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By Brent Lacy

Most small church pastors avoid church discipline entirely.

They are afraid of conflict. Afraid of losing members. Afraid of being seen as harsh or judgmental. And so they watch people live in open sin, damage the congregation, and undermine the church’s witness, while saying nothing.

That is not grace. That is negligence.

Church discipline, done biblically and carefully, is one of the most loving things a church can do for a member who is living in a way that is harmful to themselves, to others, or to the church’s witness.

The Purpose of Church Discipline

Church discipline has three purposes, and all three must be held together.

• The restoration of the individual. The goal is not punishment. It is repentance and restoration. Galatians 6:1 says to restore the person “gently,” with awareness of your own vulnerability to sin.
• The protection of the congregation. Unaddressed sin spreads. 1 Corinthians 5:6 uses the image of leaven: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” A church that tolerates open, unrepentant sin in its membership will eventually be shaped by it.
• The honor of Christ. The church’s witness in the community is affected by how its members live. A church that claims to follow Christ while tolerating behavior that contradicts his teaching is not a credible witness.

The Matthew 18 Process

Jesus gave a clear process for handling sin in the church in Matthew 18:15-17. It has four steps.

Step 1: Go directly to the person.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” This is a private conversation. Not a text. Not a rumor. A face-to-face conversation with the person who has sinned.

Step 2: Bring one or two witnesses.

If the person does not respond to the private conversation, bring one or two others. This is not to gang up on the person. It is to ensure that the conversation is witnessed and that the facts are established.

Step 3: Tell it to the church.

If the person still does not respond, the matter is brought before the congregation. This is a serious step and should not be taken lightly or quickly.

Step 4: Treat them as an outsider.

If the person remains unrepentant after all three steps, they are to be treated “as a Gentile and a tax collector.” This means removal from membership and the privileges of membership. It does not mean hostility or rejection. Jesus ate with tax collectors. The goal remains restoration.

What Warrants Church Discipline

Not every sin warrants formal church discipline. The Matthew 18 process is for serious, ongoing, unrepentant sin that is damaging to the individual, the congregation, or the church’s witness.

Situations that typically warrant formal discipline:

• Sexual immorality that is ongoing and unrepentant
• Financial fraud or theft involving the church
• Persistent divisiveness and gossip that is damaging the congregation
• Heresy: teaching doctrine that contradicts the church’s statement of faith
• Abuse: physical, emotional, or sexual

Practical Guidance for Small Churches

In a small church, church discipline is especially delicate because everyone knows everyone. Here is practical guidance.

• Document everything. Keep written records of every conversation, every step, and every decision. This protects the church legally and ensures consistency.
• Involve the board. Do not handle serious discipline cases alone. Involve your deacons or elders from the beginning.
• Consult your bylaws. Your church bylaws should define the discipline process. If they do not, address that before you need to use the process.
• Seek outside counsel. For serious cases, consult your denominational leadership or a trusted pastor with experience in church discipline.
• Maintain confidentiality. Information about discipline cases should be shared only with those who need to know. Gossip about a discipline case is itself a sin.

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