Acceptable Use Policy

Last updated: 16/03/2026

 

1 – Purpose

This Acceptable Use Policy sets out the rules for using the Pastors Network platform. It supplements our Terms of Use and applies to all registered users.

 

2 – Eligibility

To register for and use the Pastors Network platform, you must: be aged 18 or over; be a pastor, church administrator, lay preacher, or otherwise affiliated with a registered church or Christian ministry operating within the United Kingdom; and have the authority to act on behalf of your church or organisation where the platform is used for church administration purposes. By registering, you confirm that you meet these requirements. The platform is not intended for use by minors, and you must not permit anyone under the age of 18 to access your account.

 

3 – Permitted Use

The platform is provided for the purpose of coordination and mutual support between pastors, church administrators, and lay preachers within UK evangelical church networks. You may use the platform to:

  • Manage your church profile and personal preaching profile
  • Post and respond to pulpit cover requests
  • Arrange pulpit swaps with other pastors
  • Create and manage calendar events
  • Post and respond to Ask for Help requests
  • Record pastoral visits and maintain your church’s Members Database
  • Manage your building and equipment maintenance log
  • Participate in BookShare book ordering
  • Use the personal notes and task management features

 

4 – Prohibited Use

You must not use the platform to:

  • Post, upload, or share any content that is defamatory, threatening, abusive, obscene, or otherwise unlawful.
  • Post, upload, or share any content that discriminates against, harasses, or vilifies any person or group on the basis of a protected characteristic as defined under the Equality Act 2010, including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
  • Impersonate any person or misrepresent your identity, church affiliation, or role.
  • Send unsolicited bulk messages or spam to other users.
  • Collect or harvest personal data about other users for purposes unrelated to the platform’s intended functions.
  • Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other users’ accounts or to the platform’s systems.
  • Upload malicious software, viruses, or any code designed to disrupt or damage the platform.
  • Use the platform for commercial purposes unrelated to church ministry (e.g. advertising products or services for personal profit).
  • Share your login credentials with any other person.
  • Use the Members Database or pastoral visit records for any purpose other than the pastoral care and administration of your church.
  • Export or share congregation data from the Members Database with anyone outside your church team without appropriate consent.

 

5 – Content Standards

All content you post or upload to the platform must be:

  • Accurate and truthful (especially church details, service times, and your qualifications/experience).
  • Respectful of other users, churches, and denominations, and free from content that discriminates against any person on the basis of a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
  • Relevant to the purpose of the feature being used.
  • Compliant with UK law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and all other applicable data protection legislation. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details of how we handle personal data. Where you use the platform to process personal data relating to your congregation members, you do so as a data controller and are responsible for ensuring that processing is carried out in accordance with applicable data protection law.

 

6 – Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of any content you post or upload to the platform, including sermon notes, resources shared via BookShare, and any other materials (“User Content”). By posting User Content, you grant Pastors Network a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store, display, and make that content available to other users of the platform solely for the purposes for which the platform is provided. We will not use your User Content for any other commercial purpose without your prior written consent. You must ensure that you have the right to post any content you upload and that doing so does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.

 

7 – Third-Party Links and Integrations

The platform may from time to time include links to, or integrations with, third-party websites or services. These are provided for your convenience only. Pastors Network is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of use of any third-party services, and your use of such services is entirely at your own risk. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party services you access via or in connection with the platform.

 

8 – Reporting Violations

If you become aware of any misuse of the platform, please report it using the Report a Fault feature on your dashboard, or by emailing hello@pastorsnetwork.co.uk.

 

9 – Consequences of Breach

If we determine that you have breached this policy, we may:

  • Issue a warning.
  • Temporarily suspend your account.
  • Permanently terminate your account.
  • Report the matter to law enforcement if the breach involves criminal activity.

We will always aim to contact you before taking action. However, where a breach requires immediate action to protect other users or the platform — including where the breach involves illegal content, a safeguarding risk to a vulnerable person or minor, or a serious and ongoing data protection violation — we may act without prior notice.

 

10 – Governing Law

This Acceptable Use Policy and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

 

11 – Changes to This Policy

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and, where changes are material, notify registered users by email or via a notice on the platform. Your continued use of the platform following notification of any changes will be deemed acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.