Grace Graduate College, Hawassa Branch

(New Vision University)

An assessment on: Identify ethical issues related with leadership, organization or

church in your community and propose of possible option to enhance or
improve ethical standard.

By Abiye Heripa

COURSE: Leadership Ethics/Organizational Ethics/ Church Ethics

Submitted to : Dr. Dawit

January,2019
Table of contents Pages

1. Introduction……………………………………………………………1
2. Implications……………………………………………………………2
3. Divorce is one of identified ethical problems in church…..3
4. The cause of divorce………………………………………………6

5. The church stake as leadership responsibility ethical problem of

divorce………………………………………………………………7

6. The proposed of possible option to enhance ethical standard for

the problem of divorce…………………………………………………13

7. The divorce problems of today which need over come on improve
ethical standard ………………………………………………17

8. Conclusions………………………………………………………………19

9. References……………………………………………………………………20
 1. Introduction
In my understating divorce is not personal issue that I have been living a happy marriage
for 25 years, and cannot think and divorce to marry of anyone I married once my present
wife so I am glad that we both believe marriage is for lifelong which keeps to stuck each
other. The only person that I know in my family who divorced was my grandfather to whom
I was never close and who was not a nice person. In my family and my relatives cultural
norm marriage is respected and involving in such acts like, adultery, divorce, sex before
marriage is forbidden and out casted behaviors. We all regard marriage as a faithful and
glorious life. In this sense divorce is not a close personal issue, and I have no personal knife
to break up. On the top of that we realize divorce is forbidden in the life of man and woman.
While these days the problem is becoming critical issue in our community and church as
well due to modernization concept and thoughts which undermine the cultural societal
norms which govern with ethical standard of social life that make me concerned and crates
my interest to give attention to the issue.

When we see from the Practicality of the Issue, most Christians in present society, even, my
close Christian friends who divorced and remarried and when we observe the case most of
the Christians are married to a woman or man, who was divorced after her husband or his
wife committed adultery and left him or her. It is, sadly, hard to believe that there are many
churches in Ethiopia today allowed divorce and motivates remarriage. This is not, therefore,
a “theological interest” issue like “Will divorce is forbidden or a symbolic issue. It is a moral
and social issue that concerns the whole church to combat the divorce problem.
In the book of Genesis creation narratives of marriage which I have deal with basic texts talk
about wife and husband to ‘cleave’ each other. When explain the action that God did is that;
Genesis has two great human-creation narratives that God created man Adam in his own
image: in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them. Then God
blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply fill the earth and subdue it:
have dominion over the fish of the sea…etc (1:27-28). And the Lord God formed the man
Adam out of the dust of the ground and the Lord God said: “It is not good that the man
Adam should be alone; I will make him an ally suited to him... Then the rib/side which the
Lord God had taken from the man Adam he made into a woman, and brought her to the man
Adam. And the man Adam said: “This time! This is the bone of my bones, and flesh of my
flesh; she shall be called a woman, for from a man was she taken this one!” Therefore shall a
man is leaving his father and mother and shall cleave to his woman/wife, and they shall
become one flesh. (2:7-24). Now the man Adam knew his wife Eve and she conceived…
(Gen.4:1).

2. Implications

The natural way to take this would be that marriage was something planned by God. One
implication would be that He meant it to be heterosexual since He did not make another
Adam, or another Eve. It might also be concluded that monogamy was intended, since only
one woman was made for the one man. Finally, the “one flesh” nature of the bond,
accompanied by the decisive “leaving and cleaving” seems to indicate that marriage was
meant to be permanent. Wenham (1987) said in traditional societies like Israel where
honoring parents is the highest human obligation next to honoring God, this remark about
forsaking them is very striking. “Sticks to his wife” this phrase suggests both passion and
permanence should characterize marriage. The tribes of Israel are assured that they will stick
to their own inheritance; i.e. it will be theirs permanently (Num 36:7,9). Israel is repeatedly
urged to stick to the Lord (Deut 10:20; 11:22; 13:5 etc). The use of the terms “forsake” and
“stick” in the context of Israel’s covenant with the Lord suggests that the OT viewed
marriage as a kind of covenant.
Wenham is surely right in claiming that the word “cleave” implies more than a fleeting
union; it means some kind of commitment. It can involve strong, loving attachment only
with when famously Ruth “clave” to Naomi (Ru.1:14), or when linked directly with love as
in 1 Kin.11:2.

