Church Discipline (Part 1)

Formative discipline: the activities that help us grow in our discipleship

Corrective discipline: the process we use to confront and correct sin

¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Matt 18:15-17

“Excommunication does not tend to drive men from the Lord’s flock but rather to bring them back when wandering and going astray” –John Calvin

Application

1. We must practice meaningful membership

What is church membership?

A. An official endorsement of an individual Christian’s profession of faith.

B. An official recognition of who the leaders of the church are responsible before God to shepherd and whom the members are responsible to follow.

C. An official agreement between a believer and a congregation to be devoted to one another in life and love and discipleship!

2. We must build relationships where we invite correction and accountability from fellow believers in the church.