5 pastors report on ecclesiastical discipline

Pastors’ Forum of 9 brands and theologians:

What lessons have you learned the hardest about church discipline?

Tom Ascol

The real difficulty in corrective ecclesiastical discipline is not so much knowing what to do, not even how to do it, although these issues are problematic, the hardest thing is to manage it. It’s painful. There is no easy way to confront a brother in his sin. If it persists, there’s no easy way to take one or two more with you to face it again. If you refuse to repent, there is no easy way to do it. And if he refuses to listen, even to the Church, it is absolutely heinous to remove her from membership: to be given to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus?(1 Corinthians 5. 5).

Set the terms of this fact that there is no easy way to take these steps; it was one of the most sensible and helpful lessons I learned as a pastor. As you take a church to the final stage of discipline, some questions are still hidden in the dark: “Is there no other way?Can we do anything else to prevent that? These questions arise, I believe, from a desire to avoid taking the most serious step a church can take to treat a person’s soul. By reconciling myself, as a pastor, with the fact that doing what Christ commands in such a case is inevitably painful and teaching the church to see things this way, we encourage ourselves not to fear our duty, but to follow our path with a vision. of the glory of God and the welfare of the stubborn member.

For God’s sake, I have had the privilege of seeing that the fruit of ecclesiastical discipline is performed not only in the restoration of the brothers and sisters who have submitted to it, but also in strengthening the Church in the fear of the Lord. and in the conversion of the disbelievers. I fully identify with the following words by Robert Murray M. Cheyne, describing his own pastoral struggle with ecclesiastical discipline.

When I first joined the ministry among you, I was too ignorant of the great importance of church discipline. I thought my amazing, almost unique job was to pray and preach. I saw their souls as precious and the time so short, that I dedicated all my time, my care and my strength to work in the word and the doctrine. When disciplinary cases were brought before me and the elders, I viewed these cases with a kind of disgust. It was a duty he despised; and I can really say that it almost took me away from the ministry among you. However, it pleased the Lord, who teaches his servants differently from man, to bless some of the cases of ecclesiastical discipline with the manifest and inevitable conversion of the souls of those under his charge; From that hour a new light broke into my mind and I saw that if preaching was an order of Christ, so was discipline. Now, am I deeply convinced that they are both from God? that two keys are authorized to us by Christ, the key of doctrine, by which we open the treasures of the Bible, the other, the key of discipline, by which we open or close the way to the sealed ordinances of faith. Both are gifts of Christ and neither is to be given without sin. (Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray M. Cheyne, Andrew Bonar; Baker, 1978 reprint, pp. 104-5).

Tom Ascol is the senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida.

Robert? Beto? Johnson

Here are four lessons I learned about the ecclesiastical discipline that destroyed the myths I believed.

Myth 1: Once you master ecclesiastical discipline, you can move on.

Ecclesiastical discipline is not like learning to ride a bike, where once you master it, you no longer need to work to maintain it. Whenever I neglected to focus on ecclesiastical discipline in public and private ministry, the health of my flock suffered.

Lesson learned: The discipline and discipline aspect of Church life is as normal and regular as preaching, teaching, and evangelization. Church leaders should teach discipline regularly and regularly participate in formal discipline and, if necessary, corrective discipline.

Myth 2: If I ignore the situation, it will resolve itself

When there is a situation to be resolved, I can find all sorts of reasons why today I have nothing to do with it; However, when I am not aware of a problem, personal attachments and emotional reactions tend to define the situation, without clear biblical principles.

Lesson learned: It’s never too late to do the right thing, but doing so early helps clear up the real problem before the congregation takes sides.

Myth 3: Of course, people will understand the discipline of the church; it’s in the Bible.

I’ve come up with a lot of surprise looks when you tell people we practice this. We shouldn’t be so surprised when people choose family alliances over the Bible, but what’s particularly painful is when people who have been disciplined go to another place. church that doesn’t recognize the discipline we’re dealing with.

Lesson Learned: Never assume that individuals or other churches understand and support ecclesiastical discipline. Therefore, a shepherd should continually look for ways to help the herd grow in this area.

