“Christians and churches do not always make the right ethical decisions when left to themselves. Accountability to others keeps us from always doing what we want and serving our own selfish desires…Knowing that our fellow Christians are watching what we do may help us be more responsible in allowing God’s grace to work in our lives.”
David Garland makes these comments on the administration of the Jerusalem Collection in 2 Corinthians 8-9 in 2 Corinthians: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (NAC; Nashville: B & H Publishing, 1999) 396.
Last night’s opening ceremonies went great! Praise the LORD! Today I will help facilitate discussions with delegations from around the world at the International Accountability Summit in Dallas. What encourages me most about this historic event is that no longer are leaders “left to themselves” as Garland puts it. A global network of relationships has formed. It is akin to the Apostle Paul’s international network of stewards throughout the ancient Mediterranean world.
Pray for us today: that servants of Christ from Australia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hong Kong and China, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, South Korea, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Uruguay, and the USA will grow closer together and learn from each other to “help us be more responsible in allowing God’s grace to work in our lives.” As we uphold accountability and transparency, we remove roadblocks to generosity and create pathways for God’s grace to work in our lives and the lives of those we serve.