Sexual Boundaries in Ministry

It should be obvious that sexual boundaries in ministry are no different than they are in any other public life or profession.

Ministers...like other helping professionals...have extraordinary access to a wide variety of people...situations that can be psychologically... emotionally ...and physically intimate.

The difference between ministers and other helping professionals is that there is no systematic code of ethics used in training ministers in how to interact with members of their ministries in complex social and spiritual circumstances .

And this has led to costly sanctions in terms of loss  of ministers...ministries... and church finances.

In addition...the long-term effects of child abuse due to sexual abuse in ministry have only come to light as a result of the public identification of victims...in their quest for reparation.

Sexual violations have been especially prevalent in adolescent sexual abuse.

Though sexual boundary violations can take more sophisticated forms with adults...such as doing certain kinds of therapy such as reparenting.

Knowledge and awareness of ministry boundaries is not infused with the laying on of hands at ordination.

And sexual attraction has nothing to do with the meaning of love that motivates authentic ministry.

Ministers must have a consciously formed policy for their ministry interactions because ministers...like any other helping professionals...

However, not all sex offenders in ministry are ministers.

What does a church do when asked to take convicted sex offenders as members?

From sexual boundaries you can...