5 Effective Ways to Help Avoid Defamation
By Raul Rivera
I am sure you are familiar with the words of Jesus when He said, “Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.” (Luke 12:48 NLT) For those in leadership positions, those words could not be more true.
As a minister of the gospel, you are held to a higher standard of integrity. As one who speaks from the pulpit each week, your words hold a sense of authority and power, and rightfully so. But as the Scriptures tell us, “The tongue has the power of life and death . . .” (Proverbs 18:21 NIV).
Today’s blog topic is never an easy one to talk about, but it is one that every pastor should be reminded of every so often: defamation.
Unfortunately, because of your place at the pulpit, you and the words you speak are scrutinized and watched very closely. Understanding what defamation is and how it relates to you as a minister is of utmost importance.
In this post, we will examine what defamation is, how it relates to you as a minister, and 5 effective ways for you to avoid defamation. There is a fine line between one person’s right to freedom of speech and another’s right to protect his name and reputation. The deeper your understanding of defamation, the better for both you and your church.
What is defamation?
What do you think of when you hear the word “defamation”? Most likely you think of it in a legal sense for when someone “bad-mouths” another person. And for the most part, you are right.
According to law.com, defamation is “the act of making untrue statements about another, which damages his/her reputation.” In essence, defamation is a catch-all term for any comment, remark, or statement that harms someone’s reputation. Defamation may be written (libel) or spoken (slander) and is considered false by the accuser.
Truth be told, if you are pastor of a church long enough, the day will come when you have to deal with an individual whose actions are troublesome and may not align with your church’s standards. But how you address and deal with that situation matters.
Next, we will take a look at a fictional case study to help deepen our understanding of defamation.
An example to consider
Just last month, Jason’s mentor (Rick) celebrated his last Sunday as pastor of the church that Jason is now leading. There were many tears and well wishes, but the church understood that it was Rick’s time to move forward.
During the service, Jason, along with several others, shared how Rick had impacted each of their lives for the better. Jason told of a time when he and his wife’s marriage needed some guidance and how Rick used his own marriage experiences from the past to teach both Jason and his wife some invaluable lessons that helped better their marriage.
Fast forward about a month later, and Jason was shocked when he received an email from Rick expressing disappointment with what Jason had shared. Although what Jason shared was true, Rick felt that some may have perceived the real reason for his departure from the church to be due to him and his wife having marital problems, which was far from the truth. He felt that what was shared in private, should have been kept private.
In his email, Rick went on to say that because they were close, he knew that Jason was just sharing from his heart with the best of intentions. But Rick also wanted to use this as a lesson for Jason to learn how careful he must be when speaking from the pulpit.
Some could have easily taken what Jason said and used it to spread false rumors as to the “real” reason why Rick stepped down from the church. While that was not the case here, Rick wanted Jason to know that he might not be so lucky next time and that any other individual could attempt to hold Jason and the church liable for defamation.
Could this happen to you?
Although this is a sobering example, it is one that is not all that uncommon amongst many pastors and church leaders. No, defamation did not exist in the story above, but hopefully you can see the importance of guarding your tongue.
We know what defamation with malicious intent looks like. It is usually the result of hurt feelings or extreme disapproval among two or more individuals. But now we know that defamation can also result unintentionally.
Now, it is important to note that in order for defamation to occur, the “victim” must prove that it occurred. In general, defamation contains the following elements:
- Oral or written statements about another individual.
- It is false.
- It is published or communicated to other persons.
- It is injurious to their reputation.
Now there is much more that could be said about each of these elements. However, that will have to be saved for a future post, because what I want to share with you in this post is what you can do to help prevent accusations of defamation. Let us take a look at that next.
5 effective ways to help avoid defamation
I remember as a kid singing the song, “O Be Careful, Little Eyes”, in Sunday school. There is a verse in that song and it goes, “O be careful little mouth what you say”. It is easy to dismiss that line and song as just a children’s Sunday school song, but its message holds a timeless truth for us all.
As a pastor, the day will come, if it has not already, when you will have to deal with the actions of church members. But how you do so requires wisdom.
Listed below are 5 effective ways that, if heeded, will help you handle difficult matters with wisdom and integrity, and they will help you to avoid potential defamation.
1. Only announce matters of common interest
The behavior of one member may not be a matter of common interest to other members of your church. The act of sharing things that are not a matter of common interest may in fact be considered public disclosure of private facts. Because of this, it is important that an article in your church’s bylaws allows you to deal with matters of common interest to the church. Let me tell you why.
There is what is known as the “qualified privilege defense to defamation”. In essence, this defense permits individuals in positions of authority to communicate information that is of common interest or mutual concern without it being considered slander or libel (defamation). So, if your bylaws address matters of common interest and you feel that a certain matter is necessary to announce to the church as a whole, then you can. Although, in such situations, I recommend that it be done with tact, respect, and integrity.
Those who have completed, or are going through, our StartRIGHT® Program will find this matter addressed within the “Mutual Interest” article of your bylaws. If your church’s bylaws do not include such language, then I recommend you consider making an amendment to your bylaws.
2. Avoid conclusive statements
In the instance you have to address your congregation regarding the action(s) of another member, it is best to stay away from statements or remarks such as, “He was acting as an agent of the Enemy.” That is a conclusive statement, and there is a big difference between describing a behavior and actually making a conclusion.
Instead, you might rephrase that statement as, “His actions exhibited repetitive behavior consistent with James 4:4, which this church and its leaders believe is contrary to God’s Word.”
As you can see, there is a big difference between the two. Both statements convey the same message, but one made it an ecclesiastical matter that was settled by the church, while the other left it open to interpretation.
3. Know what you want to accomplish
Before you share any such incident with your congregation, ask yourself, “What am I hoping to accomplish?” Are you doing so out of anger and hurt? Are you trying to protect your own reputation? Do you truly have a redemptive purpose? Only you know your heart and why you choose to say what you say.
4. Speak the truth
Speaking the truth can be one of the best ways to avoid defamation. If you find that making a matter known is in the best interest of the church, then let the truth be presented in a way that promotes instruction. We can all learn from each other’s mistakes, but the key is that we learn. As Galatians 6:1 instructs, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (emphasis added) (NIV)
5. Get permission
Stories of how God saved one from the brink of death, or how God broke one’s drug addiction, or how God restored a broken marriage can be powerful testimonies to God’s power, love, and kindness. But because we live in such a litigious society, you should pause before you share one’s testimony in one of your sermons or teachings. Before doing so, it is best practice that you get permission from the individual(s). You may even want to consider getting their permission in writing.
Grace to weather any storm
The sometimes-hard truth is that God never promised us we would not face any storms. He did, however, promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Defamation is just one of the potential “legal storms” that may arise, but what about the other “legal storms”? In such an event, is your church prepared to weather those storms?
Whether or not you feel your church is prepared, I want to invite you to join us at one of our Ultimate Church Structure Conferences to help solidify your church’s legal foundation. You may not feel the urgency of the matter, but as Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” My only question to you now is, “When the storm passes through, on what side will you be standing?”