Pastors, Elders & Church Discipline
How Church Members should relate to Pastors / Elders
-
Members should formally affirm Pastors / Elders
-
Members Should honor Pastors / Elders (1 Tim 5:17-18)
-
Members Should submit to the Elders (Heb. 13:17)
-
Members should pray for their Pastors / Elders
-
Members should bring charges against disqualified Pastors / Elders (1 Tim 5:19)
-
Members should remove gospel denying Pastors / Elders
Church Discipline
Church Discipline is part of the Discipleship Process
In removing someone from membership the church says it can no longer affirm a person’s profession of faith in Jesus Christ based on that person’s consistent actions.
The Five Purposes of Church Discipline (1st Corinthians 5)
-
Discipline Aims to Expose
-
Discipline Aims to Warn
-
Discipline Aims to Save
-
Discipline Aims to Protect
The underlying purpose of all Church Discipline is love! (Hebrews 12:4-13)
It begins by church members developing the skill of privately & tenderly confronting sin
Formal church discipline is reserved for sins of significance & unrepentant sin patterns
Matthew 18: The Process of Church Discipline
-
One on one private conversation
-
Then confront with others
-
Then inform the church as a whole and have the body confront
-
If no repentance then remove from fellowship
-
Christ confers HIS authority to HIS church
Church Discipline is required in cases to protect the reputation of Christ
When Church Members Should Not Submit: (Pg. 118 & 119)
Chapter 8: What OUR Membership Covenant Should Include