I. PREAMBLE

As leaders in the Church, we who minister within our churches and institutions must always seek to uphold Christian values and conduct. In addition to following the Gospel and its mandates, we will want to act properly at all times in the light of contemporary society and its needs.

This Code of Ethics does not presume to provide the answers to all the ethical questions facing Church leaders. What it does establish is a set of general ethical standards for our lives and ministry. These standards will help to delineate boundaries by which ethical questions can be evaluated.

This Code will also aid in the training and education of new Church leaders. Lastly, it will demand accountability from Church leaders who may fail to live within the ethical standards of the Code As mandated by scripture.

This Code addresses issues of Church life. It is an outline for Holy living according to scripture. Responsibility for adherence to this Code of Ethical Standards rests with the Church leaders themselves. It is anticipated; however, that disregard of this Code by Church leaders will be dealt with by the appropriate employing/appointing organization’s representative (e.g. the Bishop/Pastor). Remedial actions may take various forms from counseling to removal from ministry as mandated by scripture.

The conduct of Church leaders, both public and private, has the potential to inspire and motivate people, or scandalize and tear down their faith. We leaders must be aware of the responsibilities that accompany our work, and conduct ourselves accordingly at all times.

II. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Five key principles underlie the ethical stance of the Code. The ethical Church leader is one who embraces the principles of commitment, integrity, and respect for others, their well being and competence.

1. Commitment

Church leaders embrace the teaching of Jesus and work to promote the Gospel. We shall have an intimate knowledge of the scriptures and be able to relate them to day-to-day situations encountered in the Church. WE will be apt and able to teach sound biblical teachings.

2. Integrity

Church leaders are expected to be persons of integrity and must conduct themselves in an honest and open manner, free from deception or corruption. We shall handle the responsibilities of our office in a conscientious fashion. Leaders in a Church that sets a high moral standard for its members have a responsibility to lead by example.

3. Respect

Church leaders shall respect the rights, dignity and worth of each member of the Church community. Church leaders will respect each individual as a creation of God without regard to their economic status, race, gender, or age.

4. Well Being

A. Church leaders are expected to attend to their own human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral well-being.

B. Church leaders have a duty to be attuned to their physical, mental, and emotional health. They should be aware of warning signs in their behavior and moods that can indicate conditions that can be detrimental to their health. Use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs or misuses of prescription drugs are examples and will not be tolerated among leaders. Church leaders should immediately seek help when we identify warning signs in our professional or personal lives.

C. Church leaders should be supportive of one another, in terms of both affirmation and holding one another accountable for their physical and emotional, and spiritual well being.

D. Church leaders should determine healthy limits in their work environment and live within these limits as much as possible. We should make use of allotted time for vacation and days away from the work environment. It is also mandated that family must be considered paramount in importance.

E. Church leaders have a duty to stay attuned to their own spiritual health. Church leaders must maintain and nurture an ongoing prayer life. Church leaders need to address their own spiritual needs in order to remain focused in the faith, of our Lord Jesus Christ.

F. Church leaders have a responsibility to attend to their ongoing intellectual envelopment. Church leaders should participate annually in seminars and workshops in areas that are relevant to their current ministry. Church leaders should stay current through reading religious sources. Church leaders should participate in a regular process of evaluation of their effectiveness in ministry. This will include a ministry assessment yearly.

5. Competence

Church leaders shall maintain high levels of professional competence in their particular ministry. Training, education, and experience all contribute to make them competent and credible in their areas of expertise. Church leaders shall not attempt to provide services in those areas in which they lack competence; competence also means knowing one’s limitations.

III. ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

1. Administration

Church leaders must exercise just treatment of employees and volunteers in the day-to –day administrative operations of their ministries.

1.1 Church leaders shall seek to relate to all people with respect, sensitivity, and reverence. Meetings are to be conducted with patience and courtesy toward the views of others, in an environment where it is safe.

1.2 Church leaders shall seek to empower others, supporting each person to live the life to which God calls them. This by instruction, examples, life lessons, seminars, workshops, and conversation.

1.3 Church leaders will exercise responsible stewardship of all Church resources. They must also ensure that whatever their area of ministry, there is a clear accounting of all Church funds.

1.4 Church leaders will ensure that systems are in place to protect both the Church and the individual from financial mismanagement. Independent audits of financial operations are to be conducted on a regular basis. As directed by the State Bishop.

1.5 Personnel and other administrative decisions made by Church leaders should not only meet biblical standards but approved laws as well.

2. Conduct In Counseling

Church leaders, who conduct counseling for families, individuals, or groups, must respect their rights and advance the welfare of each person.

2.1 Church leaders should not step beyond their competence in counseling situations. Their training or certification dictates the parameters for Church leaders. This must come from a recognized professional association of peers, or licensure from the state of residence.

