Background

National Hui 2023 gave the Assembly Council, through the National Support Centre, a mandate to develop a safety mechanism for dealing with serious misconduct by pastoral staff. You can read the 2023 pre-Hui reading material, as well as a summary of the Hui session ‘Big Bite 3’ online here.

In December 2023 a group was established tasked with developing this mechanism, and ensuring it would fit within the current Baptist Union of New Zealand (BUNZ) safety ecosystem. The Serious Misconduct Process (SMP) is the realisation of this work.

Consultation was undertaken with a focus group and senior BUNZ leadership, the result of which was the publication of a White Paper.

Consultation

The Serious Misconduct Process White Paper was published in May 2024 for feedback and consultation over a three-month period. The proposal was discussed at five regional hui and an online forum. There was great engagement and feedback on the paper, including 33 individual and joint written submissions being received. Further advice was sought from legal experts and policy writers.

Common themes from the feedback were:

  • The local church should have greater involvement in the mechanism process
  • How does an external process like this fit within the framework of Baptist ecclesiology?
  • Where does support for the victim/s sit?
  • The thresholds for serious misconduct need clear definition
  • Could/should we have compulsory registration?
  • Concern about confidentiality for both victim and respondent if too many people involved.
  • How the cost of the investigation will be met

The Green Paper

The Working Group, having taken all feedback and advice into account, including from a subcommittee of the Assembly Council, made adjustments and in August submitted a Green Paper to the Assembly Council. Supporting information, much of which addresses feedback received, is included in a Frequently Asked Questions document along with an article by Baptist Theologian Martin Sutherland on Baptist polity and a serious misconduct policy. The Green Paper, FAQ and article by Sutherland are available in one 17-page PDF, please ask your church administrator/office person, or pastoral staff for the password to this document.
NOTE: This document was updated 22 October 2024: Section 4.5.1 has one addition highlighted in yellow:

Serious Misconduct Process Green Paper and supporting information 2 Sept 2024 Updated 22 Oct.pdf

Next Stages

The Assembly Council has approved for publication the proposed Serious Misconduct Process, including the voting option for National Hui, November2024.

If the Serious Misconduct Process is accepted by the Hui delegates further work will need to be completed in 2025 regarding implementation. A suggested clause for inclusion in a local church’s constitution is available for churches who wish to opt-in to the process prior to National Hui 2025. See FAQ #16.

Karen Warner
Leadership Coordination Director, Baptist National Support Centre
[email protected]

Audio summary

For an eleven-minute audio summary of the proposed Serious Misconduct Process you can listen to a conversation between Karen Warner and Wayne Schache at the National Support Centre published on 2 September 2024, on The Lowdown – National Hui 2024 podcast. Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or find it on the Baptist NZ app (How to download our app):

Article on Baptist Polity

Written by Martin Sutherland, Baptist Theologian and Pastor:

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Education
August 22, 2024 | Martin Sutherland Channel: 2144749

Baptist Polity and a Serious Misconduct Policy

The proposals redefine aspects of local church responsibility, but do not threaten it on any fundamental questions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

These questions are answered on pages 11-15 of the Serious Misconduct Process Green Paper PDF:

1. Who does the Serious Misconduct Process cover and why?

2. How can a complaint be made?

3. Can or should the church do an internal audit to clarify the facts or truth of the accusation
before reporting?

4. How often are allegations of serious misconduct by pastoral staff received by the BUNZ
Complaints Team?

5. Who pays for the investigation?

6. What if the allegation is criminal in nature?

7. What happens regarding support for the victim/s?

8. What is spiritual abuse?

9. Who gets what information and when, including respondent and victim?

10. ‘Censure’ is a very harsh sounding response. Is there more to it than that?

11. When will the respondent be stood down and what does this mean?

12. What happens when there is a conflict of interest with the Assembly Council
representative or other Panel members?

13. Why has the name, make-up and authority of the originally named Representatives group
been changed?

14. Who is an appropriate investigator?

15. Why do we not have compulsory registration, and can we require mandatory reporting?

16. If National Hui 2024 approves the motion to adopt the Serious Misconduct Process how
will it be implemented ?

17. How does this process interact with the recommendations in the Royal Commission Inquiry
into Abuse in Care findings?

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