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Home Page > Resources > Ministerial Ethics
MINISTERIAL ETHICS
by Jeff Beacham
© BEACHAM 2001
INTRODUCTION
The effectiveness of a minister's relationship with fellow ministers
will depend to a very great degree of his/her ministerial ethics. We
usually only get one chance to build a good friendship. If criticism,
sheep stealing, interference in another minister's church, or religious
politics are indulged in, it will inevitably result in fractured relationships
and a lack of trust. The reason why some ministers are lonely is that
they have created mistrust among their peers. If this should occur, a
wholehearted apology should be made and forgiveness sought.
MINISTERIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
THE MINISTER AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Ministers should always remember
that they are a vital part of the Kingdom of
God and not only ministers in a local church. The ministry belongs to the whole
Body. He or she is representing it, as a minister of Christ to their
particular
community, in conduct and in proclaiming the Christian message.
The minister should ever seek to co-operate and build relationships
with those
who are co-laborers, focusing more on what unites us as Christians rather than
allowing minor doctrinal differences to cause division. The minister
should
always
encourage those in his or her care to follow their example.
THE MINISTER AND HIS FELLOW MINISTERS IN THE COMMUNITY
Ministers must
always observe Christian ethics, never proselytize, and never
Become a sheep stealer. In united meetings, do not take denominational
advantages, but seek to present fundamental truth and practice which is
acceptable to all evangelical churches. Never compromise with truth. Never
engage in mud-slinging at other churches, But be ready to warn against
false
doctrines and cults.
THE MINISTER AND THE MEDIA
Well planned advertising as a means of bringing
your church's activities and
message to the notice of the public may be expressed in the words which the
wise
man wrote many years ago, "As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good
news from
a far country". Proverbs 25:25
ASSUMING A PASTORATE
When a pastor takes up his duties with a new church,
he should exercise much
wisdom for it is so easy to upset the equilibrium where matters have been in
the
balance. It is suggested that;
- He carefully survey the general program, the meetings, and the
particular practices of this church.
- He should disturb the proceedings as little as possible and make
changes as smoothly as possible when such is desirable for the furtherance
of the
work. If a matter is so out of order as to require a drastic step, such
should be taken resolutely, but in a spirit of prayer and meekness.
It is the
practice of some that they make no change for six months after taking
up an appointment. This allows a settling in period when the reason
for
certain events or practices becomes clear.
- He does not take over with an attitude that he will fix the faults,
expose
the weaknesses of the previous pastor and condemn all that is being
done.
- He should never take sides with factions if such exist.
- He should always work in closest harmony with the officers, board,
and
congregation.
- He should remember that every church, like every locality and
person is
different.
LEAVING A PASTORATE
- He should think of the minister who is to follow.
- He should NOT leave instructions on how to run the church or
handle a
particular situation. The incoming minister is hopefully qualified
and
may call on whom he feels for advice and help, should he or she choose.
- When a minister leaves a pastorate he ought to leave it. He ought
not to
keep going back and visiting among the people. He ought to avoid
carrying on a correspondence with its members.
- He should leave a list showing at least the following and any
other
relevant information.
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all leaders;
- Details of meetings;
- Names of neighbors and when helpful, other ministers in
the locality.
TEAM MINISTRY
Ministering in a team situation is both a blessing and
a challenge. It is better
to have support in the work you are doing for God, but like marriage, it
requires a lot of commitment to your ministry partner/s and a willingness to
sacrifice independence for interdependence.
One of the greatest needs for ministerial ethics are in Team ministry.
Often
People in the congregation will attempt to play one against the other
or
create division. Loyalty to either the Senior Minister or to your support
staff is
essential as festering irritations will inevitably lead to more serious problems
if they are not treated.
It is mandatory for team members (and spouses) to both pray together
and
fellowship regularly. A senior pastor should also clearly define the
parameters
of any staff member's job description and regularly communicate all
relevant
Policy changes and decisions to him or her.
PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
One of the areas that often causes ministers
to lose respect in the community
is the conduct of his personal finances. Every minister should ensure that
all
his or her bills are paid on time. He should not overstep his budget by buying
too much on credit which he cannot easily cover as soon as the payments
are
due. It is better to go without than to lose your good name.
In this area, it is also best to avoid doing business with church members
in
order to get a "better deal" from them. This is often seen
as an abuse of
one's position.
It cannot be too strongly stressed that a minister should never borrow
money
from any church member.
PERSONAL AND FAMILY BEHAVIOR
The ministry demands a high standard of
sanctification. It should be
remembered that what is seen as being permissible to a minister, in a
questionable area - eg some forms of entertainment, social drinking etc, may
be interpreted as being doubly permissible for an ordinary church
member.
The following scriptures should be carefully considered in regard to the need
for Biblical example in spiritual, moral and ethical areas - 1 Pet
1:15,16;
2
Pet 3:11; 1 Tim 3; 4:12-5:2;Rom 14; and 1 Cor 8:12,13 etc.
CONDUCT CONCERNING VISITING MINISTRY
Ephesians 4:11-16 clearly states that the Church cannot come to maturity
without the five-fold “gifts” operating effectively (Apostle, Prophet,
Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher). If these gifts are not present in your church,
then they must be invited in.
“… How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall
they preach unless they are sent?” They can only be ‘sent’ if
they have somewhere to go! To have somewhere to
go, they must be invited!
(for more information see “IF I WERE
AN EVANGELIST”)
REMUNERATION OF VISITING MINISTRY
Many churches that need visiting ministry are not large enough to afford the
costs incurred in bringing quality ministries to their people. On the other
hand, a Biblical principle needs to be observed. Paul identifies sowing and
reaping in Galatians 6 and Philippians 4 with the church contributing to the
support of ministers. Visiting ministries can be mightily used of God to bring
a breakthrough in the life of the church or to leave some deposit of God
which will ultimately bring great change to the congregation.
Even small churches should attempt to contribute to the support of
those
they invite to preach. God honors this principle and provides release
to the
church which acts in faith on this divine principle.
THE CHURCH THAT IS MEAN WILL ALWAYS BE
LEAN
Larger churches have a greater responsibility to cover these costs
and contribute well to those who bless them.
It must be remembered that the visiting minister has to travel to get to
your church and has had to prepare before coming. This time and travelling
costs
must be taken into account as well as their return trip. If they travel
by car,
do not take that for granted. Ensure that adequate reimbursement is given
to cover the "real" cost of the minister's travel.
Frequently travelling ministers report that the "love offering" given
to them
by the church did not even cover the expenses incurred in getting there,
let
alone provide anything for their support. With this kind of miserable
treatment of highly dedicated men and women of God, it is small wonder that
there are so few remaining in this field.
Every Pastor should ask himself, "Would I feel appreciated if
I were receiving This offering?" before he hands a token offering
to any visiting ministry.
THE NEW TESTAMENT PROVIDES US WITH THREE BIBLICAL
PRINCIPLES FOR HONORARIUMS / LOVE OFFERINGS.
1) For Remuneration
In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul defends his right to receive financial support
from the ministry. He presents five arguments to support the principle
of payment for
the minister:
First, he points to the example set by other missionaries. Peter, Barnabas,
And many other apostles received support for their ministry (vs 5,6).
Second, he indicates that since the soldier, farmer, and shepherd draw their
sustenance from their work, so should the visiting minister (vs 7).
Third, he quotes the Old Testament command, "You shall not muzzle the
ox
while he is threshing" (Deut 25:4). Paul says in verse 10 that this regulation
was not given in concern for animals but in concern for men. (Martin Luther
claimed the command was given altogether for our sakes since oxen can't
read!)
