2026 Clergy Ethics Course Options
grey=offerings from CC in IL-MI-WI
blue=offerings from partners (must submit proper documentation for approval)
Ongoing Online Options
Disciples Seminary Foundation- The Pastoral Leader: Spirituality, Ethics and Justice
How do pastoral leaders spiritually sustain themselves and their congregations/organizations to create the kinds of change they want to see in their communities? How do we maintain a passion for justice? This course will introduce spiritual practices that can both ground us and propel us. What direction will your ministry take from here? What values do you want to embody and carry forward? What values do you want to see your congregations/organizations embody and carry forward? And how will you take care of yourself in the process?
Learn More and RegisterLewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age is an online course offered by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary. It explores issues of clergy ethics in an era of instantaneous, electronic communication. It helps spiritual leaders stay healthy and attentive to appropriate boundaries in the midst of new challenges. It builds on the first course in the Keeping Our Sacred Trust series, Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics, which is a primer on preventing clergy sexual misconduct.
RegisterUnderstanding Clergy Sexual Ethics is the first, foundational course in the Lewis Center’s Keeping Our Sacred Trust series of online courses that deal with issues of ethical boundaries in ministry. This course is designed to help prevent clergy sexual misconduct by creating awareness of what constitutes misconduct and how issues of misconduct typically arise. It addresses the relational dynamics, internal motivations, and vulnerabilities that can lead to misconduct and the positive steps that can be taken to help prevent misconduct or the appearance of misconduct. The goal is to help course participants develop a strong and reliable “internal compass” that will help them to steer a safe course even in confusing or difficult situations.
RegisterAssuring Financial Integrity is one of the online training courses in the Lewis Center’s Keeping Our Sacred Trust series addressing issues of ethical boundaries in ministry. It explores what it means for church leaders, both clergy and lay, to maintain trust and transparency in matters related to giving and congregational finance. The course is designed to help prevent fraud or financial misconduct by: 1) sharing a vision for financial integrity as a sacred trust shaped by the Christian imperative of stewardship; 2) outlining best practices for maintaining financial integrity; and 3) providing an overview of issues to be considered if financial impropriety occurs.
The course is intended for any church leader, clergy or lay, with responsibility for handling any aspect of congregational finances, including pastors, church staff, seminarians, finance committee members, church treasurers, financial secretaries, counters or tellers, bookkeepers, church secretaries, or any others with responsibility for handling church funds.
RegisterAbout Clergy Ethics Requirements
Whereas “Theological Foundations and Policies and Criteria for the Ordering of Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)” is the guiding document for all Ministry Policies in the United States and Canada, and Whereas The Christian Church in Illinois and Wisconsin is an active member region in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Whereas TFPCOM calls for regular participation in programs of study, growth, and renewal; and adherence to the Ministerial Code of Ethics (Sec. F, Paragraph 2, TFPCOM):
Be it therefore resolved that Active Ministers with Standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois and Wisconsin (“the Region”) shall be henceforth required to participate in at least one training event in the area of Ministerial Ethics annually in order to maintain standing.
Be it further resolved that the Region shall offer training programs annually in at least these four areas of instruction:
- Clergy Sexual Ethics and Boundary Training
- Anti-Racism, Pro-Reconciling Training
- Clergy and Congregational Financial Ethics
- Ethics of Spirituality and Self-Care
It is the expectation that the above programs would be offered on a four year rotation, in each part of the region, and ministers in those geographic areas would make every effort to attend annual training in cohort fashion on a rotating basis. In addition to programs offered by the Region, ministers may in engage in alternate programs of ethical training with advance written approval from the Regional Minister. These programs might come from other Regions, General Units, or Constituency Groups of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), or could be offered by professional associations such as Chaplaincy Programs. Likewise, general programs offered by training institutes beyond the above may be approved at the discretion of the Regional Minister.
It is important to note that over time every active minister with Standing in the Region will be expected to maintain training each of the four areas, and may not simply attend the same training each year simply to meet the requirement.
Clergy Ethics Policy and Procedures
Ministerial Code of Ethics
Policy for Clergy Ethics Training