At our church the hallway to the ministers’ offices has a camera which shows the doors to each of their offices. They do not video inside the offices in order to protect privacy, but they often audiotape counseling sessions or meetings.
They have done it for years.
Their extra caution proved useful when a parent claimed our youth minister had abused their daughter. The Sr. Pastor took their complaint, investigated with 3 Elders, and found nothing wrong. He called a meeting with the mother and daughter and them it was hogwash, but never revealed that he had videotape to prove the case. So the unwitting mother went to the police.
They took her statement, including dates and times - this supposedly happened 3 times before the girl told mom. All 3 appointments were real - she had logged in with the secretary, and amazingly in all 3 cases the door remained open the entire time (contrary to the mothers/girls statement), and in 2 of the cases the secretary was in the room the entire time while in the third his wife chaperoned the meeting (also contrary to the statements - they claimed the girl was alone for more than an hour with the pastor).
No arrest - no charges - because they were careful, had video of the hallways, and ensured that a female chaperon was present during counseling with a female teen counselee. Safeguards that at times had seemed cumbersome saved the career and reputation of a fine young God-fearing man.
Further investigation revealed that mom had ‘extracted’ payments from several churches in the state using each of her three daughters. Most times when the allegation came and turned into a he said / she said she offered to go away for a price. Our pastor called her bluff.
I believe it is Billy Graham who will step out of even an elevator if he finds himself alone with a woman not his wife - he refuses to allow himself to be put in a situation where rumors or misconception could fester. Regardless of your opinion of Rev. Graham’s ministry this is clearly a smart policy.
Moral of the story - a minister should conduct himself in a manner that prevents even the perception of impropriety.
You said — Moral of the story - a minister should conduct himself in a manner that prevents even the perception of impropriety.
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Agreed, and also to avoid those false charges, as you brought up, in your post.
She should have gone to prison for this.