Ethics

### Podcast Summary: The Importance of Ministerial Ethics

In this episode, the host dives deep into the often-overlooked subject of ministerial ethics, emphasizing that it's a crucial aspect of ministry that's frequently skimmed over and misunderstood. Although not a devotional, the episode aims to educate ministers, particularly those affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), on the ethical responsibilities that should guide their ministry.

### Key Takeaways:

1. **Ethics in Ministry**: The host stresses the importance of teaching ethics within the ministry, highlighting that many ministers lack formal education in this area. The UPCI has a position paper on ethics, which provides guidelines on maintaining integrity, safeguarding confidences, and avoiding unethical competition among ministers.

2. **Accountability and Authority**: Ministers are encouraged to exercise spiritual authority rather than acting as dictators. The host warns against controlling behavior and urges ministers to respect the boundaries and authority of other pastors, emphasizing the importance of obtaining consent before ministering in another church's congregation.

3. **Ethics in Practice**: The episode covers specific scenarios where ethics are tested, such as when a minister is invited to preach at a church not in their fellowship. The host shares personal experiences, illustrating the need for wisdom and caution in such situations. He highlights the importance of understanding the history and context before accepting such invitations.

4. **Respect for Other Congregations**: The host cautions against taking advantage of other ministers' weaknesses or trying to attract members from other churches. He underscores the principle that people are not possessions, and pastors should not try to "keep" congregants through unethical means.

5. **Teaching Ethics**: Pastors are urged to actively teach ethics to their congregations. By doing so, they help prevent unethical behavior within the church. The host emphasizes that failing to teach ethics makes a pastor complicit in any unethical actions taken by their congregation.

6. **Practical Biblical Example**: The host shares the story of David from 1 Samuel 30, using it as a lesson in ethical behavior. When some of David's men wanted to withhold spoils from those who stayed behind during a battle, David insisted on sharing, illustrating the importance of fairness and ethics in leadership.

### Final Thoughts:
The episode concludes with a call to action for all ministers to live ethically, teach ethics, and maintain clear communication and respect for others in their ministry. The host emphasizes that ethical behavior is not just a guideline but a fundamental part of being a minister of the gospel.

**Keywords**: Ministerial Ethics, UPCI, Spiritual Authority, Pastoral Integrity, Church Accountability, Ethical Ministry, Ministerial Guidelines, Pastoral Leadership

Transcript

 Today's episode.  

We're going to talk about ethics.  This is not a devotional. I hope to make you feel better.  Kinda lesson. Today, I'm going to talk about something that every minister should be taught. But it's been my experience that it's just skimmed over and then fussed about and fought over for the rest of your.  Ministry.  We don't do enough teaching in this at least not. Outside of Bible college. 

And I'm only saying that because I don't know what they teach in Bible college. All I know is I have never received any formal education on ethics. It is. As a licensed minister of the United Pentecostal church international, there are.  There's a, there's a section on it, and then there's a position on it. And we are required to read that manual. 

And then we say we read it and they, I guess they think that's good enough. But.  

Then the swords are drawn and crossed and fought over when ethics are not followed. I find that.  

What's the word for it?  Not wise, not a good use of our time. Can you think of the right? I don't want to say foolish.  Of my elders, but.  We need to do better.  So I will, I mentioned that there's a position paper and I like what it says and my not all my listeners are licensed with the UPC. Not all of them were even Epistolic and that's fine. 

You don't have to be. This position paper.  Even though it at the last part, it references a UPC. I want you to receive this or listen to it as if you're just a minister of the gospel. Okay. And this is  Position paper on ethics, 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 a 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 in to placing service above salary in personal recognition, in 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 in world service. I will seek to build my church without discrediting other churches, soliciting members there from or casting reflection on other ministers. I will not compete with another minister for a call to a pastor in an unethical manner. I will with my resignation sever my pastoral relations with any formal parishioner and will not make pastoral contacts in the field of another pastor without his or her knowledge and consent. I will not accept the pastorate of United Pentecostal church unless I am in accord with the articles of faith and constitution. Of the general church body. Having a set to the pastorate. 

I will not use my influence to alienate the church or any portion thereof from the fellowship or support of.  

And looks like I cut it off and forgot to add the rest, but it says if my convictions change, I'll be honorable and withdrawal my license. 

 Now here's the thing.  My mind went. So several directions when I was preparing this lesson for that. Or. Because.  I fought of, well, let's be honest. I found it. I immediately thought of personal examples where licensed ministers have not upheld that are follow.  Examples of dictators. And don't try to think who I'm talking about with my travels. 

I've been all over.  The country. Okay. With my military service, I've lived in different states and went to different churches. So between military and my current job, you don't know where I've been, what churches I'm talking about. So don't try to guess. Who or what I'm talking about.  

But I, yeah, I've seen people. Want to have control over every part of your life. And they felt that if you didn't do it, you were. Wrong.  That's a roll of a dictator. Okay. I've seen him.  I've seen him discredit, you know, try to discredit other churches. I've seen him discredit other ministers. I've seen him. Reach out to folks. From other churches. Without. I've seen a violation of all those. 

