“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

I’m a big fan of New Year’s, mainly because I fail every day to be the man that I so want to be. I constantly need fresh starts, new beginnings, second and third (and one hundred and third) chances to get it right. So here I am in January 2011, trying again to become more disciplined, more organized, more courageous in my life, and more like Jesus so that God would be honored and those around me would be blessed.

But here’s the thing I have learned the hard way too many times: my chances of succeeding are reduced significantly if I try to tackle my challenges on my own. On the other hand, if I walk in accountability with at least one other person, I find that even though I may still fall short, there is someone there to help me get back up and try again, and ultimately I will be more successful for having lived honestly before someone else and walked through the challenges of life with a friend.

With that in mind, I want to encourage you to examine your life to see whether or not you have accountability in place. Do you have someone, or a group of someones, with whom you are honest and open about your struggles and goals? If so, are you talking to them regularly, and being real with them? Whatever it is you are striving towards, you don’t have to go it alone.

If you are not sure where to turn, let me encourage you to check out the men’s or women’s Fight Club at NewLife. The men’s Fight Club is an accountability and support group that meets every Wednesday evening from 7-8:30 at NewLife. Fight Club is a welcoming, non-judgmental group of guys, with a variety of challenges but one common goal – to help each other be the best men we can be. The women’s Fight Club meets every first and third Thursday evening from 7-8:30 at NewLife, with the goal of encouraging and supporting women in whatever challenges they are facing.
Listen to this testimony from Don Plante, one of our Fight Club regulars:

“I started attending Fight Club last summer. I did not know anybody in the group when I started, but I was immediately accepted, just the way I was, in my very broken and sinful condition. At Fight Club, I am able to share my burdens with the other men. They listen to me and understand my problems. I know now that I am not alone. Being accountable to the other guys in the group is so helpful. I always know that someone will be asking me about my previous week and about my successes and failures. In no way do I ever feel judged or condemned. I especially like how the advice and feedback I receive is so grounded in God’s word. It is such a blessing to fellowship with other Christian men and to hear their testimonies. Fight Club has been an important part of my healing.”

My hope is that you all have friends that encourage and challenge you in that way, but if you do not, then what are you waiting for? For more information on the men’s or women’s Fight Club, contact me and I’ll get you in touch with the right people.