We’ve been asked some questions about our resource, Evangelism: Legal Guidelines, during our discussions with evangelists.
The following frequently asked questions cover some of what’s in the Guidelines and how to find the information most relevant for you. You can find the Guidelines here.
Here's a list of the questions; scroll down to view the answers:
- What's in the Guidelines?
- How do I find the information in the Guidelines which is most relevant to my evangelism work and activities?
- Why does the “How to use the Guidelines” table say that I should read the section on social justice when I’m just door-knocking and distributing leaflets?
- I want to know about how the law applies to evangelising at markets and stalls, where do I find that information?
- What if my evangelism activities are not listed anywhere?
- Legal information can be technical. Are there resources available so I can see how to use this information in practise?
- Is this a good teaching resource for new evangelists?
- What if I want to know more and I have more questions?
- Are there hard copies available?
What’s in the Guidelines?
The Guidelines consist of nine sections:
- Introduction – introduces why the Guidelines exist and what is intended by producing them.
- Context – sets out the scope of the Guidelines, which is to examine the laws applying to evangelism taking place in public open spaces, in publicly accessible buildings, and online. It also comments on topics many evangelists engage with including some contemporary issues.
- Human rights – sets out the key rights and freedoms contained in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and the Human Rights Act and how these apply to evangelists.
- Law and order in public places – explains the relevant law about criminal behaviour contained in the Summary Offences Act, Crimes Act, Harassment Act, hate speech law, and Trespass Act and touches on sentencing.
- Powers of local authorities – discusses making bylaws, the powers a council has as a landowner, council decision-making and regulatory law enforcement.
- Social justice – discusses the law on “safe areas” around abortion clinics, and the law prohibiting conversion practices.
- Online evangelism – discusses the current regulatory regime and especially the Harmful Digital Communications Act.
- Privacy – provides an overview of the Privacy Act and how an evangelist may breach a person’s privacy if safeguards are not in place.
- Safety – discusses the duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to eliminate risks or minimise them if it isn’t possible to eliminate them, and online safety.
How do I find the information in the Guidelines which is most relevant to my evangelism work and activities?
Check the table below to find which sections of the Guidelines and other information sheets contain the most relevant information for you. If your activity is not listed, please feel free to get in touch with us and we can help you locate the most relevant material in the Guidelines.
This table is also contained in our information sheet “How to use the Guidelines”.
You may also find our other information sheets helpful because they summarise some of the key content from the Guidelines. You can quickly access all the information sheets here.
Why does the “How to use the Guidelines” table say that I should read the section on social justice when I’m just door-knocking and distributing leaflets?
It could still be relevant – for example, if you are distributing leaflets that reference abortion you may like to know about the law establishing safe areas near abortion facilities. If you have had, or think you might in future have, in-person discussions about sexuality or gender identity while evangelising door-to-door you may need to know more about how the law prohibits conversion practices and what they are.
I want to know about how the law applies to evangelising at markets and stalls, where do I find that information?
The section on "powers of local authorities" contains the topics relevant for public events on public land including markets, parades, busking and events. This section also explains bylaws, the type of land the council controls or owns, how decisions get made and how enforcement powers are used. As every council has its own rules for the local area it is also necessary to check your local bylaws and your council’s website for rules which may apply to you.
If you know the market is run by a private landowner on private land the section titled "Human Rights Act: private organisations" explains that private landowners cannot discriminate against evangelists because of their religious beliefs.
What if my evangelism activities are not listed anywhere?
The Guidelines don’t cover institutions like schools or prisons. We didn’t address institutions specifically because the legal issues in those spaces are often site-specific and can be governed by professional rules for staff and others which aren’t easily generalised. However, the Guidelines do address many issues generally relevant for most evangelism - like human rights, privacy and safety. If you have questions about activities that the Guidelines don’t discuss, feel free to get in touch with us to see if we can help.
Legal information can be technical. Are there resources available so I can see how to use this information in practise?
We know the Guidelines cover a lot of information and sometimes legal language is used because we need to be as accurate as possible about what the law says. To help you see how the law applies we have included some practical examples at the end of each main section. The concluding “scenario” and “section recap” at the end of each main section are designed to help you identify how the law works in the real world.
Our information sheets also help simplify the content by pointing out some of the main issues and giving practical examples. The human rights information sheet and privacy information sheet use tables to visually highlight the key information. You can quickly access all the information sheets here.
Is this a good teaching resource for new evangelists?
Yes, we have been told the Guidelines are a useful source of legal information for new evangelists and organisations working in public and online spaces. The Guidelines can equally be useful for experienced evangelists who want to refresh their knowledge or upskill in a new area or activity.
What if I want to know more and I have more questions?
Please get in touch with us with your questions! We would love to talk to you or with your organisation and discuss the issues you are encountering. We plan to present webinars on the content in the near future, and if you are interested in joining please get in touch so we can send you a link or email contact@ethosalliance.nz.
Are there hard copies available?
The Guidelines and information sheets are printable pdfs so you can print as many copies as you need for yourself and your group. Printed hard copies of the Guidelines can be requested from us for a reasonable fee. Get in touch with us and we will contact you with further details.
