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This handbook will help your congregation design procedures and policies and guide you in handling allegations of misconduct.

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MISCONDUCT IN MINISTRY A HANDBOOK FOR CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES The Misconduct Committee of the NACCC Becci Dawson-Cox Rev...
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................
1 INTRODUCTION Hopefully, you are not reading this handbook because you are scrambling to get a handle on an incident inv...
2 Much work on these topics has been accomplished in recent years, driven in large part by well-publicized clergy sex abus...
3 1. CHURCH IS A SANCTUARY Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on y...
4 2. MINISTRY IS NOT JUST FOR MINISTERS Your church is just filled with people who minister, actively serving others in i...
5 3. WHAT CONSTITUTES MISCONDUCT If good conduct in ministry can be described as good shepherding, then bad or mis-conduc...
6 Sexual misconduct of many varieties. Clergy sexual abuse should be seen as a pastor s failure to be responsible f...
7 4. HANDLING ALLEGATONS OF MISCONDUCT Having policies and procedures in place before an incident occurs makes a favorabl...
8 legal matters, its insurance company is a good resource for securing appropriate legal counsel. The local church, howeve...
9 5. CONSULTING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES Allegations of misconduct are invariably di...
10 considers that person for ministry. To repeat, in the NACCC, there is no action that can be taken against a minister by...
11 6. MINISTERING TO ALL PARTIES Allegations of misconduct against a pastor, church leader or anyone involved in ministry...
12 abuse or bear the burden of forgiving to assuage the consciences of others. The church must attend to the needs of the ...
13 polarize the congregation, damage morale, create serious internal problems, and even limit the trust a congregation may...
14 7. PROMOTING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT In most cases, it is more desirable to prevent a problem than to have to remedy it. Th...
15 Churches often have bylaws governing the termination of employment of a pastor. They should be amended to allow for imm...
16 8. OUTCOMES RESTORATION, REPENTANCE, FORGIVENESS What do we want to result from dealing with, handling, managing inci...
17 In the context of sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation, the truth is that abusers often do not feel that they h...
18 but rather on honest facing of facts and sincere efforts at restoration, including recompense, repentance, and forgiven...
19 CONCLUSION NO HURT OR HARM ON GOD S HOLY MOUNTAIN Twice, the prophet Isaiah conveys God s promise that one day ...
20 RESOURCES DENOMINATIONAL RESOURCES National Association of Congregational Christian Churches www.naccc.org Person...
21 Sample Child Abuse Prevention Program , 2010 ORGANIZATIONS The Faith Trust Institute. www.faithtrustinstitute.org ...