Leadership Integrity at Cedar Hills Church
adopted by the Elders on 2/21/2016
You can struggle with any hurt, habit, hang-up, or sin and still serve in some capacity through Cedar Hills
Church, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey. However, for serving roles that involve
leading and teaching, a higher level of commitment to transparency, accountability, and integrity is
required—because that’s what the Scriptures instruct.*
Leading and teaching in the church brings both the privilege and the responsibility of influencing others
in life and faith. Jesus emphasizes that, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in
return...” (Luke 12:48 NLT).
We want to empower every Cedar Hills leader to lead with integrity. Each of us are responsible to
manage our own leadership integrity—it’s the only way an individual can lead successfully over time. We
also recognize the value of honest and transparent relationship, in providing accountability and living in
alignment with Christ. To promote a healthy, transforming, integrity-filled church family, we’ve
established shared integrity norms for all leaders in our church family.
Integrity norms are not about legalism—they’re about living an accountable, above-reproach life. Just
because someone deals with a compromising issue, doesn't automatically lead to removal from ministry.
This is the value of being in an accountable relationship with someone who can work through this with
you. There are times however when a leader who regularly violates these norms should remove
him/herself from leadership for a season until he/she is spiritually healthy and ready for such a role.
As leaders committed to living out the love of Christ and striving for leadership integrity:
• We show God’s love and compassion for all people regardless of race, gender, economic or
social standing.
• We claim the power given through Jesus Christ and find spiritual freedom to lead lives of self-
control in all areas including our speech, food and alcohol consumption, and our finances.
• We believe in the biblical model of sexuality between a husband and a wife, and we honor God
by abstaining from all forms of sexual sin, including pornography.
• We seek to be generous with our time, talent, and finances.
• We strive to be truthful.
• When we sin we allow God to work in our hearts, becoming quick to confess our sin and ask Him
to forgive us. When needed, we also ask the forgiveness of others.
• We believe that we are forgiven much, and therefore are quick to forgive others.
• We allow God to continually search the depths of our hearts and ask Him to reveal the areas that
are not in line with His word that we might change to please Him.
Identifying sin, confessing to God and others, and experiencing the redemptive power of Jesus Christ is
a journey for all of us. It’s a journey we help each other through. Your church is ready to walk that path
with you. We are eager and overjoyed to see you fulfilling and growing in the purpose God has called
you to (1 John 1:5-8).
*References to spiritual maturity:
1 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 4:12-24, Colossians 2:6-10, Colossians 3:5-17, Hebrews 5:12- 6:12,
James 3, 1 Peter 2:1-3, 2 Peter 3:11-18, Romans 12:2.
