The first time I ever saw a Newton's cradle, I was entranced. A series of five chrome balls, or pendulums, were each attached to a frame by two strings of equal length, angled away from one other. The owner of the desk toy told me it reminded him that for every action there is a corresponding reaction. Immediately, I pulled one pendulum as far as it would go and let it fly. It collided with the next ball, sending the ball on the opposite end out in an arc identical to that of the first.

Every action has a consequence. Accountability is inescapable in this universe.

Mesmerized, I watched the swinging and clacking cycle of the pendulums. With every repetition, I was reminded of the corollary truth: every action has a consequence. Accountability is inescapable in this universe. Scripture says it so succinctly: "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow" (Galatians 6:7, NRSV). God has built accountability into the very fabric of His creation. This issue of Holiness Today tackles an important theme in a wide and varied manner. A district superintendent shares about a pastor whose moral compass broke, yet he found his way back to restoration through the grace of accountability. Counselor Norm Henry writes about the significance of finding ways to extract the Christian grace that is ours through accountability within the community of faith and in personal relationships. On a more intimate level, Les and Leslie Parrott examines this issue in the context of marriage, recognizing the tragic, yet grace-laden moments that can accompany the responsibility of relationships. Accountability can be abused. Indeed, there are people who consider themselves refugees from abusive communities of faith that demanded a graceless accountability characterized by the odious behavior of self-styled leaders and watchdogs. Therefore, accountability must be engaged cautiously and prayerfully, knowing that when it is asked for, there must be the possibility of forgiveness, recovery, and rehabilitation. Too often, churches have shot their own wounded. Some have set the standard so high that the slightest deviation has led some to believe their only option was to continue a course of concealment. Obviously, such behavior is conducive to neither spiritual growth nor productive discipleship. Over time, the latent or residual effects of such "secrets" tend to poison the environment. Entire congregations have grown dysfunctional because of what used to be called "hidden sin." Accountability is redemptively possible only in communities of faith that are, as Stephen Green writes, "story-formed." Only when we recognize that our "story" is one of grace transcending sin and failure will accountability channel that same grace to all of us. Some cultures resist accountability. Other cultures because of their originating dynamics will resonate with the integrating, empowering communication that can emerge from this mutual discipline. If we will "rediscover our Christian selves," as Green writes, and live heart-deep in our story, we can discover fresh wind for our spiritual sails, and not the angry gusts of condemnation, isolation, and estrangement. —David J. Felter, editor in chief