This morning I have been reflecting on the exciting days that lay ahead for The First Baptist Church of Springdale and The Church at Pinnacle Hills.  The new year for both campuses begins August 20, which means not only new Connection Groups and a new Worship Hour for First Baptist, but also the celebration of the 5^th Anniversary for Pinnacle Hills.  Can you believe it?  All that God has done on both campuses in these last five years?  This reminder makes it all the more important for me to continue my reflection on the characteristics that are not only vital to successful businesses, but vital in building successful people.

So far we have talked about honesty, integrity, leadership, loyalty, cooperation, and courage.  Today let’s direct our thoughts toward two additional characteristics:

1. The characteristic of commitment.  This is a pledge or a promise that you make to someone.  There are many who hesitate to make commitments today, but it is a part of life and nothing really great in life occurs without commitment.  It involves me giving my life and my word to something and to someone.  If a business team is going to reach any goal, it will take commitment.  There is a basic law in business that says, “If you are not committed to do what you are asking others to do, then they will not believe in you and join you.”  Commitment means something different to everyone.  Take an egg.  It involves commitment from the chicken and the chicken would testify of its commitment.  Take a piece of ham.  It involves commitment from the hog, a greater commitment than from the chicken.  Both see themselves as committed, but obviously each had a varying commitment!  No matter what you may interpret as commitment, without it you will fail to achieve your goals personally and professionally.
2. The characteristic of accountability.  This means that you are responsible.  Each of us must be responsible and accountable to someone in order to make our business successful.

There are a couple of observations I want to make here.  First, you are as effective as you are willing to make people accountable for their responsibilities.  Second, people are only as responsible as they sense their accountability.  Three, mature people want to be held accountable.  Four, accountable relationships produce high success.

Accountability will bring greater respect, greater relationships, greater confidence, and greater success.  There is never a day that goes by that I do not realize that God holds me accountable for that which He has entrusted into my life.  We do not have to be afraid of being accountable to God because in all honesty, that accountability drives us to depend upon Him for every area of our life.