As the pastor of a church, it is only natural that many people want to keep you informed of news that might seem pertinent to the ministry. There is always the potential to be given information that is incorrect or only partially true. Therefore it is extremely important to verify information before concluding that all information you receive is accurate. Human nature, as it is, will cause people to transfer information without recognizing the importance of privacy in certain matters.

When a member comes to you with information that could be damaging to another, it is important that you verify the information quickly before rumors can develop. Usually the best way to verify information is to go right to the source of the accusations. When someone reports information to you, ask them if you can use their name as a source of the comments. Failure to verify information can cause undue church problems and divisions in the church.

An important principle to follow is: If you are not a part of the problem or a part of the solution, you should not be a part of the conversation. If it doesn't really involve you, you should resist the temptation to get involved. Pray for those involved, but do not even listen to a discussion about a problem that has nothing to do with you. On the other hand, if a problem exists and is not biblically and lovingly dealt with, it could fester and explode causing additional harm to the church. Dealing with it sooner than later will spare you untold problems.