…that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to BEHAVE THYSELF in the house of God…

1 Timothy 3:15

Ministers are under a lot of pressure.  The pressures of finances, the pressures of family and the pressures of human expectations are just a few of the many demands of ministry.  These pressures in the Lord’s work are often the causes of improper behaviour of pastors.

In the ministry, improper conduct can create an unfortunate misrepresentation of what we stand for in the ministry. At no time in the history of Christianity has the conduct and lifestyle of the clergy come under such scrutiny.  We, who are called into this ministry have to fight to maintain certain standards.  The world is watching us, hoping to find something wrong so that they can persecute us.  That is why Paul said that ministers should have a good report even with unbelievers.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

1 Timothy 3:7

When God calls a man, He calls him first to follow Him, and then to learn of Him.  We are never to stop learning.  The ministry is a long road of continuous education.  One of the things that Paul instructed us to learn of him was his manner of life.  In other words, we are to follow the ethical principles that influenced his behaviour as a minister.

But thou hath fully known my doctrine, MANNER OF LIFE…                                              

2 Timothy 3:10

So what are ministerial ethics?  These are the standards, principles and broad guidelines we must observe in the ministry.  Ethical practices are upright, sound, honourable, moral, lawful, above-board, and full of integrity.

Unethical behaviour on the other hand, is that which is indecent, unfair, improper, dishonourable, shady, unscrupulous and maybe even crooked.

What Ethics Are Not

Ethical guidelines are not absolute laws. They are not the law of God.  Ethics are not scriptures and you will find that some of them even became impractical at different seasons of the ministry.  However, they are generally helpful guidelines for practicing ministry.  Not living according some of these ethics is not necessarily a sin.  They are just ideas that may help us to fulfil our ministries.  I am presenting these biblical guidelines to help ministers live and minister with wisdom.

It is my prayer that you will find within these pages, something that is profitable for instruction in righteousness, that you – the man of God – “…may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17).

by Dag Heward-Mills