Community Guidelines & Rules
The standards that keep Sword & Shield a place where honest questions and real people are safe — plus the rules around our free education, texting, and marketing.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
How we treat each other
Come with respect
Every person in the room — physical or virtual — is made in the image of God. Disagreement is welcome; contempt is not. Attack ideas, never people.
Ask, don't ambush
Questions are the point of this community. Ask them honestly, listen to the answer, and let the conversation breathe. No grandstanding or debate-for-sport.
Protect the room
What's shared in a study stays in the study. Don't record, screenshot, or repost someone's personal story without their explicit permission.
No spam or soliciting
Don't use our gatherings, chats, or contact channels to promote unrelated businesses, products, or causes, or to send unsolicited messages to members.
Make room for the new
If someone is here for the first time, make space for them. We were all new once — warmth at the door is the whole point.
When something's wrong
If a conversation turns harmful, or you experience or witness harassment, tell a leader or email hello@theswordshield.com. We take every report seriously.
The rules
Free education rules
- All core studies, articles, and live streams are free for personal and small-group use. No fee may be charged to access or redistribute them.
- You may print and share studies for discussion, provided you keep attributions intact and do not alter the content's meaning.
- Commercial republication, resale, or incorporation of our materials into paid products or courses requires written permission from Sword & Shield.
- Donation-supported does not mean donor-controlled. Free access to studies is never gated behind a gift.
Texting (SMS) rules
- We send SMS only to people who have explicitly opted in with their own mobile number.
- Messages are limited to study reminders, gathering notices, and occasional community updates — never high-frequency spam.
- Reply STOP to any message to unsubscribe instantly. Reply HELP for support. Standard message and data rates may apply.
- We never sell or rent phone numbers, and we do not send SMS on behalf of third-party advertisers.
- You must be at least 16 (or have parental consent) to opt in to texts.
Marketing rules
- We send marketing emails only to subscribers who have consented, and every message includes a clear one-click unsubscribe link.
- We honor opt-outs promptly and do not add you back to a list without a fresh, explicit opt-in.
- We do not share your email or phone number with third parties for their independent marketing.
- We clearly distinguish educational content from any promotional or fundraising appeals.
Conduct & enforcement
- Harassment, hate speech, threats, or discrimination of any kind are not tolerated and may result in immediate removal.
- Do not share personal information about other members (real names, contact details, locations) without consent.
- Do not attempt to disrupt the live stream, Site, or chat with spam, flooding, or malicious content.
- Leaders may mute, remove, or ban anyone who repeatedly violates these guidelines. Decisions are made to protect the community, not to win arguments.