Above Reproach from the Start: Ethical Standards for Pastoral Candidates
Pastoral ministry requires not only a heart for God and His people, but also a deep commitment to integrity. As pastors, we are entrusted with leading Christ’s church by example, and that leadership begins long before we preach our first sermon or hold our first meeting.
In this article Rev. Earl Brubaker explores the importance of practicing honesty, transparency, and Christlike character from the very beginning of a pastoral relationship. Drawing from Scripture, real-life examples, and practical suggestions, it offers guidance for entering ministry in a way that honors God, builds trust, and lays a solid foundation for fruitful service.
Ethics is defined as: “A system of moral principles.”
As pastors we insist that our system of moral principles must be firmly fixed upon the truth of the Word of God. Contending with ardor for such qualities as honesty, truth, and Christ-likeness will not be effective, however, unless we practice ethical behavior. That practice of ethical behavior needs to begin at the onset of the pastor/church relationship—the time of candidacy. Yet observation raises serious questions about the ethics practiced by many pastors in the candidacy process.
Did These Pastors Act Ethically?
Before one pastor candidated at a church, he examined the church’s organizational structure. His conclusion, which he carefully shared with the search committee and the church board, was that the many overlapping committees would make effective administration difficult. As he considered the church and ministry, he said he was willing to work within the organization as it existed, and eventually accepted a call to that church. God blessed the ministry, and the church added many new people and a number of new ministries. After several years this pastor asked the board to consider changing the church constitution.
“As the church grows,” he said, “the overlapping committees have made oversight of the church’s ministries more and more difficult. I know I said I could work with it, but now I feel we need to consider a change.”
Was he acting ethically?
In a different situation, another pastor was called to a church that had a solid doctrinal position, a great deal of potential, and dedicated leaders. Before a full year had passed, he began to urge the board to change the church constitution. Though he had made no mention of the matter earlier, he said he did not agree with their form of multiple elder leadership.
“The pastoral staff members are the elders,” he said, “and the laymen on the board should be deacons and trustees who need not be held to the same high standards as elders.”
Was he acting ethically?
More Examples to Consider
Here are some more very real examples to consider regarding the candidacy process in a number of churches.
A pastoral candidate preaches his “best ever” sermon, even though he knows it is not his usual style and it highlights his preaching in an uncharacteristically favorable way.
During the interview process, a pastor does not share his major ministry questions or concerns about the potential church because he really hopes they call him.
As he reviews their church’s official documents, a pastoral candidate realizes he has significant doctrinal differences with the potential church. But he does not reveal these differences because the church is a good opportunity and an attractive challenge, and he is confident that his faithful teaching of the Bible will bring a change in the church’s doctrinal perspective.
A pastor accepts a call to a church for which he has great vision, but his vision is not shared by the church or its leadership. This is apparent during the interview process, but he is sure he can win them over eventually, so he does not raise the issue.
In an IFCA-specific case, the pastoral candidate has no personal appreciation for fellowship with IFCA International but keeps his reservations quiet and still accepts the call to an IFCA church. Within months he begins to quietly undermine among the church leaders the church’s association with IFCA International. And unknown to all, he simply discards IFCA-related mailings when they arrive at the church. Then in a couple years, he leads the church to officially sever their organizational ties with IFCA International, a move he anticipated silently during the candicacy process.
Those are just several examples of the kinds of ethical questions involved when a pastoral candidate interviews with a church looking for a new pastor. They highlight the many examples of ethical questions which are involved in the candicacy process.
The Pastoral Dilemma
A pastoral candidate considering a church looks for areas of need coinciding with his strengths of ministry. He looks for people who need to grow through consistent ministry of the Word of God. He looks at the potential of the community. He sees in a prospective church a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. He will naturally desire to build upon the church’s strengths and minister to their weaknesses. He will not accept a call to pastor the church unless he has a sense of vision. That vision will include some areas that need to be changed. How can he maintain this sense of vision, and a desire to be God’s servant in life-changing ministry, while maintaining ethical standards?
Scripture provides a clearly stated example of effective and ethical entrance into a new ministry. The beginning of Paul’s ministry at Thessalonica is specifically addressed in 1 Thessalonians 2:1: “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.” In the next verses, Paul describes four great ethical standards he followed in the beginning of his ministry at the church in Thessalonica.
His Message: The Truth
“For our exhortation did not come from error” (v. 3). Paul claims with- out apology that he came to preach the truth of God. There was no evasion of the truth in order to make his message more palatable for the Thessalonians. There is no evidence that he used deliberately harsh and offensive rhetoric. The hallmark of all his preaching, teaching, and writing was his commitment to the truth. In his farewell to the Ephesian elders He boldly stated that in his ministry he declared “the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27) The pastor’s first commitment must be to a frank, thorough, and systematic ministry of the truth of the Word of God.
His Manner: Consistent Practice
“For our exhortation did not come from uncleanness” (v. 3). Paul boldly declared that he lived what he preached. From the first moment of introduction he was willing to be judged by the quality of his practice. He walked with and served God whose truth he proclaimed. One’s godliness is not judged by what he preaches, but by the way in which he practices what he preaches. An ethical pastor/church relationship is built upon consistency of preaching and practice.
His Method: Open and Honest
“Nor was it in deceit” (v. 3). Paul confidently asserted that he was not deceptive in the way he entered Thessalonica to establish a church. He came with a theological difference, but he went boldly into the synagogue and publically proclaimed those differences. He did not start the church on false pretenses and then reveal the differences that were there all along. He did not lure people into his confidence with enticing statements of half truth. He was always straight forward, never speaking out of both sides of his mouth or with ulterior motives.
His Motive: Please to God
“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (v. 4). Perhaps the greatest personal test of ethics for the minister of the gospel, whether in candidacy or in ministering at the church, is whether he is pleasing God in all he does. This demands a commitment to the truth, but such commitment must be with Christ-likeness and openness. The servant of God must never use the ministry to gain his own ends or the favor of men. He must serve the church in order to please God.
Practical Suggestions for Pastoral Candidates
How can the principles of 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 be applied as an ethical standard for pastoral candidacy? Here are some practical suggestions:
The pastoral candidate should begin with a résumé that honestly describes his ministry rather than hypes his achievements.
The pastoral candidate should make a clear, concise statement of his beliefs and not merely give general consent to a vaguely worded statement of faith. It may be impossible to cover every nuance, but it is not ethical to hide nuance for the sake of acceptance.
The pastoral candidate should include a statement of practice in such areas as marriage and divorce, baptism, leadership qualifications, personal and ecclesiastical separation, missionary emphasis and mission board preferences, and his level of tolerance for other theological positions.