previous questions?

What questions would you add to this list?

Who is asking you questions of this sort? 

There’s a word for the person who tries to stay loyal to Christ all by himself: victim.