Integrity in the Church

Written by Becky Brown

On This Topic Safe and Sound It is a scenario that has become all too familiar in today's religious landscapes. Our pastors, mentors, and friends find themselves in crisis due to personal moral temptations and failures. Never were these indiscretions planned. Compromise is always the last thing anyone intends to do. But lack of forethought and preventive preparation often leads to stumbles and scandals as relationship boundaries are crossed. Steve Hayes pleas with all those in ministry to come to grips with tough issues such as honesty, integrity, and vulnerability in an effort to strengthen character and to avoid the temptor's traps.

Integrity, or adherence to moral principles, should be showcased in the church office. Since the time of Eve, we have been asking questions about right and wrong in relation to what actions we should or should not take. Some actions are within our moral choice.

We make personal decisions on a daily basis which represent our personal code of ethics. People in certain professions are known by their professional ethics—including physicians, lawyers, and ministers. Ministry assistants should be included in that list.

On a regular basis, ministry assistants are exposed to sensitive, confidential information. Our biggest temptation is to pass that information on to others. Many times we are asked outright by ministers, other staff members, and church members to divulge what we know about a confidential situation. Because God knows us so well, He knew how hard it would be for each of us to maintain the integrity of our office by keeping silent. Therefore, He has given us many, many guidelines and reminders.

“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”—Proverbs 10:19, NIV

“I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth.”—Psalm 39:1, NIV       

“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”—James 1:26, NIV

We teach ethics and demonstrate integrity to everyone in our office. We do so not only with words, but also with actions. The following scenarios speak for themselves:

1. “Yes, I’ll make a copy of pages from that book. It’s probably illegal, but oh well.”

2. “It’s OK if I take a long lunch. I work hard when I’m in the office.

3. “I just spent 15 minutes on one personal call, and I need to call my mother, too. I don’t want to take time to make calls at home tonight.”

4. “By the time I stop by everybody’s desk to say hello and hear about their evenings and what’s new in their lives, I’ve used 30 minutes every morning.”

5.  “I didn’t take time to stop and buy stamps after work yesterday. I’ll just use the church postage meter on these three personal bills.”

6. “It will be faster for me to make my personal copies at the church instead of stopping by a copy store on the way home. Also, I’ll be saving money. Every penny counts.”

7. “You know, I think the Wilsons may be having marriage problems. I’ve seen them go into the pastor’s office several times lately.”

8. “I’m leaving at the stroke of 5:00 every day, even though I’ve been late getting here several mornings. I’ve made up the time by hard work.”

9. “Would you please pray for Alice’s son? He has a drinking problem. I’m sure she would not want anyone to know, but she needs the prayer support.”

10. “I’m taking a few pencils and paper clips home. It won’t cost the church much. Besides, they don’t pay me enough anyway.”

Hopefully, you see a lack of integrity in each scenario. Maybe you could use the list to start a staff discussion on office ethics. 

Becky Brown is executive assistant, Westbury Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.

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