Integrity in the workplace
Posted by hindsit in Leadership on June 15, 2010
I was listening to Dave Ramsey yesterday while driving and a listener tweeted “I would never lease a car, but I make lots of money getting other people to do it as a car salesman. Should I quit my job?”
Dave replied, “Absolutely.”
He then went on to explain that if you do not believe in what you do, how can you have integrity if you just keep doing it to make money. If you know that the product you’re selling is harmful and you would never buy it for yourself or sell it to someone you love, how can you “stick it to” a random customer that you don’t know? Remember the golden rule?
I know that he wasn’t talking to me, but it was a confirmation that I did the right thing. There are still days that I second-guess my decision, but I am so glad that I quit. My only regret is that I didn’t confront the pastor and tell him that I thought he was a liar and that I was choosing not to stay because of his lack of integrity.
I’ve just recently reconnected with a friend from my former church, and they also left because of the lack of integrity in the pastor’s life. If you can’t believe that what your pastor is telling you is the truth, you need to leave. It’s not easy, but it’s right.
And, if you’re on staff at a church, and you know the pastor is dishonest, staying on staff makes you complicit in the dishonesty. Speak up, or leave.
Thank you Dave.
The lies continue
Posted by hindsit in Leadership on June 3, 2010
One of my first posts was about the really bad situation I left behind at the church where I was employed. The pastor was continually lying to me and to others, and I’d just had enough of it. So when given the choice of staying or going, I chose to go.
We were very careful that we did not talk to any church members (except staff and one couple who are dear friends of ours). We did not want to stir up trouble. We just wanted to leave.
Well, this past Saturday, I spent about 2 hours with another couple who has left the church. When I asked them why, they said “We’ve come to the conclusion that the pastor either has alzheimers or he’s a liar.” I about fell off my chair. That’s the exact same thing I had told my wife last September.
I’m confused as to why someone who is a pastor feels the need to lie constantly to his staff, his members, and himself. He apparently feels the need to tell people what he thinks they want to hear instead of what he really feels. He creates false impressions of fairness and creates resentment among those who have devoted time, energy, and talent only to find out that they were never really under consideration.
Part of me feels sad for my friends that they had to see the dark side of ministry. I’m sad that they have been misled and betrayed. Another part of me breathes a sigh of affirmation knowing that I’m not alone and I’m not crazy. Others are seeing it too, and it won’t be long before the lies catch up and it all comes crashing down.
Batteries
Oh my word! I just ranted to my son for 5 minutes about batteries. Here’s the deal.
We have 4 Dish network satellite remotes in our house. His remote is the only one that is going dead WEEKLY! I asked him how often he changes the channel? Does he sit on the remote so the buttons are all depressed simultaneously? Did he hardwire the remote to a nuclear submarine to power the sub? There has to be a reason why these batteries are dying in one week.
Then I really lost it. I told him he owed me $4 for the batteries that I just put in it last week. ARGH!
Finally, we agreed I should call Dish and request a new remote because this one is obviously faulty. Dish network customer service agreed. :-)
What does it matter?
Posted by hindsit in Random Thoughts on June 1, 2010
Someone asked me the other day, “Why does it matter what Chuck Phelps did so many years ago? Aren’t you just being vindictive?”
Really?!? Let me give you a few reasons why I think it matters.
If it’s true that he refused to cooperate with the Concord police by telling them where they had shipped Tina off to, isn’t he guilty of obstruction of justice? He might as well have gone ahead and raped her too if he was going to assist Ernie in getting away with the crime.
What kind of pastor makes a rape victim stand up in front of the church and ask for forgiveness? What a sick and twisted psycho. Where in the world did he even get this from the Bible? Would you want him overseeing your child’s education? Well, as the pastor of Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, he’s doing just that. His church runs a Christian school, and he’s in charge. He shouldn’t be permitted to be around children. The people of that area have the right to know.
Now Phelps is blaming the police and the family. He’s taking no responsibility for his actions. Has he even responded to the whole “church discipline” thing? And if it is true that Phelps “never once got a call from the Concord police. … They simply didn’t do anything. This is unconscionable, what’s happening to the church here and to my reputation,” why didn’t he call the police back? Why did he (according to church members) allow Ernie to keep serving in the church and even work with teenagers?
Phelps needs to quit pretending that he is a victim in all of this and man up.