3. Divorce is one of identified ethical problems in church

Based on Webster dictionary definition of divorce is a choice that two people
make, not to live together as husband and wife. This means that legally they sign
the documents of divorce, but sometimes when one of the partners may not agree
with the idea of that the other partner might sign against his or her will.

As experience shows and my observation concern divorce is one of the major

ethical problem experiences in the church and we have seen that high rate of
divorce shows in the church members. God’s original plan is for lifelong,
monogamous marriage and also God intends marriage to be faithful, and
permanent, but human action can terminate it. In some
Circumstances, God sees such termination as the “least bad” option. Marriages
should not be terminated in order to get a more desirable partner, but a divorced
person is not married and it can sometimes be right for them to remarry. Of cores the
rate of divorce among Christians who attend church regularly is far smaller than that
of the general population.

Divorce commonly brings many harmful consequences. In some situations, God

tolerated and regulated divorce in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus
allowed for both divorce and remarriage on account of adultery. Paul added
irreconcilable desertion as a second legitimate reason for divorce. Furthermore,
Humanity’s problem of divorce came as the result of the fall of mankind. When
Jesus was asked to respond on the issue of divorce He referred them to Genesis 1
and 2 before Mankind fell into sin. The fall of humanity into sin did not only affect
their relationship with God but it also affected them as husband and wife. Laney
(1992:3) argues that: “not long after the fall, God‟s standard of one man married to
one woman was violated (Gen 2:24, 4:19). By the time of Moses, divorce had
become a custom even among the Israelites (Deut 24:1-4).” This suggests that God
did not create divorce but marriage. If there is a problem after all the goodness that
God has done, it must be attributed to sin (Satan).
In the Gospel of Mark Jesus prohibits divorce and remarriage completely; but in
Matthew 19: 3-9 Jesus also closed the door to divorce and remarriage but opens a
small door of divorce in the of case unfaithfulness of one in interested in Jewish
law and tradition which had nothing to do with Mark’s audience. Although they
seem not to agree they speak with one voice that unfaithfulness destroys the
marriage covenant we have seen that Mark chapter 10 as dealing with divorce in
general with referring the Old Testament of that Jesus emphasize the marriage goes
back to God’s purpose at the beginning of creation ( Gen1:27, 2 :24, Ex.20:14.).
Moses’ regulations on divorce (Deu.24;1-4) where not part of God’s original plan
where instituted because of your hardness of heart, whereas Matthew deals with
divorce and particularly context.
The debate argues that “According to the version in Mark and Luke Jesus states in
clear-cut fashion that the indissolubility of marriage is unconditional will of God…
Mark 10:9; Mt 19:6”. Furthermore, when divorce is explained from Jesus point of
view details. Can’t we simply “take Jesus at his word”? Some may feel Luk
16:18 is totally straightforward, “Surely,” they may ask, “any remarriage of any
divorce is adultery, whatever the circumstances, and any other view is just trying
to get around the ‘plain meaning of Scripture’?”

Well, in its “plain meaning” without contextual interpretation, Jesus would be

implying that after a man divorces his wife, any remarriage would be adulterous. He
does not, for example, say: Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another whilst
the first wife is still living, commits adultery.
In its “plain meaning” his actual recorded words imply that even if
the first wife has died, remarriage would constitute adultery.
A modern commentator which is written by Wenham included, so understand Jesus’
words? Surely they would take note of what Paul says in 1 Cor 7:39: A wife is
bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to
be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord and also the same to when wife is
dies.

4. The cause of divorce

When we observe in actual setting, there are various possible causes of divorce
which is related to leadership that are as follows:
1. Firstly, divorce is mainly caused by unfaithfulness both through premarital sex
and extra marital affairs.

