January 29, 2001

EDITORIAL:
Promote morality among ministry
___Three days are not enough.
___Jesse Jackson's hiatus from public life after admission of adultery lasted three days.
___"I am father to a daughter who was born outside of my marriage," Jackson said Jan. 18. "I fully accept responsibility, and I am truly sorry for my actions. ... I will be taking some time off to revive my spirit and reconnect with my family before I return to public ministry."
___Scarred by sin, Jackson seemed willing to set an example of repentance. Unfortunately, his "time off" soon expired. By Jan. 21, he stood in a pulpit and announced his return. "We know that our mandate is to go forward," he declared.
___Before we go forward, let's make two things clear: This is not about race. It's not about politics. The cemetery of failed ministry is the moral abode for high numbers of blacks and whites, Republicans and Democrats, and moderates and conservatives.
___Jackson's pledge to withdraw for a season held promise. In a world where public figures get by with everything the populace will allow, Jackson hinted he would forfeit what the Divine demands. But after the equivalent of a long weekend, he bounded back, ready to champion his causes.
___That's not to say his causes are not just. His failure does not denigrate the validity of his causes; it does undermine his role.
___That issue transcends Jesse Jackson. Far too many ministries have been undermined by sexual abuse. (In fact, clergy infidelity is the only bullet never fired in the Baptist battles, because if the shooting started, the casualties would devastate both sides.) The damage always surpasses the wounds inflicted upon the minister, the lover and their families. The church and community suffer. And the damage compounds when the minister jumps right back into ministry, often in another church in another community.
___At the very least, ministers bruised by moral failure should leave the ministry for several years. This would provide time for spiritual cleansing, family healing and psychological recuperation. It would enable the minister to prove he or she is serious about spiritual reclamation and family relationships. It would alleviate the suffering of former church members who worry the minister's moral weakness will injure others. And it would give grace time to work.
___Baptists can take several steps to promote morality among their ministers:
___ Ministers can sign the covenant of sexual ethics developed by the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission. The covenant calls on ministers to "commit to God and the congregations they serve to be faithful to the biblical sexual ethic of fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness." It provides a framework for upholding ministers' sexual integrity, supporting and protecting ministers by defining ethical norms and establishing a process for achieving justice, reconciliation and healing.
___ Ministers can take another step by building a confidential partnership of accountability. This may be difficult, because often the person must be apart from the church and community. Churches can help by providing resources to establish and maintain such partnerships.
___ Churches also can help their ministers by loving them, encouraging them, holding them up in prayer and providing time and opportunity to strengthen their marriages. The vast majority of ministers never will succumb to sexual temptation, and ministers certainly do not deserve to be looked upon as predators-in-waiting. Still, studies show clergy sexual misconduct often grows out of ministerial burnout, isolation and depression. Churches that help their ministers remain healthy are most likely to have ministers who are faithful.
___ Similarly, ministers can utilize available resources, such as the Texas Baptist Ministers Counseling Service, to seek help when they need it. Texas Baptists also can stand ready to expand such service and make it more readily available statewide.
___ We also can do more to reclaim ministers. In addition to counseling, they and their families often need housing assistance, since many live in parsonages. Mature Baptists can provide honest friendship and care so vital to re-establishing identity and self-esteem. Some laypeople can offer jobs so ministers can support themselves and their families without the pressure to take up the only "job" they know--ministry.
___God and Texas Baptists have invested much in our ministers. Ministers have invested their lives in service. Responsible reclamation is redemptive kingdom work. And it takes more than three days.
___ Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com


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