A work in progress…
My Church On The Rock (COTR) Experience
My personal Christian life began in August 1974. I left my position with an aerospace company in Connecticut. I assumed a new position with the Honeywell Corp. in Dallas in the summer of 1974. But Honeywell required a physical. My hypertension, 196/96, disqualified me from employment with Honeywell. The examining physician said, “Your boiler is about to burst.”
My precious wife is a solid Christian who married a man who knew nothing about God, churches, and Christianity. She invited me to read her Bible. I opened it to Genesis, but she said, “We don’t have that much time.” She opened her Bible to Matthew chapter 1. Reading that Bible consumed me. On an August Sunday evening, I had a supernatural encounter and gave myself to the Lord. The next morning, while at a doctor treating a facial infection, my blood pressure was 120/70, normal. At my request, the doctor hand-wrote my healed diagnosis. I went to work for Honeywell on September 15, 1974.
Over the next couple of years, I attended local churches, each unsatisfactory to me. I was looking for a church like the ones in the New Testament. The last to visit was a new church meeting in the ‘cafetorium’ of the old Rockwall High School. We joined Church On The Rock.
COTR featured an ecclesiastical hierarchy of authority. All members were assigned to a CARE group, a small group meeting in private homes. Each CARE leader reported to a Touch Pastor. Groups of Touch Pastors answered to an Elder. The Elders reported to the Pastor.
Our first building is now a forgotten room within the Lakepointe Church complex. That room seated about 1,200 people. Church membership quickly grew, requiring five Sunday services. Approximately 11,000 souls attended each Sunday.
Despite the rapid growth, every member enjoyed the representative form of church government. As personal issues arose, the CARE Leader was the first contact. Members appeal a decision of a CARE Leader to a higher authority, a Touch Pastor. The next level of appeal was to an Elder, the final to the Pastor. Touch Pastors were so named because no COTR member was ever out of touch with the Pastor.
One example. A young man and a young woman, both attending COTR and assigned to my CARE group, were sleeping together. Naturally, she became pregnant and wanted her child to have a legitimate birth. He disagreed. She insisted that the two of them should meet with me. At a meeting in my home, they told their story. I asked the young man why he wouldn’t marry her. He answered, “I read my Bible about the ‘strange woman’ in Proverbs 5.” I responded, “Well, then you are a strange man.” He rejected my judgment and asked to appeal my decision. I set an appointment with my Touch Pastor without prejudice, meaning I did not reveal my counsel to the man. The Touch Pastor met with the two of them. He listened to the same story. He responded, “Well, I guess you are the strange man.” Shortly thereafter, they married. Months later, a healthy baby girl was born.
My Point: As stipulated in 1 Peter 2:9, each born-again, spirit-filled believer in Jesus Christ has a responsibility. They must take on the role of a priest.
I am a simple man. I was not educated in a seminary. My simple understanding of Deuteronomy 33:10 is that I have a responsibility to connect people with God. I further understand this responsibility is not a top-down one-way process. It is a two-way process, as detailed in Exodus 18:17-23.
My Lakepointe Church Experience, Part 1
God called us, my wife and I, to minister in Cuba. We joined Lakepointe Church. Steve Stroope was the pastor. There, we learned Lakepointe Church was engaged in large-scale missions in Cuba. We applied and were admitted to the Cuba ministry team.
Our formal application included our testimonies and our personal histories. It also involved background research through people who had known us for a long time. We were accepted, but with caution. Cuban ministry leaders observed us and became well acquainted with us. We earned the trust of Lakepointe Church.
Over several years, we made annual trips to Cuba. Along the way, we were trusted to be a two-person team carrying thousands of dollars. The money funded the Hombro Con Hombro (Shoulder to Shoulder) Ministry in Cuba. Three days before the departure date for our last scheduled mission, we received a terse email from the missions department. It said we had to undergo a criminal background check beforehand. Our earned trust had been discarded for the new fad. Criminal background checks were now conducted using social security numbers in the hands of unknown persons. I received my Social Security card in the 1950s. When the Social Security program started, citizens were mindful of the “number of the beast.” They vocally opposed it. The government assured Americans that the Social Security number would be used solely for Social Security purposes. The government lied.
Sadly, Lakepointe Church abandoned common-sense personal accountability for its staff and members. The trust that we earned was discarded. We left Lakepointe Church to join Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.
My Gateway Church Experience
The praise and worship experience was reminiscent of Church On The Rock. We attended church training because of a strong desire to teach. Reluctantly, I submitted to the SSN criminal background check. I used only the ‘last four’ of my SSN. Naturally, I was cleared and accepted. But, I later learned, all the ID thieves need is the last four digits of the SSN. My decision was irreversible and regrettable. I pledged to never again give my SSN for identity apart from taxes.
