Just this week the Senate of the United States failed to garner enough support (60 votes needed) to initiate the ban on abortion for babies at 20 weeks. It was named the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. To me abortion itself is unconscionable. Life begins at conception. But this ban did not even aim at all abortions. It came about because infants in the womb can feel pain at 20 weeks. Our Senate could not even vote to ban the felt torture and eventual murder of unborn babies at 20 weeks. Our nation needs much repentance and confession.

We should not be surprised by such inaction. Confession and repentance begin at a place most people in our country have never been. When Nehemiah recorded in chapter 9 of his history the confession of the people of Israel, he began:

You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous. —Nehemiah 9:6-8

The rest of the chapter reflects on the goodness and covenant keeping of God and the failures and sins of Israel against God. The people of God confessed and repented of their sins. But they did not do so in a vacuum. They confessed based on several important reflections:

1. The LORD was Creator and Covenant-Maker.
2. While God had always kept the covenant, they had failed over and over again.
3. They desperately needed the grace and forgiveness of God.

As Christians living in a secular culture, we are witnessing the disintegration of moral standards. All too often we are either passively ignoring or even participating in that disintegration. While you and I should bemoan failures by our politicians to ban abortions at 20 weeks, we must not forget where confession begins. Confession cannot begin in Washington, Raleigh, Charlotte, or Wilkesboro because so many in our country are not able to make the proper reflections. Confession must begin with the people of God who know that the LORD is Creator and that he is holy. Confession must begin with those who have experienced his redemption even though we do not deserve it. Confession must begin with those who recognize their need for the grace of God.

After we have confessed, after we have repented, after we have mourned, and after we have celebrated God’s forgiveness, we can move forward. Where do we go with our country and our culture? We must reintroduce them to the LORD who is the Creator. We cannot expect the unconverted and secular to act with a biblical moral compass. But we can seek the LORD, confess our own sins, and with passionate witness declare the LORD of creation to a world desperately in need of knowing him.

Article originally published at the Biblical Recorder.

The patterns of sexual misconduct exposed in elite political and media circles are staggering. We are reaping the harvest of the “free love” movement in the 1960s and other decadent cultural trends. Nothing that has been exposed should surprise us, but it should sadden and sober us.

In both personal and public life, pastors should implement practices and standards that will help protect our ministries and churches from becoming accessories to sexual impropriety. Here are nine suggestions:

1. Set boundaries.

It is both virtuous and wise to avoid intimate conversations and extended times of being alone with members of the opposite sex who are not our spouses. Hold open-door meetings or use conference rooms with windows for meetings with volunteers or staff members. As pastors and ministry leaders, we are in positions of authority and influence, and we should embody a character of virtue and godliness. We must also not be naïve. We minister in an age where false accusations occur. It is nearly impossible to be accused of impropriety if you are never in a compromising situation.

2. Use proper vetting.

Make sure all those who work with children and students have background checks and undergo a waiting period for service. As shepherds, we are responsible to protect the sheep. We should take seriously the processes and protections we put in place to make our churches safe.

3. Pursue accountability.

While we can guard against engaging in wrong behavior, we cannot fix the sinfulness within our hearts. We should preach the gospel to ourselves regularly (read Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp) and pursue holiness. We should also have accountability relationships. Personal accountability draws appropriate attention to our sinfulness, leads us to confession and functions as a discipline that will help us walk in holiness.

4. Know the legal requirements.

It is important to know what you are required to do legally should you or someone in your church face an accusation of abuse or harassment. You need to know your ethical and legal obligations to protect the victim and inform the authorities. The umbrella insurance company for your church is a good place to begin with appropriate policies and measures regarding these issues as it relates to staff and volunteers.

5. Avoid a cover-up.

While we must handle accusations with discretion, we must not cover anything up. We are children of the light, and we should not be afraid of addressing things in the light. We should properly address any accusation of misconduct with a thorough process of internal investigation, as well as informing the proper authorities.

6. Focus on your marriage.

It should go without saying, but the greatest protection against impurity and misconduct is a healthy marriage. Your spouse is to be your lover and defender. A marriage functioning as God intends discourages misconduct. Also, you should trust your spouse’s discernment regarding people in your circle. A healthy, trust-filled marriage is a safeguard against sexual impurity.

7. Watch your speech and jokes.

Inappropriate jokes and crude comments have no place among the body of Christ. As leaders, we must be careful that we don’t get so familiar with staff, friends and church leadership that we joke or comment inappropriately. We must remain above reproach in our speech.

8. Consider the consequences.

An accusation or an event of harassment in your setting could have catastrophic ramifications for your church. While I don’t believe that we should worry or dwell on “what ifs,” we must not stick our heads in the sand and hope things work out for the best. We owe it to our congregations to plan ahead and create protocols that could prevent such an issue.

9. Pray for God’s protection.

In all our planning and preparing we must not forget to pray. We should pray for wisdom for our church leaders. We should pray that holiness would permeate our speech and actions. We should pray that God would protect the children and families in our congregations. We should pray that perpetrators would be confronted. We should pray that victims would experience restoration.

What other practices have you implemented that help us avoid misconduct or harassment?