Sam: Elders, Journalism Shouldn’t Mix

Sam: I’d like to know what journalist is an elder at a church. As a journalist, I see that absolutely as a conflict of interest. At any point, that journalist might be called on to report on said church. It’s not to knock the church at all … the point is to be ethical and to avoid an appearance of bias. I truly believe an honest journalist could easily report on their own church in a fair and accurate manner (I’ve read articles about a brother covering the death of his own brother during a car crash before, etc.). But if you have the opportunity to avoid that appearance, you should. So if someone could tell me who in North Idaho is a church elder and is a journalist I’ll immediately take some points off their journo cred. More below.

DFO: I was an elder in my small Evangelical church (150-180 members) before I started this blog. Still am. I teach adult Sunday School and filled the pulpit Nov. 22 when my pastor was in India. Also, I was an elder in a small church in Kalispell, Mont., while serving as Duane Hagadone’s editor at the local newspaper. I can’t remember a time when my church duties conflicted with my career. In fact, I’m surprised that the four other elders at my church aren’t more concerned with the fact that I’m a journalist and hang out with a rough crowd online.

Question: Do you think a position in church leadership conflicts with a career in journalism?

I apologies to the religious, without sharing anything about myself, but I think you can attend church, or even be active, without having such a high-profile position in that organization and retain credibility as a professional journalist.

But to be an elder, for me, crosses a line.