A Living Alternative

As I consider the journey towards our church plant and our pastoral role in it, in interesting question keeps cropping up: How will we deal with church discipline? This has already been a difficult issue for me, even within my role as a leader within YWAM (both locally and regionally). Inevitably, whenever the word "discipline" comes up, it brings with it negative connotations, framed primarily within punative terms.

So much of this stems from the strong emphasis on moral policing that has characterized much of evangelical discipleship. While I am not diminishing the gravity of sin or the need for genuine correction, by making our focus primarily on punishing wrong behaviour, we not only miss the heart of God's character, but consequently create church community dynamics that are driven by fear and intimidation. God hates sin, but He IS love. That should reflect in how we represent Him our lives and relationships.

As we look to church discipline, we must recognize that it's ultimate goal is not punishment, but resolution and restoration. And this not only for the wrong-doer, but for the wronged and the whole community. To avoid a shame-based influence, it follows the Biblical rule of keeping the process out of public eyes until the situation demand further outside involvement. As idealistic as this may sound, it is an incredibly demanding and costly process for all involved.

The mutuality of the process means that, unlike the systems of justice we see in the world, we do not isolate the wrong doer from either the process of correction or as a means of punishment (except as last resort). Rather, it requires the involvement of everyone affected- the wrong doer, the wronged and the community or communities impacted by the wrong (i.e. church, family, peers, etc.). While we rightfully seek to protect victims, the pattern of reconciliation manifested in Christ's death and resurrection calls for the radical participation of everyone in the healing process.

The refusal of the wronged to work through the painful process of reconciliation is understandable given what they have suffered. However, if we truly want to embody the radical reconciliation of Christ to a watching world, we must embrace this further suffering as a means of hope and healing for all. Refusal to do so may protect some from the immediate risk, but leaves everyone else in that community limited in their ability to affect the needed change.

Conflict is the inevitable reality of our fallen humanity- perhaps even more so as we collectively seek to be follow Christ in community, as it will naturally surface our failures and weaknesses. When this redemptive dialogue is practiced within trusting communities, discipline ceases to be an exercise in damage control, but a living witness to the hope and power of Christ to impact lives.

(NOTE: While restorative justice has long been a passion of mine, I have more recently been challenged by the first chapter in John Howard Yoder's powerful book "Body Politics: Five Practices of the Christian Community Before a Watching World". It is well worth reading.)

Missional, Missional Community, Church Discipline, Ecclesiology, John Howard Yoder