Why Would a Church Need an NDA?

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17

Yes, why indeed? In the last few years, we have witnessed the proliferation of non-disclosure agreements in churches and para-church organizations, including faith-based non-profits. They may be called something else to make it all more palatable, such as “confidential disclosure agreements”, “proprietary information agreements”, or “non-disparagement agreements” but at the end of the day, it is all the same. Basically you are not allowed to talk negatively about the organization or reveal the inner workings of it.

Of course, there are organizations that need such agreements to be signed by their employees, such as government agencies, corporations, etc, for obvious reasons. But a church? A non-profit? Why???

My question is, “What do we have to hide? What is so secret that cannot see the light of day?” And that indeed is a problem. Churches and faith organizations are sadly not known for transparency. We are now all too familiar with the skeletons in the proverbial closets of churches, whatever the denomination. Shouldn’t churches and faith organizations be the most honest, open, and transparent? Are we not supposed to have integrity and tell the truth? What is there to hide that we should be ashamed of? And if there are secrets, shouldn’t they come out in the open?

NDAs are also a way to control and intimidate, sometimes even blackmail. People are usually asked to sign them once they resign or are laid off / fired from an organization, or when they leave after unearthing a scandal. Occasionally they are asked to sign and NDA while being employed, or as a condition of employment. You may wonder why former church or non-profit staff members are quiet, and why I am one of the only ones to speak up. That is because most of my friends signed NDAs (or the equivalent). In fact these NDAs do not carry much weight in court, but the threat of breaking the law is enough to intimidate people into staying silent.

People are usually asked to sign an NDA in order to receive severance, which amounts to blackmail. If the work we do is transparent and honest, there really should be no need. Sadly, most sign because they need the money. When you have given your life to a faith organization, and likely have no savings, a few weeks or a few months’ worth of income makes a big difference, and I understand that, especially if you have a family to feed. Except for a few at the top, most ministers do not make a lot of money.

When I resigned from my church job and later from my non-profit one, I did not sign an NDA. I resigned on my own terms. I also did not receive any severance. And that’s okay. Mark has a job. Our income suffered for sure, but having a clear conscience was more important. We are happy to be frugal. That also means I am free to say what I need to say. As you might have noticed, I try to be respectful and speak in the spirit of Christ, but I will not be quiet until the abuse is exposed. I know I will be misunderstood at times, but that’s okay. This is not about me.

If you wish to learn more about NDAs, here are a few resources:

• YouTube: “NDAs Have no Place in Christian Ministry” by Dr Diane Langberg and Rachael Denhollander

• Christianity Today: “NDAs Kept These Christians Silent. Now They’re Speaking Out Against Them” by Daniel Silliman

• Website: #NDAfree (lots of articles which examine NDAs from a theological perspective)