My Ministerial Code of Ethics

MY MINISTERIAL CODE OF ETHICS

I am a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, called of God to proclaim the unsearchable riches of His love, therefore, I voluntarily adopt the following principles in order that through dedication and self-discipline I may set a more worthy example for those I seek to lead and serve.

I. My Personal Life

1. I will cultivate my devotional life, continuing steadfast in reading the Bible and prayer.

2. I will endeavor to keep physically and emotionally fit for my work.

3. I will endeavor to be fair to my family and seek to give them the time and consideration to which they are entitled.

4. I will endeavor to live within my income and will not carelessly leave unpaid debts behind me.

5. I will strive to grow in my work through comprehensive reading and careful study and by attending conventions and conferences.

6. I will be honest in my stewardship of money.

7. I will seek to dress in keeping with the dignity of the ministry.

II. My Relationship to the Church(es) Which I Serve

1. In my preaching, I will exalt the Bible and will be true to my convictions, proclaiming the same in love.

2. I will maintain a Christian attitude toward my church officers and will not expect the unreasonable of them.

3. In my pastoral calling, I will have respect for every home I enter, for I am a representative of Christ and His Church.

4. I will strive with evangelistic zeal to build up my church but will maintain a Christian attitude at all times toward members of other churches and their religious bodies.

5. I will under no circumstances violate confidences that come to me as a minister.

6. I will not break a contract which I have made with a church for pastoral or evangelistic services without first securing their expressed consent.

7. I will seek to make service primary and remuneration secondary.

8. When employed for full-time service by a church (or churches), I will not engage in other lines of remunerative work without the knowledge and consent of the church or its official board.

9. I will not take sides with any faction in my church unless a doctrinal or moral issue is involved.

10. As a pastor, I rightfully control the use of my own pulpit, but I will not invite persons into it who are not generally acceptable to my people.

11. In my administrative and pastoral duties, I will remember that I am pastor of all my members, and I will seek to avoid any display of preferences and the cultivation of intimacies within the church or the community which may be construed as evidence of partiality. I will seek not to identify myself with any social set either in the church or the community and I will endeavor not to allow personal feelings to interfere with the impartial nature of my ministrations.

12. When I can no longer command the respect and cooperation of a congregation, I will, in the interest of the church, quietly resign and will strive to strengthen the unity of the congregation regardless of the circumstances.

13. I will never speak disparagingly of my church or my profession.

14. I will not incur any sizable financial obligation for the church without first obtaining consent.

III. My Relationship to My Denomination

1. I will keep myself informed concerning my denomination by regular attendance at meetings of conferences and conventions, reading denominational periodicals, and familiarizing myself with our history, doctrine, and polity.

2. I will not be unduly critical of my denomination but will cooperate in correcting whatever faults or failures that may occur.

3. As a pastor, I will seek to lead the church (or churches) which I serve to be loyal to the denomination and to cooperate with its program.

4. I will endeavor to be loyal to my denomination; however, if the time should ever come when I feel it necessary to sever my relationship with the denomination, I will surrender my credentials to the proper authorities.

IV. My Relationship with My Brother Ministers

1. I will refuse to enter into unfair competition with other ministers in order to secure a pulpit or place of distinction.

2. I will refrain from frequent visits to a former field without consulting the present pastor, and if I am called back for a funeral or wedding, I will request that he (the present pastor) be present.

3. I will not trouble my successor by meddling in the affairs of the church I formerly served.

4. I will be courteous to any predecessor of mine when he returns to the field, so long as he does not meddle in affairs of the church.

5. I will be thoughtful of any retired minister.

6. I will show courtesy and respect toward ministers who are my senior in age.

7. I will not accept the pulpit of another person unless he invites me, or, in his absence receive an invitation from the deacons.

8. I will not knowingly use sermon material prepared by another without acknowledging the source from which it comes.

9. Upon leaving a parsonage, I will seek to leave it in first-class condition, with all dirt, rubbish, etc. removed.

10. Upon retirement from the active ministry, I will give my pastor my loyal support.

11. I will not gossip about other ministers, nor encourage it. But in cases of unethical conduct I will bring the matter before the proper body.

12. I will hold in sincere respect any minister whose work is well done, regardless of the size or the nature of the field he serves.

13. Although I may sometimes differ from my fellow ministers, I will respect their Christian earnestness and sincerity.

14. I will seek not to interfere directly or indirectly with the church work of another minister, and I will especially be careful to avoid the charge of proselyting.

15. I will neither make nor consider overtures from a church whose pastor has not yet resigned.

16. I will seek to make my relationship with my fellow ministers one of frankness and cooperation.

17. I will show a friendly and cooperative interest in my brethren, attending the group meetings of the ministers, assisting them with labors of love, defending them against injustice, and following them with kindly concern in their hours of need or distress.

V. My Public Relations

1. I will never lower my ideals in order to appear "a good fellow."

2. I consider that my first duty to my community is to be a conscientious pastor and leader of my own congregation, but I will not use this fact as an easy excuse to escape reasonable responsibilities that the community calls upon me to assume.

3. As an ethical leader in the community, I will seek to be scrupulously honest and to meet my bills promptly.

4. I will not consider myself under obligation to marry every couple that comes to be married, but I will use the power of refusal with great discretion.

5. I will not give the sanction of my presence to unbecoming conversation or conduct and indecent dress.

This code of ethics has been adopted by the North Carolina Ministerial Association of Original Free Will Baptists as amended during its regular session at Cragmont Assembly, June 18-21, 1962.

With the help of God, I pledge myself to the keeping of this Code of Christian Ethics:

Signed: ___________________________________

Date: _____________________________________