And we'll talk about that. Here in a minute.  I've also seen people.  Resent. Having to be accountable to someone else. Well, why should I. Why should I have to talk to their pastor?  Because it's the right thing to do.  And we'll talk about that. Okay. We're getting into that. So we're going to address both of those.  There is, I told you that there's an.  A whole section on it. 

Article seven. Of the ministry. Sex article seven ministry, section seven obligation and rules. I'm not going to read all of them, but I did want to, I picked a few. That I wanted to present to the, to the young minister.  

They're all relevant, but I just picked a few that I wanted to address. A credentialed GPCI minister shall not accept the invitation of a member. Or members of any UPCA assembly to hold a service or meeting in that church without first obtaining consent from the pastor. If there is no pastor that can. Then the consent of the president must be obtained. Again, I copied and pasted, but didn't get all of it. 

I got to pay more attention. I went down to, he skipped a, B, C, D without the credentialed UPCR ministers shall not accept the invitation of a members. Or the pastor of the assembly to preach in any church that is held in question without first getting the consent of the applicable district superintendent within 30 days of the proposed speaking engagement. The status of the church being formerly held in question must have, must have been determined by the district board. Prior to the administer speaking consent.  

To speak there.  

There's more to it, but I left. That's all you needed that one F any credentialed UPCR minister who desires any type of relationship with members from a different congregation. Or who desires to request volunteer or religious services from such individuals. We'll first contact their pastor for approval. This applies on the global general district sectional or local level.  And H no credentialed GPCI minister shall accept any individual recognized as a member of a church pastored by another UPCR minister without communication of release or transfer. No credentialed GPCI minister show unreasonably refuse a release or transfer to an individual recognized as a number. Desiring to withdraw from his or her assembly, unless that individual has been proven guilty of misconduct. By confession or by church board determination.  Wow.  Those have been in church in a while can just say, wow.  

Now, you know why we need to teach on ethics. Because we have issues.  

All of those are good. All of those are right. But they are not followed. Okay. They are not.  

Faulkner, just not followed.  They're not enforced.  And it kept stressing credentialed that's because you PCI. There's only riff. It's a  collection of ministers. Okay.  But I honored these as a minister seeking his license. I remember receiving an invitation to preach for a church that was not in our fellowship.  And I sought the permission of the local UPC faster.  As if I was licensed and that's what the manual told me to do.  So I do encourage.  Everyone to do the same. 

Now, why would they do that? Watch it. And I'll just go preach for the guy because you don't know the history. You don't know what has happened.  It's all about the kingdom. That's true, but we are humans and humans mess things up. So there has to be an order in a flow. There has to be a structure that has to be accountability.  Otherwise, we'd all have revival and we'd all be kicking it. 

And.  But obviously we're humans. And we need that structure. We need that accountability.  So you don't know what you're walking into. You don't know the history, you don't know what's going on. You don't know what has been said. What has been done?  

Let me give you another personal example. I was invited to speak. Oh, by the way, the local pastor said no. And I declined the invitation.  

At a different time.  At another church.  

Had invited me to speak.  

And it was a hairy situation. Had a history. They were not.  It's just, let's just call it. It was complicated. So I went to the prisoner. About it.  And he said he was not going to restrict it. Because the pastor did hold license, he said, but you need to think about. The ramifications.  If I was to speak there, there were.  Other pastors in this section and I was holding in sectional office, you know, how would they have received it?  And just trust me, it was a complicated situation. 

And so I had to decline in the past for understood, because he was aware of the situation. So that's things like that. You don't know the history in.  So that's why you need to clear it. Clear it first.  You never know. And that's why we have leaders. To help us with that.  You can not, it is a cop out to say, well, the spirit of God says no. That the spirit of God is all about authority. Th there is no such thing as individualism in the spirit of God. Okay. From day one, it was separation in authority. 

So.  Get over yourself and submit.  

I want to tell you a Bible story. Do you remember the story of when David was. Gone to fight. Against the Israelites with who's going to fight with the Philistines. But the Philistines didn't trust them. So they kicked them. Out and they sent him back home.  And when he came home,  He saw that his home had been destroyed. In the women and children. Were kidnapped.  



His soldiers were mad at them. 

They thought about stoning them. The Bible says David encouraged himself. In the Lord.  With any prayed Lord do OPSEU.  

N,  

God said, do pursue and you'll recover. So he did, but there were.  There were a few that were just too exhausted from the travel. It was 200 to be exact.  So David left the 200 there to guard the camp. And the rest went on. And low and behold, they had a great victory. They recovered everything. And they, they, they brought back. They're women, their children and all the spoils.  But verse 22, this is first Samuel 30 verse 22.  There were a few that were indignant about sharing it with those that didn't go.  And  for a split second, you can almost see their point. They were there. Fighting for their lives. The 200, we're not. They pictured the 200. May have been kicked back drinking coffee. You know, they picked, they may.  They may have been less. Laughing it up who knows?  How old I know is they were not there fighting. 

