“However, as of 2014, UBF is no longer a member of the N.A.E.”

Does anyone know if this is true? I am planning on removing this from the article because there is no proper citation that says this.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/juneweb-only/nae-clergy-ethics-code.html

Not only should we stop saying it, but the far “harder” aspect is to not feel it in one’s heart as though the shepherd has some “rights” and control over the sheep’s life and future.

Someone told me recently that some shepherds and missionaries feel strongly that their sheep should be their sheep all their life! Wow.

Hi Joe, your link was back to this article, rather than the CT article.

I’m not sure if I posted this relevant link already: http://exteammembers.blogspot.de/2008/12/fallacy-of-personal-pastors.html

http://www.ubfriends.org/2012/06/29/pastors-code-of-ethics/

It was motivated in part by rampant plagiarism and use of pornography.

Hopefully, people will share their stories, and provide insight from both sides: the pastor and the congregation (the shepherd and the sheep).

Pastors have tended to “side with” their fellow pastor, while refusing to truly listen to allegations against them, which is unfortunate.

Members who have experienced unethical practices may tend to “pile it on” and generalize it to everyone in UBF.

With regard to sin, both leaders and members are like filthy rags (Isa 64:6) before God. No one should dismiss another person. No one should “take the high ground” (for only God in on the high ground), as though such discussion is not worthy of them.

Like God who humbled and incarnated himself unto death, we may truly welcome (love and forgive) each other, as we say to each other, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isa 1:18).

Humility is so easy to impose on others (1 Pet 5:5), but hard to practice and apply to ourselves (1 Pet 5:6). The older I get, the more I know that I need to die to my pride that comes from aging, as though I have some extra clout for being older!

Having read the document, I think it would be easy for pastors who have engaged in unethical or authoritarian behavior to believe that they are adhering to it already. The language is non-specific. What people need, I think, is actual stories and examples of unethical behavior that hit close to home. Then they can begin to understand what the words of the statement actually mean.