Confessional Community
Out of all of the elements that are the makeup of authentic biblical community, confession is the value and action that carries the most weight with me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not disagreeing with Jesus in Matthew 22 when He says that the two greatest commandments are loving God and loving others, I simply believe confession is an action that kills two birds with one stone. My life has changed dramatically as I have meditated on James 5:16, “therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other, so that you may be healed.” Let me briefly flush out the “stone of confession” as seen in community. Now, I get upset stomach thinking about confessing to my wife and my guys group that I got stuck watching 5 minutes of Spike TV, where women were not fully clothed, but there is healing there.
We have a God that has not only saved us eternally, but wants to redeem, deliver, and save us out of something right now. Just for fun, watch how Jesus always wants to pull people out of their current situation and have them find life in Him. So, confession is the act of communicating two truths to God and others: 1) the sin that I have run to and 2) I am trusting the Lord to save me out of this sin. The act of trusting God is the action of loving God, and it is loving others enough to let people know, “the true you.” John Cox always says, “Facts are your friends,” which is a statement that I love but the reality of the facts are hard to swallow. Communicating to people around you, “the facts” about who you are allows them to participate and watch a transforming and saving God work in your life. Leaders are people who lead out and set the culture around them. How are you leading out in the area of confession? What sin do you need to confess to those in your community, so that you can be known and that they can know what God is saving you out of?
By: Rob Barry
Tags: authenticity, Community, confession, growth, sharing
October 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am
That was a great thought provoker: “How are you leading out in the area of confession?”
This has huge implications for pastors! Does my preaching include humble admission of sin and struggle, or, do I present myself as one who has it all together? I think when church communities hear their pastors voice their sins, it renews their hope in the Gospel.
Paul said it this way: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
I can get behind the confession of an apostle like that…
Great posts. Keep ‘em coming!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
This is a great post. Thanks for the clarity about confession as the communication of two truths to God and others.
We have definitely experienced the benefit of confession in the life our marriage without a doubt. As a couple we’ve lived with the desire to know other couples and be known by them. And over the past couple of years we have developed those reciprocal relationships with other couples where we are able to confess the sin and pseudo-saviors of our marriage. We have found that even in our confessions of the first truth, we have put the burden of “saving” on each other. Christ is our only Savior.
I know for us, it has improved the ability to do that with each other, those in our small group, and have seen the ripple effect in our relationship with our children.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Great post Rob. Great challenge and reminder to confess to God and others my sin and struggles. For some reason, over and over again, I fall short in this area, because I either think I can trick God by not confessing (as if He doesn’t know what’s going on), or I become consumed by a fear of what others think of me that I won’t really let others in by confessing to them.
Over and over through the years I do find forgiveness, freedom, and healing in confession to God and to others. Instead of people throwing stones, I find others who care for me in spite of my struggles.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
To be fully known and fully loved at precisely the same time is indeed life-giving! If I could just be reminded of this every 5-10 minutes!
Thanks for the reminder Rob!
January 26th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
confessing your sin seems to be a nightmare and feels at times impossible to do. However when I do confess the sin it is at that time the burden is lifted and my eyes are open to the fact that it was hindering my relationship with Christ.
I dont even know what I am saying or maybe I do know what I am saying. I guess for me I just wonder why I fall to the same sins over and over.. its frustrating