We moved from the Southlake main campus to the newly opened Dallas campus. The COVID pandemic hit. Schools, churches, and major stores were forced to adhere to ridiculous constraints on physical separation and other nonsense. I have been engineering and installing indoor air quality control systems since 1974. My customers included biological laboratories, hospitals, surgical clinics, and similar establishments. None of these medical facilities had to shut down during COVID.
I approached the campus pastor to explain how the church can stay open without endangering anyone. He politely ignored me. There was no means for me to appeal. The Gateway Church hierarchy was a one-way affair.
A later scandal wreaked havoc on Gateway Church.
My Lakepointe Church Experience, Part 2
We sensed we should return to Lakepointe. Josh Howerton was now the pastor. [This was before the big scandal at Gateway Church.] There had been many changes. Lakepointe ended its long-time ministry to communist Cuba. The pastor’s teaching sermons are outstanding. The growth of satellite and affiliate churches is phenomenal. Unlike the Gateway experience, Pastor Josh and his wife, Jana, walk freely through the crowds, readily engaging in personal conversations.
Unfortunately, the SSN criminal background checks continue to replace personal accountability. I hope and pray there will be no scandals. But, absent two-way personal accountability, the possibility of scandal exists.
The Importance of Accountability
Thomas Paine was a Founding Father, an immigrant from England. He was persuaded by another Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, to seek his fortune in America. Paine recognized the importance of accountability on both personal and organizational levels. He said, “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” Stephen Covey observed, “Accountability breeds response-ability.“
“Accountability is the glue that keeps us together, it ensures no one is left behind and strengthens us as a result,” said Aimee Bland, who is the Government-Owned, Government-Operated division chief in the Organic Industrial Base Support Directorate for JMC. “Those who hold themselves, their peers, and their leaders accountable are the ones who hold the team together and make us stronger.”
Accountability encompasses the entirety of an organization. This involves the clear articulation of values, the mission, and expectations by leaders, and ensuring that all employees are held to equitable standards.
Matthew Wheaton, U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, Public and Congressional Affairs
One Example of an Unaccountable Business
Enron was one of my customers. EcoEléctrica was a massive project of Enron in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico. A local instrument and control company faced challenges. They struggled to commission the critical process control system on the ProCaribe. This is the LPG depot that provides tertiary fuel to the EcoEléctrica project. Enron engaged my company on an unrestricted hourly basis to get the control system running and stabilized. There were no limitations on expenses. Labor was billed at my hourly rate. I would fly out to Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon and return to Texas on Thursday evening. After correcting the software, there was very little to do. I was there on a “just in case” basis. The Enron site supervisor remained in his office in Ponce, Puerto Rico, never coming to the LPG plant. Enron always paid me on time. In 2001, Enron declared bankruptcy.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (H.R.3763) was a reasonable response to the Enron and WorldCom scandals.
The Focal Point: The Biblical Model for Personal Accountability
Personal accountability is not an innate quality of a leader. It is an intentionally chosen lifestyle.
Exodus 18 starts with the story of Jethro. Jethro is Moses’ father-in-law. He reunited Moses’ family with him in Rephidim. This included his wife, Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses was 80 years of age.
Jethro prescribed a hierarchy of representation of the Israelites to God. Moses was at the pinnacle of this hierarchical pyramid of representation to God, as described in Exodus 18:17-23.
The focal point: Exodus 18:19 “You be a representative for the people to God so that you may bring their disputes to God.“
Exodus 18:20 “And you shall teach them the statutes and laws and shall show them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do.“
Verses 19 and 20 describe a two-way line of representation between God and the people. Contemporary churches feature Adult Bible Fellowships, CARE Groups, Bible Study Groups, Community Groups, Age-Specific Groups, and Adult Sunday School classes. Does your group provide
1 Peter 2:4-9 describes a holy priesthood, a construct of living stones, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. These verses are often described as the priesthood of all believers. The role of the priest in the Bible is of great significance. A priest serves as a mediator between God and His people. The origin of the word mediator is from Latin mediātus, past participle of mediāre, to be in the middle, intercede. Mediation is a two-way affair.
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America modeled the republican form of government stipulated in Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution on Exodus 18:17-23.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…
Etymology of the word republic: Latin rēs pūblica, equivalent. to rēs thing, entity + pūblica public. Learn the history of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution from Constitution Annotated: Pre.2 Historical Background on the Preamble.
Jesus Christ made the first disciples. He commissioned all of his followers to make disciples of all nations, as recorded in Matthew 28:16-20. Making disciples of Jesus Christ is the people’s thing, res publica.