And they said they did not want to share the spoils with them. They could have their women and their children, but that's it.  And David reviewed and said not so we'll give them what's theirs.  That has always spoke out to me. That's always stuck out to me.  And to me, that's a lesson in ethics.  Among churches.  

Because I picture.  

Sometimes I've been the brother at battle. And sometimes I've been the brother that's too tired.  Okay.  

And I picture.  

S a stray word sheep.  You know, I picture a pastor that's gotten tired.  And he's lost a sheep. Okay. He's just, couldn't keep track of all of them. And one of them got out.  

That it.  This is not the time to take advantage of your brother's weaknesses and say finders, keepers, losers, weepers.  Just because you come across a wayward soul at Walmart.  That does not mean they're yours for the pickings.  

You know what the Bible call those, those men that. Didn't want to share. It called him wicked.  

The new living translation called on evil troublemakers.  

You do not steal from your brothers.  

But on the flip side.  On the flip side.  People are not possessions. They are not points or prizes.  Okay. We need to realize that if. I don't like it. One of the things that I've mentioned in from the UPCR manual, there's. We were not to deny people who want to leave.  You know, yes, people should all the pastor a conversation when they want to leave, but that does not give the pastor a chance to talk them into stay in. That's just to give the pastor. And an explanation of why they're leaving.  But I know some pastors that that's their opportunity to be little them and shame them for wanting to leave. 

That's that's not your job. Okay. I don't care if they've been in your church for 30 years.  Here's the trick. Those people are not your investments.  There are gods investments.  It's God's kingdom.  

Go back to your Calvary. I  think, think about.  The lumber that they used to crucify our Lord.  Where did they get that wood from?  

They use God's very own wood.  To do the job.  

He was.  He hung on his own creation.  

We can not get upset if our own people hurt us.  Okay.  You can not get upset if your people leave. When I say, you know, if your congregation walks out, They're not, they're not yours. There he is.  

It's not your. You're not investing in them. You're investing in their soul. And that's God's department on what happens with it.  It's not your say it. Yes. I know it hurts. Yes. I know you care.  But you don't own it.  It's not stock that you've purchased in and you're looking for a return on investment.  

We need to get rid of our.  Carnal mentality.  

And that's really what ethics boils down to. It's cardinality.  

The lack of ethics is cardinality.  

And we, if we think we don't have to. Treat anybody with respect.  

And we just don't owe it to anyone else and we get our feelings hurt if we're not treated right. It's all about carnality.  

But ethics says, I love you.  And I'm doing what's right, regardless.  Luke six and 31. And as you would, that men should do to you, do you also to them, likewise. You know, the golden rule.  Now I'm one of the, this is debatable, but when I pastored.  I even called pastors of other denominations when people would show up.  

Because I would want, I wanted everyone to call me. As a joke, whenever a sister pole would, my sister would come and speak. I'll call her brother pose that, Hey, your wife was at my church. That's my sister.  

You know, but.  I can honestly say I've always called the pastor when someone came and spoke or when someone was at my church. I just believe in ethics.  Romans 12 and 17 says recompense to no man evil for evil, provide things honest in the sight of all noon.  It doesn't matter what they've done to you. It doesn't matter how many. Of your friends or sitting on their pews.  

There is no justification for a lack of ethics.  

We must live ethics. We must teach ethics. And then we must expect ethics, but we cannot expect it if we don't live it and teach it.  

If I have any pastors listening, let me tell you a trick. You have to teach it.  By not teaching it. You are just as guilty. Of your saints, lack of ethics.  I have experienced. Witnessed. Pastors chat to wash their hands because they didn't do it. It was people in their church that did it. You know, the I'm not stealing sheep, they're stealing sheep, but if you're not teaching against it, Then you're just as guilty.  Okay, that's called theft. Bob receiving.  So.  And be ethical. Talk to the pastor. Why should they talk to the pastor? 

Because you don't know the history of that person.  You know, but bro, the H you said they should be allowed to leave. They should, but they need to at least talk to the pastor or at least at least let the pastor know.  That way you and that pastor has a good history.  

It's all about networking and you may, you have to maintain clear lines of communications. Don't give evil room to speak. Don't give there any room for bitterness. It has to flow smoothly and freely. And realistically, some people are church hoppers and you know that, so.  You know, Don't don't really get your hopes up that they're going to be there forever. It's not like you're the one charged. They're going to stop hopping it. 

Chances are they're going to be there just long enough to hop somewhere else, but you still need to call that pastor.  Okay.  

Be careful with your friendships with folks from another church, make sure all the pastors are aware.  

Just ha you want to be as clean and ethical as possible. We don't want to give the devil any room to say they did that on purpose.  We want to be clean.  We want to be right.  

And if we do that and we teach that.  Then we'll be doing a lot better.  So make sure that you live ethical.  In your ministry.  

Make sure that as, as you become pastor  you don't.  Lose sight. Of what's important. These are not your investments.  

Your labor is your investment. Not the people.  The people are gods.  

I love you. Thank you for listening. God bless.