If you haven’t begun to use “Twitter,” you’re already behind in the social networking world.  “Twitter” is an Internet-based program that allows you to “communicate and stay connected through the exchange of short status messages.”  That is, you can tell someone where you are and what you’re doing at any moment during the day.  Dial the Twitter system into your mobile phone, and you can follow - and be followed by - all kinds of people all day long.

I, too, am guilty of playing the Twitter game, but sometimes I’m surprised by what seemingly insignificant information others share. “Got up early this morning.” “On my way to the store to buy bread.” “Reading a book.” “Working out.” “Raking the leaves.” “To the office - many meetings today.” “Tired this morning.” “Can’t sleep.” On and on the text messages go.  To be honest, I’m just waiting for someone to let me know when he is having a bowel movement - and that kind of sharing becomes the norm.  Nothing, it seems, is private in a twittering world.

But, maybe that’s not all bad.

Sure, some privacy is important.  The physical joys of marriage are meant to be enjoyed privately. Not every confession of sin should be spoken so publicly that additional problems are created.  Some prayer needs are so deeply felt that sharing them with more than a few people is emotionally draining.  Ministry often requires us to hold information responsibly, being careful not to make publicly known what is shared privately.

On the other hand, too much privacy sometimes results in tragedy.  You know the story -a follower of Jesus falls into sin, hides it, and soon finds himself entangled in a sinful mess. This course of sin should not surprise us, as it began with Adam and Eve and has continued since then. Having wrongly chosen to eat from the forbidden fruit, the first human beings hid themselves (Gen. 3:8). Indeed, they were so deceived that they thought they could hide “from the presence of the Lord God” - as if that were even possible! The enemy so ensnares us in his web of deceit that we somehow believe that God Himself does not know what we do in private.

Having studied spiritual warfare and the enemy’s strategies for many years, I have watched far too many men and women mess up in their spiritual walk. What I have never seen, though, are believers who just “wake up” on the other side of sin, as if they unexpectedly and unconsciously find themselves there.  Instead, what I have seen is the believer who makes one wrong choice that leads to another wrong choice … that leads to even more wrong choices … and eventually to a fall. Almost always, secrecy marks the downward process somewhere:

• pretending that I am faithful in my practice of spiritual disciplines
• viewing Internet pornography when nobody else is around
• finding it easier and easier to lie to my spouse about anything
• hiding text and email messages so that no one reads my communication with that particular person
• meeting alone to have lunch with that person who is attractive to me
• finding excuses to avoid planned accountability meetings

Moral failure almost always involves our covering up secrets, even while convincing ourselves that our actions are acceptable.  The result is ultimately spiritual disaster.  And - lest we find ourselves arrogantly inattentive to the warning signals - only a fool thinks he is immune to the possibility of falling.

How do we remain faithful when a very real, supernatural enemy seeks to lure us into the darkness?  Here is one step in the process: make sure that somebody who loves us ALWAYS knows where we are and what we’re doing. If we are never in a place, never in a situation, and never with a person that demands our hiding, the likelihood of our falling decreases significantly.

Sound complicated? Perhaps, but I don’t think so. Call your spouse or email her when you get to work. Get in touch with her when you go to lunch and when you return to work.  Let her know when you head home.  If you are running an errand and get detoured, let her know. Frankly, you might even find that talking more with your spouse is good for your marriage.

Or, if you are not married, find someone of the same gender to carry out this accountability role for you.  The cost of falling is simply too heavy for any of us to give ourselves permission to live secret lives.

In fact, I probably need to rethink my opinion about Twitter.  If using Twitter makes it more difficult to hide, it’s likely a smart move to start sending text messages about everything we do.

For the last fourteen years, I have studied spiritual warfare, church growth, and leadership.  Because the enemy knows that fallout is widespread when leaders crumble, he aims his arrows at those who lead God’s church.  He always wins when failings — whether among laity or staff — distract the church from doing the Great Commission. 

Were I the enemy, here is how I would attack leaders today.  First, I would attack those who are most gifted . . . by reminding them that they are gifted.  Seldom does the enemy attack in such a blatant fashion that his attack is undeniable — especially when striking leaders so gifted that they think themselves to be impenetrable to attack.  Gifted leaders rarely settle for second place in anything; hence, they often refuse to believe that they can lose spiritual battles.  Such subtle arrogance sets them up for defeat. 

Second, I would encourage leaders to talk about accountability . . . but not be personally accountable to anyone.  Few leaders would deny the importance of accountability, even if they themselves are accountable to no one.  After all, leaders lead from their strengths — and who needs accountability for his strengths?  And what leader is willing to risk his leadership by admitting his weaknesses?  Accountability that is just a buzzword, though, is only a wasted word. 

Third, I would challenge leaders to emphasize spiritual disciplines . . . but only for others.  Sure, Bible study matters, prayer is non-negotiable, and fasting is important.  No leader would ignore these disciplines — at least for others.  Ordinary church members need to develop these habits, but the enemy reminds leaders that their time and energy are required elsewhere.  The result is leadership based on our own power. 

Fourth, I would focus the leader’s attention on tomorrow . . . rather than today.  Without question, the strongest leaders are visionary leaders.  They continually dream about the “preferable future,” seeking to reach goals that propel them forward.  The enemy wins, however, when leaders so focus on tomorrow that they ignore present tense dangers.  Leaders fall on the way up the ladder — not on the way down. 

Fifth, I would encourage ministry by e-mail . . . especially with those of the opposite gender.  This strategy is the work of an enemy who is technologically savvy.  Used properly, e-mail speeds communication and facilitates ministry.  Used wrongly, it becomes the first step toward an affair.  The seeming safety of cyberspace permits silly jesting and lighthearted flirting — all under the guise of ministry.  The devil is too shrewd to miss such a wide open door. 

Sixth, I would not hinder ministry success . . . as long as “success” results in few changed lives.  I am a professor of church growth who believes that numbers are a legitimate means to measure church growth.  If, though, we measure only increased numbers without asking whether (1) non-believers are being reached and (2) lives are being changed, growth alone can lull us to sleep.  Success thus sets us up for all of the strategies listed above.    

Seventh, I would stress failure . . . and then lead the church to do the same.  Theologians debate what future opportunities exist for fallen leaders, but one truth is not debatable: the church must not turn its back on repentant leaders (2 Cor. 2:5-11).  To refuse to forgive is to be a tool of the schemer, as the repentant brother is then overwhelmed by “excessive sorrow” (v. 7).  Shoot this returning brother in the face, and the enemy delights in triumph. 

The devil’s strategy is really quite simple: he wants us to mess up, give up, or get puffed up - in any order.  We get puffed up when we think we are strong enough to stand against the enemy.  We mess up when we fall into his trap.  Then, we give up when even the church refuses to welcome us upon repentance.  

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ must mean more to us than to allow any of these tragedies to happen.  More specifically, a world in need of the gospel must mean so much to us that we put on the full armor of God, stand against the schemes of the devil, and not let the enemy win in the first place (Eph. 6:11).  Biblical church growth demands nothing less.