Strange Things in Xenos

Strange Things in Xenos
or Why Xenos will never be a model for other churches

34. Unusual View of Confidentiality - Xenos leaders take exception to the modern American view that counseling should necessarily be done in confidentiality, especially if confidentiality means counselors and pastors are not allowed to confer with other pastors and counselors. We find the notion of unqualified confidentiality may conflict with the biblical notion of corporate leadership and church discipline.

How can leaders pastor collectively, if they are not free to share what they know from conversations with members? We feel the idea of collective or corporate leadership becomes a dead letter any time members can forbid leaders to discuss cases with each other.

Likewise, today's view of confidentiality would seem to flatly contradict Jesus' call to "tell it to the church" when someone refuses to repent for sin. Sinful acts are usually those which clients are most eager to keep in confidence.

As a result of these findings, clients seeking pastoral counseling from Xenos staff counselors must sign a waiver of confidentiality. The waiver makes clear that information will only be shared with pastoral staff except in cases of formal church discipline. If a client feels the need to counsel in complete confidence, we refer them to professional counselors outside the church.

The same goes for informal counseling with Xenos leaders. We are on public record as rejecting the validity of unqualified confidentiality across the board, because as secrecy increases, community decreases.

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