2.2 If conducting group sessions, Church leaders must insure that no individual is subject to trauma or abuse resulting from group interactions. The Church leader must state to group participants the nature of the group, and the parameters of confidentiality of all individual disclosures.

2.3 Church leaders will not disclose information learned from counseling sessions. In beginning what is clearly a counseling relationship, the Church leader should inform the counselee that confidentiality is limited when there is clear and imminent danger to the client or to others. In such cases, the Church leader must contact the necessary authorities or other professionals.

2.4 In cases where the counselee is already in a counseling relationship with another professional. The Church leaders should make clear what they can provide to the counselee. Generally, this should be confined to only spiritual assistance.

2.5 Church leaders will not engage in sexual intimacies with those whom they counsel, of any sort physical or psychological.

2.6 Physical contact with the counselee can be misconstrued and should generally be avoided.

2.7 It should always be clear to both the Church leader and the counselee that a counseling relationship is in process. This can best be done when the counseling, especially if extended, is conducted in an appropriate setting and at appropriate times. Counseling should thus not be done in private living quarters or at places or times that would be ambiguous or misleading to the counselee. A witness will always be present. There will never be home counseling or counseling without a witness.

2.8 Church leaders should be cognizant at all times of the significance of boundaries in all counseling relationships. During the course of the counseling relationship, Church leaders ordinarily do not socialize with counselees.

2.9 Church leaders who conduct counseling should hold themselves accountable in that activity. This may be accomplished by engaging in professional peer consultation and/or supervision as appropriate. They should keep a calendar of times and places of contacts, especially in the case of more frequent meetings with the same person. A file will be kept to send in to the State Bishops’ Office.

2.10 Witnesses must be clergy, no exceptions. A male must have a female witness and a female must have a male witness. Two witnesses must be in each counseling session and in the same room.

3. Conduct with Minors

Church Leaders working with minors should use appropriate judgment to insure trusting relationships marked by personal and professional integrity.

3.1 Church leaders must be aware of their own vulnerability and that of any individual minor with whom they may be working. In every instance possible, a team approach to youth ministry activities should be considered. Church leaders should avoid establishing any exclusive relationship with a minor and exercise due caution when they become aware of a minor desiring such a relationship. Both the participants and members of the Church community can misunderstand such relationships. A parent will always be present when counseling a child or teenage person. This is an ethical code that will never be open for debate.

3.2 Physical contact with minors can be misconstrued by both minors and other adults, and should never occur.

3.3 Church leaders do not use or supply alcohol, tobacco and/or illegal drugs to minors at any time. This code will never be open for debate. We will not issue any sort of drugs, legally prescribed or not, to minors.

3.4 Church leaders do not provide any sexually explicit, inappropriate, or offensive material to minors. Sex will not be discussed even if a parent is present. This boundary is not open for debate.

4. Sexual Conduct

Church leaders will not exploit the trust of the Church community for sexual gain or intimacy.

4.1 Church leaders should never exploit another person for sexual purposes.

4.2 It is the personal and professional obligation of the Church leader to be knowledgeable about what constitutes sexual exploitation of another and to be familiar with the laws of the state of residence regarding sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and sexual assault.

4.3 Those who have made a marital commitment are called to witness to this fidelity in all their relationships.

4.4 Any allegations of sexual misconduct will be taken seriously and reported to the State Bishops’ Office.

5. Professional Behavior

Church leaders will not engage in physical, psychological, or verbal harassment of employees, volunteers, or Church members and will not tolerate such harassment by other Church employees or volunteers.

5.1 Church leaders are committed to providing a professional work environment for their Church members, which is totally free from such harassment. This commitment continues the Church policy of Fair and equal treatment to every person regardless of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, arrest or conviction record, veteran, handicap status, or any other status protected by law.

Church leaders should provide a Church environment that is free from intimidation and harassment based on any of these factors.

5.2 Harassment encompasses a broad range of physical or verbal behavior, which can include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Physical or mental abuse;

• Racial insults;

• Derogatory ethnic slurs;

• Unwelcome sexual advances or touching;

• Sexual comments or sexual jokes;

• Requests for sexual favors used as a condition or membership

• Display of offensive materials

5.3 Harassment can occur as a result of a single severe incident or a pattern of conduct, which results in the creation of a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment.

5.4 Church leaders are to follow the established procedure for reporting or harassment, and are to ensure that no retaliation for bringing forward a claim of harassment will be tolerated.

5.5 Church leaders are to insure that there is a clear policy on reporting harassment for both employees and Church members.

6. Confidentiality

Information disclosed to a Church leader during the course of counseling, advising, spiritual direction, and any other professional contact will be held in strictest confidence.

6.1 Church members who come to the Church leader should feel that they are entering a relationship marked by respect, trust, and confidentiality.