Myth 4: No one would be part of a church that does this

While some choose to flee, I have met many members of the flock who are relieved to know that they are part of a family that believes and practices everything the word of Dios. La ecclesiastical discipline says is a gift from God to the church to keep pure doctrine, wolves at bay and pure bride.

Lesson learned: The word of God is not improvised.

Robert Johnson is the senior pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, Michigan.

Dennis Newkirk

I believe in ecclesiastical discipline. However, it is easy to make mistakes, so proceed with care and prayer.

I learned not to go to discipline with preconceived ideas or prejudices, learned to investigate thoroughly, to investigate those involved with exhaustive integrity, I learned to do these things because I inferred false conclusions, and took inappropriate actions for lack of facts. the results were painful to say the least.

A pastor must not only have the details, but also understand that once he has taken the path of discipline, it will be difficult to stop the movement forward – that is, think about the end before beginning his path. discipline, but we have to keep our eyes peeled.

I have also learned that some church members will not agree that a person’s sinful action is serious enough to require discipline. They will invoke grace, forgiveness, patience, and ask for mercy. We know that discipline can be one of the kindest actions we have. may take towards the sinful believer, but not everyone will recognize him. Therefore, the elders must be prepared to resist.

The most important lesson I learned from the bad came at times when I couldn’t continue, we do more harm than good when we avoid discipline.

Some time ago, we had a man on our leadership team who was acting behind the scenes at odds. We have delayed substantive action in the hope that the situation will be resolved. But this was not the case, unnecessary harm was done and it took months to overcome our negligence. When he did not repent and was removed from membership, it was as if the clouds suddenly dispersed and a new day rose.

Lessons learned? Practice discipline, but do it carefully, deliberately, and in prayer.

Dennis Newkirk is the pastor of Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Walter Price

One lesson I have learned is that ecclesiastical discipline can be a great opportunity for great joy. Every time we go through the final stage of excommunication, the Church and its leaders have experienced great agony. But in many situations, heart pain has been replaced by joy.

Recently, a man who was removed from office 10 years ago for being caught in the act of unrepentant adultery came to my office crying to talk about God’s deep conviction in his life, was deeply sorry and grateful to accept his apology, his confession. and I will meet with our elders to express it.

My tendency would have been to consider him lost forever, but I still remembered that God’s time is rarely mine.

How grateful I am to the Lord for allowing us to live the joy of guaranteeing forgiveness and being part of the restoration process, although it has been a painful joy to know that we have been obedient to the scriptures, the joy that results in the presence Restoration is even more exciting. If we have been unfaithful in not practicing biblical discipline, we will be the most disadvantaged by it.

Walter Price is the scholarship pastor at Pass Church in Beaumont, California.

Philip Ryken

Practically everything I know about church discipline, I learned the hard way: through sad experience.

The most painful of the difficulties I have had in pastoral ministry so far has involved the formal discipline of church members who have strayed from the ways of the Lord. In each case, the elders of the tenth Presbyterian church shed many tears.

What have I learned?

I have learned not to delay the formal disciplinary process when circumstances require it. Spiritual problems do not improve on their own; hesitation only makes things worse.

I have learned to ensure that everyone involved in a disciplinary case pays attention to confidentiality, including taking special precautions with electronic communication and being cautious in conversations with wives.

I have learned that the deception of sin can lead to a hardening of the heart that can only be solved by fasting and prayer.

I have learned that most people will leave their churches instead of honoring their membership vows by dealing honestly and directly with their pastors and elders.

I have learned that when repentance is genuine, people who face sin cooperate with their elders and treat them with respect, without getting angry, without trying to take control of the discipline process or fight the consequences of their sin.

I have learned that few things cause more difficulties in the church than men (particularly) who are too arrogant, self-centered, or angry to see the harm they do to others, especially their own families.

I learned the wisdom of following Proverbs 28. 13, 14, and 29. 1, 9, 19, 22.

I have learned that nothing brings more joy to a shepherd’s heart than a sinner who truly repents.

Philip Ryken is the chief minister of the tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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