2. Lack of understanding of marriage is another cause.

3. The quietness of the church on the issue of divorce also contributes a lot.

4. Church members prefer to marry either by civil marriage or by customary union

is another cause.
5. Culture and traditions as it encourages men to have more lovers also causes
divorce.

6. The mismanagement of money further causes divorce.

7. The church to a less important extent also contributes to causes of divorce by

being not giving enough attention and follow up the issue of divorce.
8. Lack of dating is also another cause of divorce that mean without praying
together for their marriage.

9. The abuse of the rights of women also causes divorce. When there is no respect
between husband and wife there will be a violation of once right of the couple.

10. The change of roles in the family is another cause of divorce.

11. Divorce is caused by marriages of Christians to non-Christians.

12. Pastors who are not doing their jobs also cause divorce. There will be the role
of pastor to do with consistence of marriage counseling to the members of the
church which solve the problem happen in the marriage ahead of time.

13. Premarital sex and children out of wedlock is another cause of divorce. The
Bible explored as the main authority on marriage and what it says about marriage
and divorce. Culture as a part of the people was investigated to find its influence
on marriage and divorce. Lack of firm and fixed ideas about what marriage is and
should be is an aspect of the alienation of modern man. And in this respect the law
seems truly to reflect the fact that in society more and more is expected of human
relationship while at the same time social changes have rendered those
relationships increasingly easily broken. Among other reasons for divorce, are lack
of true concept of marriage and the fall of mankind to sin are the reasons why
divorce is happening in our community. It is observable action argues: “sin and
rebellion against God have turned what had been intended to be a loving
permanent and lifelong relationship into one that can produce hatred and divorce”.
In other words everything which has been created good has become evil because
of the fall.

Cultural practices also contribute to high rate of divorce. This is true with our
community because it is culturally diverse which resulted in unwanted behavior is
formed to the case of divorce.
14. Abuse of women by men causes divorce.

In this case of physical abuse, both the church and often the civil authority must act to see
that the abuse is immediately stopped. Immediate physical separation is often necessary.
Some evangelicals argue that physical abuse should be accepted as legitimate reason for
divorce, but the scriptural support for that position is not sufficient. Observation in Christian
life show that, that divorce should be allowed because of material or emotional neglect, are
not persuasive. Divorce because of incompatibility is not justified by Scripture.

People who have been divorced for unbiblical reasons and then have married someone else
should now stay married to their present spouses. These kinds of marriages began with
adultery but they are now legitimate marriages and should not be considered adulterous. The
phrase “husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2) should not be used to prevent divorced people
from holding office in the church. The arguments in favor of the “no divorce and no
remarriage” view and the “divorce but no remarriage” view are not persuasive.

5. The church stake as leadership responsibility ethical problem of divorce

Churches infrequently rise above the moral standards and teachings of marriage issues
regularly that provide spiritual nourishment for the couples. If the modern church faces a
spiritual bottleneck that prohibits the church from pouring itself out into the lives of a
members and needy world, the bottleneck is at the top. The church needs spiritual leadership
that incarnates the life of Jesus before it can understand the challenge of living out the life of
Jesus in there members in particular and the world in general. Virtue influences our choices,
goals, roles, and behaviors. Genuine virtue connects faith and behavior. Virtue is a lifetime
endeavor. Christian morality is not built exclusively on keeping rules. Christians shaped by
the church community should have a moral shape which consistently reflects in the actual
long life of the people.

In my understanding, the stake for the church as leader in divorce ethical problem is
summarized in to asking the questions like that: Will the church be spiritual or secular in a
marriage and divorce view? Will the church be God’s presence in this world concerning
marriage and divorce with a clear word from God, or merely another warning song? Will the
church be light and salt in marriage and divorce regarded?

Furthermore, the church as a stake leadership responsibility for ethical problem of divorce
with regard to combat the problem or teach ahead the couple. Churches must commit to
developing better support systems for ministry about marriage and better understandings of
ministers of marriage. Churches build ministers of marriage more than ministers build
churches. The church’s interest in ethical ministry extends to every Christian servant. In this
regarded the Elder of the church must ask the question of What steps should the church take
to help recover ethical ministry of marriage to come bathe divorce problem ?