The Apostle Paul’s writings describe his life and his actions in making disciples. Learn more about the Apostle Paul’s discipleship model here.
Personal Accountability in a Church: Google Gemini AI
Personal accountability is crucial for preventing scandals in a church because it acts as a fundamental safeguard against the misuse of power, moral failures, and financial mismanagement. When individuals—especially leaders—feel and practice a genuine sense of accountability, it significantly reduces the opportunity for misconduct and cover-ups.
Here are the key reasons why personal accountability is so important in a church setting:
1. Accountability Guards Against Sin and Misconduct
- A Check on Human Frailty: Everyone is prone to error and temptation. Personal accountability, often through a trusted partner or group, helps leaders and members avoid the isolation that can feed vulnerability, rationalization, and the belief that “the rules don’t apply to me” (Source 1.8).
- Early Intervention: It encourages transparency and “toe-curling honesty” (Source 1.1) about struggles. When wrongdoing (whether unexpected or habitual) is confessed early and openly, it allows for restoration and prevents the sin from escalating into a public scandal.
- Spiritual Growth: Accountability is seen as an instrument of growth, providing a context for confessing sins to one another and praying for one another (Source 1.1), which can lead to healing and spiritual maturity.
2. Accountability Strengthens Church Leadership
- Integrity and Trust: Leaders who voluntarily submit to accountability demonstrate humility and integrity (Source 1.2). This transparency earns the respect and trust of the congregation, which is essential for effective leadership.
- Prevents “Hiddenness”: Because leaders often feel pressure to hide their struggles, accountability ensures they have a safe place to be completely honest about the depth of their soul, where destructive issues can lurk (Source 1.2, 2.6).
- Effective Governance: In organizations, especially in the church, accountability is the single most important factor for healthy leadership (Source 1.10). It ensures that governance structures hold senior leaders to account and prevent a culture where “ability must be anchored to accountability” (Source 1.10).
3. Accountability Protects the Community
- Prevents Widespread Damage: Scandals cause immense damage, wounding the congregation and warping people’s thoughts about God when they see leaders fail (Source 1.9). Accountability protects the entire community by making falling more difficult for leaders (Source 1.2) and safeguarding the mission of the church (Source 1.1).
- Role Modeling: When leaders commit to accountability, they set an example for the rest of the congregation, encouraging others to also seek out trustworthy relationships for growth and protection (Source 1.2).
- Financial Integrity: Accountability and transparency are key components in the prevention of fraud and mismanagement in the administration of church funds (Source 1.6), helping to maintain the confidence of donors and members.
Why I Recommend Personal Accountability
I am a Navy veteran, an AQB2 with attack squadron VA-42. Aviation demands the highest quality and reliability. Quality control is one example of personal accountability. Every repair and every modification to military and FAA-certified aircraft is meticulously recorded. After a specialist completes work on an aircraft, an independent quality inspector examines the workmanship. The inspector verifies its correctness and completeness on an official form. This record is kept forever.
After my service in the Navy, I worked as an engineer with a defense contractor. We provided logistical support to our military customers. These customers included two branches of the USAF, the USMC, and the USN. All my support activities were recorded in my written reports to the factory.
Why was this important? From time to time, aircraft systems fail. In every human group, some people speak ignorantly about the cause of a failure. The official records protect all of the people involved from the undesirable consequences of misinformation.
Personal accountability benefits all human organizations. Personal accountability protects organizations from disastrous scandals.
Why I Oppose Criminal Background Checks Using Social Security Numbers
The scandalous plague of public educators arrested for child sex crimes continues unabated.
- In 2022, Nearly 270 K-12 Educators Locked Up On Child Sex Crimes Since January
- In 2023, 349 educators [were] arrested across the United States on charges related to child sex crimes.
- In 2024, The alarming rate of teachers charged with raping young boys in America
- In 2024, nearly 100 [Texas] educators statewide were accused of sexually exploiting children.
- So far, in 2025:
Ongoing personal accountability gets between temptations and willful criminal acts.
Criminal background checks using social security numbers only expose the past misdeeds, unlawful misdeeds, of a person. Stolen identities are not uncommon. Here is one example from a report by the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton.
Escobar purchased falsified documents for just $120, which included a stolen Social Security number, a Texas ID card, and a fraudulent green card. He then used the identity of a then 13-year-old boy from Hutto, Texas, to gain employment at seven separate businesses across the greater Houston area over a three-year period. The scheme was discovered when the victim’s mother received notification that her son’s Medicaid coverage was being terminated due to income fraudulently reported in his name.
There is no substitute for personal accountability.
So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 