“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NLT).

     I once heard the Christian author, Howard Hendricks, say, “A [person] not in an accountable relationship is a moral accident waiting to happen.” Such was the case for the twentieth-century evangelist, William Branham.

     William Branham was a contemporary of Billy Graham. Like Reverend Graham, Branham held revivals across the world. In 1950, Branham famously preached before 8000 persons at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas. In 1952, boasted a congregation of 200,000 persons in Durban, South Africa. It is estimated that 30,000 of those who attended converted to Christianity.

     However, William Branham’s career was marred by controversy. Branham was accused of fraud repeated by fellow ministers, host churches, and investigative news reporters. He also faced legal and financial problems and was charged with tax evasion by the IRS for failing to account for the donations he received through his ministry.

     Conversely, Billy Graham’s reputation for transparency and integrity went mostly unquestioned. Graham is said to have had “a passion for the pure,” yet never imagined himself to be beyond corruption. Part of Billy Graham’s secret in avoiding public scandal lay with his friends:
George Beverly Shea, Cliff Barrows, and Art Baily.

     Unlike William Braham, Billy Graham had surrounded himself with other Christians who held one another to a high standard of integrity. Together, these four men met weekly. They prayed for one another daily. And they held one another to accountability. Their example is one I
believe every Christian should follow.

     Given the challenges and temptations that each of us faces every day, it is comforting to know that we can find strength in numbers. Ecclesiastes 4:12 claims that a cord, or three strands are not easily broken. The Christian lecturer, Gilbert Bilezikian, once wrote:

           It is in small groups that people can get close
           enough to know each other, to care and share,
           to challenge and support, to confide and confess,
           to forgive and be forgiven, to laugh and weep
           together, to be accountable to each other,
           to watch over each other and to grow together.
           Personal growth does not happen in isolation.
           It is the result of interactive relationships.
           Small groups are God’s gift to foster changes
           in character and spiritual growth.

The reality is that small groups make a big difference. The Christian journey is not a solo endeavor.

     If you are not presently in a group of like-minded people of faith, I encourage you to contact your pastor. If you have stepped away from your small group, I encourage you to reconnect. And if you are currently in a small group, seek out and welcome those who are presently disengaged.

     By taking these measures, please know that your faith in Christ will grow stronger. Your heart’s desires will become purer. And your conscience will rest easier.