How can the spirit of independence affect our commitment to the church and its community?

In this video, Toby Logsdon discusses one of the major discipleship challenges faced by churches today - the independent mindset. This mindset, particularly prevalent in Western societies, often encourages individuals to participate in church activities without any intention to engage in accountability. Accountability, as Logsdon explains, forms a crucial part of discipleship. Many individuals, however, prefer to remain unnoticed and unaccountable, a factor contributing to the spread of megachurches.

Accountability and discipleship are necessities for all church members, from the pastor to the newest convert. While the desire for independence might encourage individuals to come and go without establishing connections or becoming accountable, Logsdon emphasizes the importance of accountability in discipleship. A study of God's Word reveals the need for accountability among all believers. Ideally, this sense of responsibility should be integrated into the way the church functions.

Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV): 'As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.'

I'd say one of the biggest discipleship challenges that churches face is the fact that the Western mindset, the American mindset, is so independent. That there are so many people who have a propensity to come into a church not with any intention of having any sort of accountability. But Accountability is a huge part of discipleship. It just is. We all need it.

We all need discipleship and we all need accountability. And so if you come into a church and you just hope to not be noticed, I mean, I think that's one of the reasons that megachurches have been so prolific in our day and age, is because so many people don't want to be noticed. They don't want to form relationships. Maybe it's because they want to check a box. Maybe it's because they're curious about what the church is like, but one of the biggest hurdles that the church faces is just people who don't want to be held accountable.

But I think if you study the Word of God you see that every single one of us from the pastor to the new convert, we all need accountability, and ideally it's built into the way we function, but it's very easy for people to come and go and not, try not to be noticed.