Forth, Paul appeals in vs 13 to the precedent set by the Old Testament
Levitical system which provided that priests receive a portion of that
sacrifice
over when they officiated (Lev 7:6-10).
Fifth, in verse 14 he refers to the Lord's teaching that "the
laborer is
worthy of his wages." (Lk 10:7)
We have no doubt that Paul believed he had a right to receive payment for
His ministry. However, he chose not to exercise his right in order to advance
the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 9:15-23). But Paul's choice in no way
negated the principle that a minister has a right to "reap material things"
from those who have received “spiritual things".
2) For Appreciation
In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Paul charges believers to "appreciate those
who
diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give
you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of
their work"
The word "appreciate" could be literally translated "know".
In other words,
The charge is to recognize and value the preacher's service to the Body of
Christ. The word "esteem" means to think highly of or respect.
Churches
often take their spiritual leaders and Christian workers for granted. They
fail
to fully appreciate their diligent labor and faithful teaching. Paul is saying,
"Find something you value in your spiritual leaders and think highly of
them
because of their ministry."
3) For Honor
In 1 Timothy 5:17-18, Paul commands that elders who rule well be
"considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at
preaching and teaching." What does this "double honor" imply?
While some
preachers might wish that "double honor" means double wages, this
doesn't
seem to be the case. What is implied from the context is respect and
remuneration. Not only should the preacher be properly paid, but he should
be honored and respected by his people.
Every congregation should practice these three Biblical principles. A proper
application of them will lead to an honoring honorarium for guest speakers.
But consider all these practical tips:
- Inform your guest speaker of the financial arrangements at the time
you invite him to speak. This avoids unpleasant misunderstandings later.
- Distinguish between the honorarium and reimbursement for travel
expenses.
- Compensate the preacher for his travel time and inconvenience if
a considerable distance or an overnight trip is involved.
- Take his training and experience into consideration in determining
the
honorarium. His credentials should be of value to your church.
- Consider his time at sermon preparation. (Even if I am delivering
a message I have preached before, it still takes several hours to review
the text and freshen up my delivery).
- After determining an adequate compensation for his time and expenses,
Add a little extra to express your genuine honor and appreciation.
(Adapted from The NSW, Australlia AOG Minister’s Manual and other
various sources)
MY CODE OF ETHICS
(Not laws to govern but principles to guide)
Striving to be a good minister of the Lord Jesus Christ,
- I will constantly prepare myself in body, mind, and spirit.
- I will safeguard the good name of the ministry; [I will] speak the
truth in love, live honestly, and avoid embarrassing debts.
- I will hold as sacred all confidences shared with me.
- I will exercise the authority of a spiritual leader rather than that
of a dictator.
- I will seek to minister rather than to be ministered unto, placing
service above salary and personal recognition, and the unity and
welfare of the
church above my own personal welfare.
- I will seek to lead my church, to accept its full responsibility
for community and world service.
- I will seek to build my church without discrediting other churches,
soliciting members from other churches, or casting reflection
on other ministers.
- I will not compete with another minister for a call to a pastorate
in an unethical manner.
- I will, with my resignation, not make pastoral contacts in the field
of another pastor without his knowledge and consent.
JEFF BEACHAM is the President and Founder of FIREPOWER MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL,
an evangelistic association founded in Australia at THE HILLSONG CHURCH
in 1989 and based in America since April 1999. He is also the chairman
of the advisory council for THE CITY COVENANT COALITION, a network of
key ministries in NEW YORK CITY. As well as conducting an itinerant ministry,
Jeff writes regularly for many Christian publications and publishes a
monthly e-zine called "THE FMI REPORT" that goes out to 5000
people in 25 countries (subscribe FREE at: www.firepowerint.com). He
can be contacted at:
FIREPOWER MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
2 Rt. 37 W. Toms River, NJ 08753
Phone (732)349-1550 ext. 205 Fax (732)286-6311
Email: firepowerministries@attglobal.net
Website: http://www.firepowerint.com
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