Staff standards are very important in any ministry, and it is certainly no different in the music ministry. I'd like to share with you the general standards Saddleback's founding pastor Rick Warren established to help married staff members maintain moral integrity in 1986. After Pastor Warren's list, I will share several more of my own music ministry standards.

1. Thou shalt not visit the opposite sex alone.
2. Thou shalt not counsel the opposite sex alone.
3. Thou shalt not counsel the opposite sex more than once without that other person's spouse being present.
4. Thou shalt not go to lunch alone with a member of the opposite sex.
5. Thou shalt not kiss any other attender of the opposite sex or show affection that could be questioned.
6. Thou shalt not discuss your marriage problems with a person of the opposite sex during a counseling session.
7. Thou shalt not discuss your marriage problems with an attender of the opposite sex.
8. Thou shalt be careful when answering cards and letters from the opposite sex.
9. Thou shalt make your secretary your protective ally.
10. Thou shalt pray for the integrity of other staff members.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Eph. 5:3, New International Version (NIV)