Ministerial Ethics, Dropping Out and TV: Did You Forget You Agreed to This?
 

2007 Manual Page 159

Position Papers/Ministerial Code of Ethics

ends with...

"Having accepted a pastorate, I will not use my influence to alienate the church or any portion thereof from the fellowship or support of the United Pentecostal Church International. If my convictions change, I will be honorable enough to withdraw."

Questions:

Will ministers withdrawing abide by the code of ethics they ascribed to in the manual when they affirmed their membership with the fellowship?

Will they simply withdraw w/o using their influence to alienate their church which may be UPCI affiliated? Will they not use their influence to alienate the fellowship or support of the UPCI?

Have not their convictions changed in regards to abiding to the current bylaws of the UPCI ... and so the honorable thing is to withdraw without trying to bring others w/ them?

Will their integrity be questioned ???... do they not also fall under question ethically if they break this code of ethics? ... which can seemingly then be adjudicated under resolution 3?

See, now that there is funny. I dont care who you are, that there is funny!

Can't cons be blacklisted by district boards for breaking this code of ethic ... if found guilty of using persuasion/influence to alienate ... let's say the affiliated church they pastor?

If found to be under question would it not also it against the rules to fellowship said pastor ... only for funerals and weddings?

Is disaffiliating the same as alienating?

No ... but the ethical thing to do ... I think ....according to this code is for the pastor not exert influence over the affiliated church as to make them vote to disaffiliate ... Am I wrong?

Nor should they influence others in the fellowship or in the support of the fellowship.

It is impossible to do this. You have to be UPC to Pastor an affiliated church. If you disaffiliate then you can withdraw without consequence.

But there is a fine blurred line between the pastor turning in his license and using tactics to influence "his" church to disaffiliate ...

Also the pastor withdrawing has agreed not try to influence others to leave ... or not support.

If a UPC church disaffiliates from the UPC and maintains the same pastor how is it possible for that pastor to say he did not use his influence to alienate the church from fellowship or support of the UPC? Because now he is a pastor of an alienated church and a pastor is the leader of that flock. :girlpopcorn
I'm thinking specifically of those UC who might turn in their license after disaffiliating their church like Ultracon was saying his pastor planned on doing in another thread.... if my memory is correct.

Many of the churches are set up so that the pastor is affiliated as opposed to the church itself.