Church Discipline
Well, without giving any details, etc., we (Ebenezer Baptist Church) exercised church discipline to the point of exclusion about one week ago. There was a situation where we took approximately 6 months to pray, teach, and approach the subject. In my opinion all these actions are to be considered church discipline. However, the person involved would not repent, and we excluded them from membership. After the official vote, we gathered together and prayed for this person hoping that they might repent of the particular sin. Of course, we know God can do great things, and we hope He will move in a mighty way in this individual's life. The question I have is how many of you have ever exercised church discipline to the point of exclusion? How did it affect your church? Did you use it as a teaching opportunity? I have more to say about how God has already used this event, but I'll stop for now.
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2 comments:
Hey the church sure has came a lone way, your doing a good job of teaching keep up the good work.
Hey Matt! Great blog here. I've seen church discipline exercised, and I have to say that it can be one of the most beautiful or ugly pictures of the Gospel, depending on how it is executed. I was relieved/happy to hear that EBC LOVES her members enough to practice discipline, and also that it IS used as a teaching/exhorting opportunity. Too often, in Western Christianity, we think of the Gospel as an individual and personal thing, where it really is not. We are commanded by Scripture to love one another and to spur one another to sanctification-- this is the Gospel in action-- that we are sinful and horrid creatures in desperate need of a Savior. Without discipline, we're so prone to avoid grace, because it means discomfort. On the other hand, we have many churches, many unfortunately within the ABA, that take a very different look at discipline-- as though to "rid themselves" of such trash... when repentence and renewal should always be the goal. I'll keep your congregation and this individual in my prayer.
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