Maintaining moral purity in ministry

(www.pastors.com) - No matter how many times I hear it, it still shocks me: A pastor announces his resignation because of adultery. Often it's with someone within his church, sometimes even someone actively involved in ministry, such as a choir member of Sunday school teacher.

It's such an incredible waste of God's resources that it not only grieves me - it angers me. I have told my staff that if any of them even flirt with temptation, I will come after them with a baseball bat, and I've told them to do the same with me.

As Christian leaders, we need to be above reproach. Paul wrote, "Don't be so naïve and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence." (1 Cor. 10:12, Msg).

That's why I established these Saddleback Staff Standards for maintaining moral integrity:

Thou shalt not go to lunch alone with the opposite sex.*

Thou shalt not have the opposite sex pick you up or drive you place when it is just the two of you.*

Thou shalt no kiss any attendee of the opposite sex or show affection that could be questioned.*

Thou shalt not visit the opposite sex alone at home.

Thou shalt not counsel the opposite sex alone at the office, and thou shalt not counsel the opposite sex more than once without that person's mate. Refer them.

Thou shalt not discuss detailed sexual problems with the opposite sex in counseling. Refer them.

Thou shalt not discuss your marriage problems with an attendee of the opposite sex.

Thou shalt be careful in answering e-mails, instant messages, chatrooms, cards, or letters from the opposite sex.

Thou shalt make your secretary your protective ally.

Thou shalt pray for the integrity of other staff members.

* The first three do not apply to unmarried staff.

"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." Eph. 5:3 (NIV).

- Article by Rick Warren, Saddleback Church. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA., a congregation that now averages 16,000 in attendance each weekend. Rick is also author of "The Purpose Driven Church," and founder of www.pastors.com, a global Internet community for those in ministry. You may reprint this article in your publication with the following attribution: From Rick Warren's Ministry ToolBox, a free weekly e-newsletter for those in ministry, www.pastors.com. This article originally appeared in Rick Warren's Ministry ToolBox, a free, e-mail newsletter available from www.pastors.com. Used by permission.

For more information on this subject, you can get the tape "Maintaining Moral Integrity in the Ministry."