Chasm of Confusion
How accountability moves us from being information addicts to experiencing transformation.
We’ve been reading through the Gospel of Matthew in our daily devotions. Every time I go through it, I’m reminded how difficult it is to practice the basics of what Jesus calls us to. Years ago, a friend asked me, “Why is the teaching at LIFT so basic?” The question puzzled me. After decades of wrestling with the Sermon on the Mount, Acts 2, and other foundational scriptures, I don’t feel ready to move on. Even in a simple reading, these passages continue to convict, challenge, and motivate me.
The Addiction to Information
One of the byproducts of the Western mindset is our addiction to information. Even as postmodern thinking has shaped our worldview, we still believe that acquiring more knowledge will resolve our sense of inadequacy. (Edwin Friedman discusses the consequences of this in relationships in his excellent book, Failure of Nerve.)
Nowhere is this more evident than in the way Christians crave depth in sermons. Hardly a week goes by without someone either praising or lamenting the “depth” of the preaching they receive.
One of my mentors, Sunder Krishnan, who pastored his church for more than 35 years, once told me that preaching is a poor tool for facilitating life change—but an excellent tool for worship. Why? Because we don’t need more information to transform our hearts and behaviour.
The Accountability Gap
The challenge isn’t that churches fail to preach about evangelism, disciple-making, or other core aspects of faith. The challenge is that we have an accountability gap. We are accustomed to hearing about what we ought to do through sermons, teachings, and Bible studies, yet we have very low expectations for follow-through.
Often, when we attempt to hold Christians accountable for the basic expectations of humility, service, generosity, evangelism, or disciple-making, we often face resistance—even accusations of being overbearing.
However, this gap between what we profess and what we practice is at the root of the challenge in multiplying disciples. I call this gap the “chasm of confusion.”
If our actions don’t align with our beliefs, our faith becomes confusing at best—or meaningless at worst. Church leaders must do more than communicate scriptural expectations; they must also encourage and facilitate loving accountability.
Accountability is essential for moving from information to transformation. In disciple-making movements (DMM) that are highly effective at multiplying disciples, obedience is a core part of the discipleship methodology.
So, why don’t we embrace accountability more? First, because it requires us to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ensure we are living up to what we preach. Second, because it risks relationships; we cannot predict how a person or a community will respond when challenged, and that is scary.
Shrinking the Chasm of Confusion
How can we create a culture of transformation where this gap is minimized?
Keep preaching and teaching the basics. We shouldn’t move on to more advanced topics until there is evident transformation in our lives from elementary teachings.
Equip for multiplication. By training leaders to develop other leaders—even with basic concepts—we ensure that discipleship spreads person to person.
Clarify value-driven expectations. Writing down expectations ensures that everyone knows what is encouraged and required.
Measure results. It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’re effective, but real transformation can only be assessed through tangible outcomes in the community.
Celebrate loudly. When we highlight and celebrate concrete actions that align with scriptural values, we provide clear examples of faithfulness in action.
I talk about the importance of accountability in disciple-making systems in the latter part of Everyone Sent. Check it out!