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20BODYOFCHRISTNEWSJANUARY2014Pastorstodayhaveanincreasinglycomplexrole.Therewasatimewhenpastorsworkedwithlittlefearoflitigationorhavingtogetinvolvedinthelegalissuesaffectingthechurch.Theolddaysofapastorshakinghandswithaparishionertosealadealhavegivenwaytoamuchmorechallengingroleforclergyandchurchadministra-tion.nThePastorasCounselor-Thedaysofpastorsbeingabletocounseltheirparishionersonalargenumberoftopicsthathistoricallyfelltothepas-tortofixaregone.Litigationtodayrevealspastorschargedwithunau-thorizedpracticeofcounselingandsuedformalpractice.Itisappropriateforpastorstoassistinareasofreli-giouscounselingbuttheyneedtofindoutwhatthelawsareintheirjurisdic-tionforvarioustypesofcounselingandhaveanunderstandingofthescopeofanymalpracticecoveragepro-vided.Thepastormaybecomeapartytoadisputenotmerelythemediator.nEmployees-Manycongregationshaveaneedforemployeesbeyondtheservicesofthepastorministerofmusicsecretarygroundskeeperjani-torandanassistantpastorsdepend-ingonthesizeandresourcesofthechurch.Itnotonlymakeslegalsensetomeettherequirementsofemploy-mentlawsbutalsoisinherentlytherightthingtodotobefairtoitsemployees.nVolunteers-Churchescouldnotfulfilltheirmissionwithoutvolun-teersmemberswhoarewillingtogiveoftheirtimeandtalentstoadvancetheworkoftheirchurch.Itseemsburdensometosubjectvolunteerstoscreenings.Thepurposeofthesescreeningsisnottopunishthevolun-teersbuttosafeguardthecongrega-tionresourcesmembersandespe-ciallychildrenfromthosewhomightleadadoublelifeorfailtoprovidethechurchwithinformationabouttheirpastmisbehavior.nSexualAbuse-Whilepastorsmusttakeallstepsnecessarytoavoidtheappearanceofanyinappropriateconductontheirparttheymustalsomakesuretosafeguardtheirmembersfromallformsofabuse.Ofspecialconcernarethechildrenandyoungpeopleentrustedtotheministryofthechurch.nPoliticalActivity-Pastorsareonaslipperyslopewhentheymovebeyondthereligioustothepolitical.Certainlytherearemattersoflegisla-tiveinteresttochurchestodaythatdealwithmoralityandothersocialissuesthatinfluencethechurch.Howeverlawsexpresslyprohibitchurchesfromsupportingoropposingcandidatesforofficenomatterwhattheirpositions.Thepastorsprimarymotivationinlifemustbetopreachthegospelandpro-videspiritualleadershipandencour-agementtothemembers.Leaderscaneasilygetdistractedfromthatmissionwithchallengesinherentindoingthebusinessofthechurchintodayslegallychargedenvironment.Imnotsuggest-ingthatthepastorsmissionbesac-rificedforthesakeofaddressinglegalissuesbutcarefulthoughtandplan-ningmustbegivenonhowsuchissuesarecaredfor.Thepastorshouldseekcompetentassistance.Themissionofthechurchwillbeseriouslydistractedanddisplacedifpastorsfailtorecognizeandplanfortheseissuesaspartoftheirministry.PastorHollandReceivesHonoraryDoctorateSr.PastorofLivingHopeBaptistChurchhonoredbyDenverInstituteofUrbanStudiesOnSundayDecember82013atLivingHopeBaptistChurch11373E.AlamedaAvenueinAuroraColoradoDr.MalcolmNewtonandDr.HughHarrisoftheDIUSandAdultCollegeconferreduponPastorRobinD.HollandthedegreeofHonoraryDoctorateintheareaofHumanLetters.Thedegreewascon-ferredforDr.Hollandslifeofminis-tryandactivecommunityandglobalservice.Thispresentationwaswit-nessedbytheLivingHopeBaptistChurchFamilyDr.GeneMarlottofAmericanPathwaysUniversityaswellasRev.PaulMittonDistrictExecutiveMinisterofConvergeRockyMountainwhereDr.HollandisthenewCRMOverseer.Dr.andMrs.RobinHollandfound-edLivingHopeBaptistChurchin1992inAuroraColorado.HeholdsdegreesinEducationUrbanandInterculturalStudiesandLeadershipandManagement.HeismarriedtoNitaFayeandtheir35-yearmarriagehasblessedthemwithtwolovelydaughtersandtwograndchildren.Dr.andMrs.HollandalsohaveanadoptedsonfromZimbabweAfrica.PastorRobinD.HollandTHELAWDontGoItAloneByShirleyCowanShirleyCowanisdirectorofLegalShield.