derkrash-at-yahoo-dot-com
I posted this to a Oneness Pentecostal Discussion board:
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If a pastor is abusive in any way, he must be removed. There should be little tolerance for nonsense from people in a leadership position violating basic ethics. Before attending any church, I would request to know the constitutional, written procedure by which office holders are held to discipline. If any member of the body feels abuse need be exposed, he should be required to submit this to the church board – or whatever governing body – in written form with formal charges stated, written, and signed by the accuser. This process should be written down in every step of the way for the archives. If a pastor transfers to another church, the governing board should be able to request such files within the organization to see if this pastor is a troublemaker among the churches he pastored.
Furthermore, a pastor should be bound to a written, constitutional procedure by which he can enforce church discipline when disorder needs to be addressed. This should be the exact same procedure that any other member can use: bring forth written charges to the church board signed by the accuser. Have a constitutionally sound hearing or trial by which all parties may enter their side of the story to the written record – written archives available under procedure by request to any member of the congregation. And of course, the outcome needs to be written and placed in the written archives for reference.
This prevents gossip among the leadership and keeps everyone ethical. No pastor would be allowed to “kick a member out” if he just has a grudge against such persons.
So, I ask anyone with trouble within a church – serious trouble – do you know the constitutional procedure by which to address such issues in writing? Is there a procedure? If a church has no such procedure, is this not a sign of danger? If charges against members in dispute are not written down, what does this say about the seriousness of the organization?
Everything must be done in order. In our society, this means written procedure, and formal, defined process. This keeps everyone honest, ethical and prevents gossip and slander. It also prevents pastors from slandering members behind their backs, since they would not dare enter such into a written record. Submitting ourselves one to another means that we are all accountable to each other: lay members, board members, and pastor. No one should be above procedures of discipline.
JP Istre
