Church Discipline UP-Front (Part 1 of 2)

Why do we need to talk about Church Discipline at the beginning of the Membership Process as people are becoming members of the church? (Part 1 of 2)

The first thing I want to say is this: wisdom is justified by all her children. Talking about church discipline up front is practical because by discussing the very nature of the church you automatically get into discussions of true believers verses false believers, the repentant from the unrepentant. Church Discipline provides a practical way of illustrating and explaining the significance of what a true church is. It also provides a stern warning to those who take membership flippantly and engage the church without a serious attitude.

The scriptures teach that wisdom is justified by all her children. Mark my words: a moment will come sooner or later in which everyone will wish that there was a firmer and stricter teaching on church discipline. Mark Dever says, “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when church discipline will happen.” We should know that church discipline  will happen sooner or later, and then everyone will be desperately wishing that it had been talked about more at the beginning. Why? Because the sinning member who is the subject of church discipline may not understand fully what the church is attempting to do and this will hurt him further and make reconciliation even harder.

But on a more practical level- the church will not understand it either. It will take so much more time and energy to teach, instruct, and prepare the congregation to engage in church discipline. If this teaching is put off then the Elders must scramble to teach it, and then people will start asking: “How come you didn’t tell us about this when we first joined?” At the time that church discipline becomes necessary, the Elders will be running around trying to teach about it while whispers and rumors are flying around about why ALL OF A SUDDEN this issue of church discipline is such a hot topic issue. If the sinning member has seriously grieved another member in the church, then the church must necessarily delay justice to the grieved member until everyone can be taught about the meaning of church discipline. The grieved member may start whispering about why the Elders are suddenly teaching on church discipline, and some will inevitably conclude that the leadership is staging a public flogging for personal reasons. Others may suspect that the Elders are playing favorites. Plus there is tension on the Elders: they are trying to quickly teach the church about church discipline while simultaneously trying to persuade the sinning member to repent, and at the same time they have to try and hold the grieved member at bay and keep the grieved member from public charges of neglect or favoritism.

This is the Bottom line: it seems easier and more practical just to talk about it up-front. This is one reason why we talk about Church Discipline up front and at the beginning of the Membership Process here at The Bridge Church.