Biblical Essays
“ETHICS IN CHURCH MATTERS”
There was a time when the spoken word was a bond – when a hand shake was worth more than paper – when a promise was bankable. It was called ethics. Sadly, the 21st Century has begun with too many leaders in the church practicing by example something entirely different. We have tweaked Christian ethics to the point that it now seems to serve our personal, self-indulging arrogance. “It is easy to see the beauty of Jesus’ teaching in contrast to the ugliness of selfishness . . . and lying, but let us be sure we practice the ethics of Jesus in our relations to each other in the church” (M. Norvel Young, “Ethics In Church Matters”, Firm Foundation, July 25, 1967 issue).
In his timely and seemingly prophetic article, Dr. Young listed eighteen ethical conduct questions about elders and preachers. Consider just two: (1) Is it fair for a preacher to promise a full week’s work with the understanding that he is giving full time and then waste a day or two, or more, because no one is supervising him as most of the workers in the congregation are supervised in their work? (2) Is it ethical for a Christian to criticize another behind his back without making a serious effort to talk with the one criticized?
Do you know of any young preacher-want-a-be, full time preacher or church leader whose ethics seem to be guided by personal self-interest? Dr. Young insightfully wrote: “It is not a small matter to handle day-to-day relationships in harmony with the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount.” What spiritual fruit does a lack of Christian ethics in our leaders produce – Loyalty; Confidence; Trust; Dependability? Should we expect the highest Christian ethics from our preachers, deacons and elders? Should we demand it? Is the lack of ethics in some church leaders simply the result of youth or lack of experience? Or is it the result of something deeper and much more fundamental? Dr. Young further wrote: “One reason we lose so many young people is because they see the ‘practice gap’ between the way we preach and the way we practice.”
Below is M. Norvel Young’s complete article titled, “Ethics in Church Matters”
(Firm Foundation, Vol. 84, No. 9, July 25, 1967)
The news today is filled with alarming examples of breaches of ethics in government, business and labor unions. Congress is under pressure to establish stricter controls to prevent conflicts of interests which lead to unethical practices.
This spotlight on the need for more ethical conduct brings the Christian standards to the attention of millions. It is easy to see the beauty of Jesus’ teaching in contrast to the ugliness of selfishness, stealing, and lying, but let us be sure we practice the ethics of Jesus in our relations to each other in the church. Consider these questions about ethical conduct of some church leaders and preachers:
1. Is it ethical for a church to invite a young preacher to visit and preach, and promise to let him know if his services are needed and never contact him?
2. Is it ethical for a preacher to take part-time work without a thorough understanding with the elders where he serves – presumably full-time?
3. Is it fair for a preacher to promise a full week’s work with the understanding that he is giving full time and then waste a day or two, or more, because no one is supervising him as most of the workers in the congregation are supervised in their work?
4. Is it ethical for a church to require seven days of work from a minister when most of the members have at least one day for rest?
5. Is it ethical for a preacher to be careless about paying his debts?
6. Is it ethical for brethren to bargain with a preacher to obtain his services at the cheapest rate?
7. What is the ethical responsibility of a church to a preacher who has served faithfully for years and is overtaken with ill health and unable to continue?
8. What is the claim a struggling church has upon a capable preacher who has been with them a brief time when he is invited to a larger congregation with a larger salary?
9. What responsibility does a larger, wealthier church have to a struggling church when the larger church decides to ask their preacher to leave the smaller work?
10. Is it ethical for church leaders to use a large salary to induce a missionary to leave his post?
11. Is it in harmony with the example of Jesus for a minister to bargain with church leaders to gain the largest possible salary and fringe benefits in exchange for his services?
12. Is it ethical for churches or preachers to cancel gospel meetings without an opportunity to discuss the reasons?
13. Is it honorable for a preacher to accept the expenses of a visit for a sermon if he does not intend to accept the work if he asked to come?
14. How ethical is it for church leaders to send a missionary to a far field and then drop him when some other preacher convinces them that they should send him instead?
15. Is it fair to begin a work without prayerful consideration of its continuing needs?
16. Is it ethical for a Christian to criticize another behind his back without making a serious effort to talk with the one criticized?
17. How fair is it for a follower of Christ to speak or write an insinuation about a brother which will damage his reputation without contacting him personally to be sure of the facts?
18. Should religion be used as a cover for activities which would be judged slanderous if they were done in the business or professional world?
The answers to these questions may seem obvious, but they point to some fairly common practices. Other questions equally pertinent could be raised. It is not easy to be fair with brethren. It is not a small matter to handle day-to-day relationships in harmony with the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount. One reason we lose so many young people is because they see the “practice gap” between the way we preach and the way we practice.
The world needs desperately the love of God in Christ. Let us take stock and pray that God will help us to act more in harmony with Christian ethics. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:11, 12).
