The leader of a men’s group I attend told me it’s OK to tell the group that I’m struggling with sin, but not to share the particular sin I am struggling with. I was always told I should share my sins with a group of men so they can pray for me. They might even be suffering from the same sin and be encouraged to come forward because of my honesty. I think the leader of the group is wrong. What’s your opinion on this?
If you’re in an accountability group that has agreed to keep whatever is said in your meetings confidential, then getting specific about the sin you’re battling is an appropriate thing to do. If it’s just a men’s Bible Study, then I’m with the leader.
Accountability groups form a special bond of trust that leads to an assurance of confidentiality. If this bond hasn’t been created, group members might not be able to resist gossiping about you, which would be a sinful thing for them to do. The resulting gossip might also cause people who have no business knowing the details of your private life to misuse information they’ve learned about you.