Section 1. Formative Discipline.  

Every disciple (follower) of Christ must be under His discipline (His instruction and correction), which is administered to each one through the church, according to 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and other passages. Mutual submission to one another and to the overseers whom the Lord has set over His church (Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5) will result in the sanctification of each member individually and of the whole body of the church collectively. There are occasions, however, when failure in the application of this formative discipline makes the application of corrective discipline necessary. 

Section 2. Corrective Discipline. 

Paragraph A. General Statement. Corrective discipline becomes necessary when heretical doctrine or disorderly or scandalous conduct appears among the members of the church. In all such cases reasonable efforts must be made to resolve difficulty, correct error, and remove offense through counsel and admonition before more drastic steps are taken (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19— 20). The principles given to us in Matthew 18:15-16 and 1 Corinthians 5:1—13 must be carefully followed in all cases of corrective discipline. When admonition is not heeded, suspension of some of the privileges of membership may need to be imposed, and if this measure fails, excommunication from the membership of the church may be necessary. 

Paragraph B. Suspension. 

(1) Any conduct on the part of a member which disturbs the peace of the church or prejudices its testimony may require that the offending brother or sister be debarred by action of the elders from participating in certain activities of the church according to the gravity of the offense. A suspension shall be announced to the congregation by the elders and shall remain in force until the suspended member gives evidence of true repentance and change of conduct. When a suspended member can be restored to full fellowship, this also shall be announced to the congregation by the elders. While a member is under such discipline, he shall be treated by the congregation according to the directions given in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. Although such a person is considered to be walking disorderly, he must still be regarded as a member and not as one cut off from the church. 

(2) If a member has sinned publicly but shows hopeful signs of repentance, including submission to the admonition of the elders, it may still be necessary to suspend him for a time from some of the privileges of membership lest reproach be brought upon the church, lest others be emboldened to sin, and lest the offender himself fail to test his own soul and realize the gravity of’ his offense. Those who humbly submit to the imposed discipline shall afterwards be wholly forgiven and publicly received back into the full fellowship of the church. 

(3) In the case where a person is accused or suspected of gross sin and absents himself from the congregation, refusing to meet with the elders that the matter may be investigated, the elders shall announce to the congregation that the person is suspended from the membership, and such suspension shall continue in force as long as the conditions giving rise to it continue. 

Paragraph C. Excommunication. 

(1) Although the people of God are never completely free of sin in this life, certain types of conduct are especially grievous, and are not consistent with a profession of faith (1 Corinthians 5:9-11, 6:9-10). A member guilty of such conduct must be cut off from the fellowship of the church ( 1 Corinthians 5:3-5,13; Matthew18:17). In such a case the elders shall make earnest efforts to bring the offender to true repentance and reformation, but if these efforts fail, they shall report the same to the congregation at a regular or specially called business meeting of the church and recommend that the offender be excommunicated-— which must be done, according to Scripture (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:4), by action of the entire church. To be valid, an act of excommunication must have the approval of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.

(2) Likewise, some wrong opinions regarding the doctrines of Scripture are so serious that they must be categorized as “heretical” (Galatians 1:6-9; I Timothy 4:1), and a member who persists in propagating or holding any such opinion, in spite of earnest and patient admonition by the elders, shall be excommunicated in the same manner as above.