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Handbook of Church Discipline | Jay Adams
In today's western churches, the concept of church discipline has been generally abandoned by the vast majority of congregations. The average Christian does not even think to rebuke sinning church members, to guard their souls by seeking their repentance, or to put them out of the church for stubborn, willfull disobedience. As a result, a great deal of harm has fallen upon the church, and Jay Adams longs to see this trend reversed. For this reason, his book on church discipline is more than a simple explanation of relevant passages, but a real handbook to guide us in this necessary biblical practice.
His goal in writing the book is three-fold, as explained in his preface: (1) to present a clear, concise, biblical description of church discipline; (2) to provide a ready reference to which you may turn for help in situations requiring church discipline; and (3) to convince the dubious that church discipline is not only a biblical requirement (and therefore feasible) but also a right and privilege of every member of the church of Christ.
His primary text is Matthew 18:15-17, and from it he shows how Christ lays down a series of clearly defined, escalating steps for discipline. The issue is sin; the goal is restoration. If the sinning Christian cannot be restored by one step, the hope is for restoration at a later step. Adams also provides many illustrative situations to help you apply these steps in actual practice.
This book is not just for pastors. Church discipline is the job of every member of the church, a fact that is readily apparent upon reading Matthew 18:15: you are to go to your brother if he sins. So, whether you are a church leader unsure of how to initiate church discipline, or simply a church member desiring to be pleasing to your Lord, this book will ground you in a biblical understanding of this all-important practice.
Developed around the five corrective steps found especially in Matthew 18:15-17, this book helps church leaders deal with the sorts of problems that require the church’s disciplinary response. Charting a course that combines discernment with appropriate action, this simple, readable handbook can have a profound effect on the community of believers.
