Columbia Grove Covenant Church Discipline Policy

Discipline in the church is not punishment. It is discipline and discipline is designed to train and restore in the love of Jesus Christ.

WHY -

• Out of love God disciplines us (Heb. 12:6-8), and out of love the church is called to discipline the church family (2 Cor. 2:5-8).
• To ensure that the church as a whole cleans out the wickedness so it does not spread throughout the body (1 Cor. 5:6-8).
• To restore, heal and lift up the sinning member (Gal. 6:1-2).
• To bring a member out of the devil’s trap and restore a soul to Christ (2 Tim. 2: 24-26).

WHAT -

• Any sin (James 2:10-11) that is preventing the member of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 59:1-2).
• AND who is also unwilling to make any changes to restore that relationship.  (Luke 11:23).

WHO -

• Members of the Church (1 Cor. 5:12-13).
• Leaders of the Church are held to a higher level of accountability (James 3:1).
• Youth and Children’s leaders must be especially careful (Matt. 18:6).

HOW -

1. Discipline must be done, by anyone who lives in the Spirit, with a kind, patient, humble, and gentle nature (Gal. 6:1-2).
2. It must be done without bias or favoritism (1 Tim. 5:21).
3. It must be done in love and out of respect for Christ’s body (Eph. 4:15-16) by any member of the church who lives in the Spirit (ref 1).
4. It is the member’s responsibility to personally talk with the member first (Matt. 18:15).
5. If the member will not listen, take one or two other members as witnesses (Matt. 18:16).
6. If the member still does not listen bring them before the leadership team (Matt. 18:17).  At this time the leadership team will derive an action plan that the member must complete in order to retain membership.
7. If the member shows no signs or willingness to change then their membership, not their ability to attend the church, is to be removed from them (Matt. 18:17).

WHEN -

• The church will restore the membership once there is repentance and will quickly forgive, comfort and reaffirm their love for the member (2 Cor. 2:7-8).
• Repentance will be shown by proof of the way they are living (Luke 3:8).

• By acknowledging their sin (1 John 1:9).
• By ceasing the activity or seeking help for the reason which they were disciplined (Prov. 28:13).
• By asking forgiveness from those hurt (Matt. 5:23-24).
• By showing sorrow due to the harm done to the glory of God and the ones that were hurt (2 Cor. 7:9-11).
• By bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

CAUTIONS -

• Be sure that the sin which calls for discipline is Biblical and not just a personal preference.
• Bring the matter before the Lord and pray before the confrontation takes place.
• Don’t procrastinate, the longer the wait the harder it will be to overcome.
• Don’t gossip or talk to anyone until you talk to the member privately.
• Remember we all are sinners and discipline is not to bring anyone down but to help lift them up in our love for them.