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Church Discipline

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Church Discipline

Church discipline can sound like an overbearing and difficult concept. At its core it is the privilege of every christian to hold and be held to account for our walk with God. We are our brothers’ brother, our sisters’ sister, and that love requires us to look out and warn each other of danger. Correction is meant to keep us on course, and always offer a way back. 

 

Group/Team

  • We are all called to challenge, correct and encourage one another in a spirit of gentleness and humility, not thinking of ourselves as better than each other, but sharing our common humanity and frailty. 

 

Collective/Team/Location pastoral team

  • Supporting group/team leaders to resolve issues of conflict in a healthy way within teams/groups
  • Meeting with group or team members where further challenge and encouragement is needed.

 

Staff pastors/Renewal pastoral team

  • Further meetings to administer discipline where required, for instance where issues or patterns of sin are not being resolved at Collective level.

 

Other issues to consider

  • The church needs a culture of healthy challenge and encouragement towards holiness.
  • If relating to a leader or a volunteer within a ministry team (ie: worship, FB, Youth etc) then ongoing sin must be challenged, and any inappropriate relationships or behaviour must be escalated to the staff pastors.
  • If relating to a staff member or senior leader, then the concerns process is to be followed in order to involve outside accountability. Email safeguarding@renewalcc.com if you have serious concerns about moral, legal, financial or theological practice from either a staff member or a volunteer leader, that would indicate a serious lapse of judgement and character or would lead to the church integrity being compromised.