First, the church must demand the integration of principles, values, and ethics in the lives of
those who minister of marriage that fill the gap of the divorce. Ethics is concrete; every
Christian is responsible for character formation to respect marriage for lifelong.

Second, the church should focus on and demand accountability for the task of ministry of
marriage rather than the results. Churches must be prepared to support marriage ministry and
to help set reasonable expectations for accomplishment.

Third, churches must strive to develop an open atmosphere that encourages honesty and
vulnerability among all married Christians, including those who minister of marriage,
allowing all to be human. Ethical ministry of marriage demands that members and ministers
go into the world guided by Christian ethics.

Fourth, we must develop better support systems and empowerment within the church for
those who marriage minister.

Fifth, churches must develop a better understanding of marriage ministry. Each month it
should be, preach at least one sermon on the nature of marriage ministry and church needs to
understand marriage ministry and support the marriage minister in his marriage ministry that
his accountable to the ministry and are support system.
Sixth, the church must develop a fellowship that allows the marriage minister to become an
authentic part of the local congregation.

Finally, the church must ever be ethical in its treatment of marriage ministers, members, one
another, and provide counseling for those needs.

These simple steps will not solve every problem, but they can start the church down the road
to restored confidence in marriage ministry. Ministers will live better, preach and teach
better. Ministers will be better ministers. Ministers’ families will benefit. Ministers will find
a support base from church leaders, a better understanding of their role and empowered and
will be better able to meet the challenges of their congregation. The church will enjoy better
teaching and preaching. The church will benefit from powerful marriage ministries that
touch lives. Finally, the world will be encouraged by ethical marriage ministry to believe in
Jesus.

6. The proposed of possible option to enhance ethical standard for

the problem of divorce.

The following are the recommendations towards the solution of the problem of
divorce:
● The church should be involved in teaching and praying preparing men and
women in terms of their maturity to get married. .
● The church should teach its members about marriage. The church should
impact children with Christian education. They must be influenced by the
church by teaching them good Christian values. The church should teach
parents teaching on how to be role models to their children.
● The church should provide training for pastors for the skills of counseling,
so that pastors become professional marriage counselors. On top of that,
the life style and conduct of church leaders must be exemplary for the
congregation.
● The church should conduct a comprehensive premarital counseling. The
counseling session must be compulsory. No one should be allowed to get
married before premarital counseling. Because if once involved in
marriage it is not allowed to back or divorce.
● The church should be regarded a home for all its members. The church
should play a major role for almost all the activities of the life of its
members. The church should become a mother and love its members in
good and bad times.
● The church should teach, preach, and live faithfully. It must begin from
the top. The pastors should set the standard to its members. Pastors
should be role models to their members. Members should be taught to
practice faithfulness.
● The church must teach communication to its members in all spheres
including marriage. The couple should know everything in their family.
They must communicate in good and bad times.
● The church must teach the couples about how money should be handled.
Money requires team work which involves knowing how much each
spouse earns. Everything about money must be transparent.
● The church should teach married couples about culture. There is no
culture that is perfect.
● The church should be aware of changes that take place in the constitution
of the country. They should make an effort to teach its members about it.
● The church should schedule revivals, retreat, seminars and debates on
marriage and divorce. Christ said “Therefore… preach…teach… and
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt
28:18-20).If that is the case we recognize and use the opportunity that
God is with us to consult in every marital issues we face in time.
● The evangelical church must be consistent in dealing with divorced
Christians and those who were in polygamous marriages before they were
Christians.
● Men must not oppress women in the name of the “head of the family”.
● The church needs to address sexual issues early with young people in
order to prevent divorce later on.
● Church must be forming the family therapists under the family mistier,
that family therapist should be a professional who have a calling.
● Marriage and family therapists advance the welfare of families and individuals and
make reasonable efforts to find the appropriate balance between conflicting goals
within the family system.
 ● Marriage and family therapists provide professional assistance to persons without
discrimination on the basis of race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability,
gender, health status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or
relationship status to avoid the divorce ahead of time.

