Ministers and laypeople attending the Education/Music Association’s (EMA) annual meeting Nov. 18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham, experienced a bit of professional development.
Dale Huff, director of the office of LeaderCare/church administration for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, led a session on ministerial ethics. A second session on effective leadership was also offered by Steve Echols, associate dean of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Huff spoke of the ethical dilemmas that face ministers and ways to avoid them.
“[Sexual misconduct] is the most destructive of the areas of misbehavior because of what it does to a person’s church, life and family,” Huff said. “The more common area is financial, either not tithing, or mismanagement of money, but people will forgive that where they won’t forgive an affair.”
Huff stressed accountability and stress management as two preventatives for ministers facing these temptations.
He also mentioned the minister’s position in situations of sexual misconduct. “The responsibility always lies with the minister.” Huff said both legally and spiritually because you are in a position of power in the world’s eyes and in the eyes of God.”
Focusing on leadership, Echols said developing leaders is not easy.
“America is a critical society,” Echols said. “It is not very leadership-friendly, and ministers wilt under criticism.”
Key elements in effective leadership include emotional intelligence and spiritual maturity, flexibility in leadership style, the power of a vision to bring unity to fragmentation and servant leadership as a predecessor to transformational leadership, Echols noted.
During the business session, new officers were elected. They are: Vial Fontenot, president; Larry Armstrong, president-elect; Don Campbell, vice president; Charles Shaddix, secretary; and Johnny Kilgore, treasurer.
The 2003 program committee members elected are Bryan Hutching, Dorothy Frady, Lori Berry, Steve Langton, Ronnie Cornutt and Johnny Arnett.
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