Pickpocketing Purity with the "Pence Rule"

John Bunyan could have benefited from the “Pence Rule.” :)
http://www.ths-baptist.org.uk/agnes_beaumont.htm

Tyler mentioned that it would be foolish for a church to hire a pretty young secretary that the pastor would be alone with five days per week. One thing that strikes me is that if both are alone and not being consistently interrupted, maybe a full time secretary of whatever age, sex, or pulchritude is not a good idea, simply for financial reasons.

Just a side note here, as someone who has spent over 10 years in Muslim and East Asian societies:
While I wouldn’t personally feel obligated to keep the “Pence Rule” myself, I do feel there is a part of this where we need to respect the cultures of others who are different from us… including conservative Christians raised with stricter principles about how men and women should relate.
It’s somewhat odd, if you think about it, that we are so eager to respect the cultures of people who look and talk different to us while scorning that of the white guy across the row in church.

men needing to protect themselves from any appearance of impropriety. I’ve seen just as many women manipulate men with the threat of accusations as I’ve seen men try to manipulate women sexually. The Pence Rule in most situations is common sense, IMO. But the Pence Rule is not going to prevent any man bent on harassing women from doing just that.

As a woman, I’m not worried about being alone with a man, because if he does something I don’t like, he’ll learn the definition of blunt force trauma. No job or relationship is worth being afraid or humiliated.

Some of this is just wisdom issues. Those of us who are pastors need to be aware of higher accountability and the idea that we are a “public figure” and more susceptible to accusation. Also, there is an increasing need for counseling among single people, men and women, and the result is more “one on one” situations. The way of wisdom is greatly needed today. I do follow the Pence rule when possible, not always possible in the business world. I also work, and had to do a call for the business I worked for at a strip club (not during their business hours). When I finished the work, I was walking out and a deacon from a nearby church was driving by and saw me. I had to do some explaining.

I agree that this is a wisdom issue but sometimes our “rule” can border on silliness. I recall a pastor proudly relating the story of how he let a woman who’s car had broken down stand in the rain until help came rather than let her sit in his car. Another made his mother and sister ride in the back seat to avoid an appearance of evil.

As to a double standard, I’ve heard pastors (again proudly) declaring their refusal to be examined by a woman doctor yet let their wives got to mail gynecologists.

[Ron Bean] As to a double standard, I’ve heard pastors (again proudly) declaring their refusal to be examined by a woman doctor yet let their wives got to mail gynecologists.

I didn’t know the USPS was into women’s health… ;)

Anyway, I have no issues with the “pence rule.” I do, however, have an issue when other Christians seek to impose the “pence rule” on others. If you can’t control yourself when alone with another woman who’s not your wife, by all means follow the pence rule. If you’re afraid of what other’s may say if they see you traveling with a coworker, then follow the pence rule. Don’t expect other believers to have your same convictions in this regard.

I recall a pastor proudly relating the story of how he let a woman who’s car had broken down stand in the rain until help came rather than let her sit in his car.

Wasn’t the story that you should get out and stand in the rain and let her sit in the car?