7. The divorce problems of today which need over come on improve

ethical standard
The issue of divorce was not a problem only in Jesus times and Paul‟s times. It is
troubling the church today in a very hazard way resulted in family crisis. There are
those who do not accept divorce in religious aspect and in secular world too.
There are
those who accept divorce but reject remarriage. Divorce is evil and the Christians
cannot justify it otherwise. But what the pastors need to understand is that we are
living in an evil world polluted by sin, it affects society as well as Christians. The
church today is faced with a demand of Christians who want to remarry. In this
regard, so what is the stand of the church today? Other members want to divorce
and the message in the Bible is no. This calls the church to teach about marriage
and the way this life is to

be lived. First, the church must have the attitude of Joseph. He was a righteous
man who sacrificed his rights when his wife (betrothed wife) was suspected of
committing adultery; he wanted to divorce her secretly without exposing her. The
angel of the Lord talked to him to accept his wife. The point that one should not
divorce even if the law commands one to do so.

Eichhorst (1969:27) Stated that, although circumstances have changed and a new
economy of God has been instituted, the same principle of obedience remains. Life
is filled with decisions where the right course is also the most difficult. But honest
to God demands that the situation be identified for what it is and action be taken
with resolution to fulfill the will of God.

Divorce fails the divine purpose; there are many occasions when divorce is a lesser
evil. Divorces can be permissible but not commanded. Divorce is normally
accepted in case of adultery or desertion. Heth (1995:100) says

Such an action however, should be considered as drastic as when a surgeon

must amputate a limb or cut a cancer intertwined with one‟s vital organs …But

one as an example, one might consider the case of a wife who suffers great

physical abuse from her husband and is eventually murdered by him, would

divorce have been a lesser evil.

Heth is correct that divorce is something that Christian today must frown at. It
destroys the beauty that God created to be permanent and to be pleasing to both
husband and wife. What should inform Christians today is what God did in
creation (Gen2:24) not what Moses did in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Christians must
not look for reasons to destroy God’s ideal but look for ways to build it. It is an
ideal for better and for worse until death separates the couple. Jesus‟ teaching
emphasizes God’s ideal sets by God in creation. Christians should adhere to
creation ordinance than the hardness of human hearts in Deuteronomy. Therefore,
Christians must respect God’s original plan though out their life.
Conclusion
These days divorce becomes common in a secular world and in a Christian
community. However, in most marriage ceremonies it is assumed as a life time
promise of faithfulness to the marriage partner. That unfaithfulness for the promise
has been a root problem for marriages throughout practical life which resulted in
divorce. Therefore, every Married people in the church must be taking care of their
marriage, they have to pray together with their partner always. They have to
consult the church pastor who have a marriage professional and called by God
marriage counselors about their marriage issues. Every married people, they have
to have their own ministry in a church which every church member must be a parts
and parcels. This ministry must be follow the first century believer needed to learn
how to solve family problems. Paul’s teaching to them is found in 1 Corinthians 7.
His teaching helps us apply biblical principles to Family Problems today. In this
regard we need to keep our promise and renew daily for the well being of our
marriage.
References

● Laney, Murray (1992:3) . Divorce (Philadelphia; Pre & Ref) and also on
http://www.the-highway.com/divorce_Murray. html

● Heth ,W, A. (1995). Divorce and Remarriage: the search for an Evangelical
Hermeneutic.Trinity Journal Volume 16 (1): 16-101.

● Eichhorst W R,1969. Ezra‟s Ethics on Intermarriage and Divorce. Grace Seminary

Journal Volume 10.

● Wenham , Gordon (2006 )J. Wenham, William A. Heth and Craig

S. Keener Remarriage After Divorce in Today’s Church (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan)

● Wenham (2006) Gordon J. Wenham, William A. Heth and Craig S. Keener

Remarriage After Divorce in Today’s Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan)