Church Discipline: What Think Ye?

I just came across an article on Fox News that deals with a church performing discipline on a sinning member. Just curious what you all think of the article?

Some things to consider:
(1). The story is one-side. The church chose not to air the "dirty laundry" with Fox News.
(2). The journalist may perhaps be Biblically illiterate and uninformed of the necessity of church discipline in relation to the gospel.
(3). The lady doesn't appear to be too ashamed of her sin seeing that she spilled the beans to Fox News.


Florida Woman Says Former Church Plans to Make Her Sins Public

Some questions for possible discussion:
(1). How do we deal with this issue?: there are too many hypocrites in the church....and...church discipline is mean-spirited, unloving and unecessary.

(2). How do we deal with privacy, confidence and trust issues while still acknowledging that at some point church discipline does go public on a certain level?

(3). How do we prepare potential or new church members with the idea/practice of church discpline so that they are not surprised if it ever happens to them?

(4). Does your church practice this? If so, what are some things you have learned that may help other churches?

(5). Why is church discipline a must for churches that are committed to the glory of God in the gospel of Christ Jesus?


This isn't meant to be a bashing of the lady in the aforementioned article. I just thought we could talk through an issue and stimulate some conversation at Christmas-time. So what think ye?
Posted by Joshua Ritchie at 7:00 PM
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4 comments:

joey said...

1. "there are too many hypocrites in church" (I'm assuming that this is a defense for not doing church discipline because everyone sins.)- It is true that everyone sins and are hypocritical. That is the reason we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are constantly pointing out sin for us (2 Tim 3:16-17). A regenerate person will be urgent to throw off the sin, because of their love for Christ. When a person refuses to throw off the sin, and flagrantly live in the sin and remain in the church, then the next step of discipline must happen. So, even though it isn't seen as much, step #1 should be happening all the time.

"church discipline is mean spirited" - It is actually a loving act. To assist someone to be "adequate and equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:17) and helping them to throw off the sin that weighs them down from running the race (Heb. 12:1). Obviously Jesus was the greatest picture of love; and he is the one who instituted the steps of church discipline.

2. 'privacy' - When the sin is brought before the church (as it was in 1 Corinthians with the man who had his father's wife), the person has already gone through the first two steps (possibly multiple times), and the person is still refusing repentance, as well as insisting to stay at the church.
Then the whole church is called to plea for restoration. This protects the person as well as the gospel. The body of Christ should be a tight knit family anyway, so it shouldn't be full of private secluded lives.

3. 'prepare potential or new church members' - Church discipline should be happening regularly so that it is on display for these people. It should also be discussed along with church doctrine when a person decides to become a member.

4. I go to Grace Church, and it is practiced. John Macarthur said that when he first became the pastor of Grace 40 years ago, the church nor any church he had heard of practiced church discipline. When he came to the section in Matthew about it, he went to the rest of the elders and told them that they need to practice it. They told him that if they did that, then a lot of people would leave and the church would shrink. They eventually went ahead with practicing it. The church doubled within a year. (this is not to advocate church growth, but simply to point out that Christ builds His church, and we need to be faithful to obey His commands and not fear men.)

5. why is this a 'must'?

As Paul tells Timothy, the church must be the "pillar and support for the truth" (1 Tim 3:15) and that we are to guard the gospel that has been entrusted to us (2 Tim 1:12-14).

December 20, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Joshua Ritchie said...

Sorry for the confusion. Let me clarify...the world generally says that "there are too many hypocrites in the church." This is often cited as a reason for their not wanting to participate in church.

At the same time when we have to practice church discpline the world says, "it's a mean thing to do...the church should accept everyone and not judge."

The dilemna is that they want their cake and to eat it too. They don't want hypocrites in the church, but they damn us if we try to keep the church pure.

The solution seems to be to faithfully and clearly teach the Word of God and to obey the Word. The world will always be critical of us because they ultimate hate God first.

December 20, 2008 at 8:37 PM
Amy said...

"The dilemna is that they want their cake and to eat it too. They don't want hypocrites in the church, but they damn us if we try to keep the church pure."
I saw this same article and share your thoughts.
I have been in a church that practiced discipline, but stopped when too many complained that it seemed improper. The result? The body stagnants and remains on milk.

BTW: Hi Guys!

December 22, 2008 at 8:36 AM
joey said...

Amy AKA Eric's Wife!

Wow. It's been a long time.
So good to see you (eh, read you?)
again.

December 22, 2008 at 11:01 AM

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