Sda Church Discipline, re: questions, arguments and misconceptions in regards to 3ABN issues Options

[Aletheia]

Since this began the subject keeps cropping up in various topics and threads from both sides in these issues. I thought it would be helpful, and a valuable reference for all here, to post the Chapter on Church discipline from the most recent ediition of the SDA Church manual. Hopefully that's ok. Discussion about how things apply, and have or haven't been done may follow...

It can be found online here in pdf format:

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/church_ma...7th-edition.pdf

CHAPTER 14

Church Discipline

General Principles

The attention of all ministers, church officers, and members is called to the important quotations in this chapter from the Spirit of Prophecy. These statements are worthy of careful and prayerful study; they set forth in clear, unmistakable language the solemn responsibility that rests upon the people of God in maintaining the purity, the integrity, and the spiritual fervor of the church. If members grow cold and indifferent, the church must seek to arouse them from their lethargy. Should some be drifting away from the truth, efforts must be made to bring them back into the narrow way.

Dealing With Erring Members— "In dealing with erring church members, God’s people are carefully to follow the instruction given by the Saviour in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 260.

"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:15-18).

"Human beings are Christ’s property, purchased by Him at an infinite price, bound to Him by the love that He and His Father have manifested for them. How careful, then, we should be in our dealing with one another! Men have no right to surmise evil in regard to their fellow men. Church members have no right to follow their own impulses and inclinations in dealing with fellow members who have erred. They should not even express their prejudices regarding the erring, for thus they place in other minds the leaven of evil. Reports unfavorable to a brother or sister in the church are communicated from one to another of the church members. Mistakes are made and injustice is done because of



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an unwillingness on the part of some one to follow the directions given by the Lord Jesus.

" ‘If thy brother shall trespass against thee,’ Christ declared, ‘go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.’ Matthew 18:15. Do not tell others of the wrong. One person is told, then another, and still another; and continually the report grows, and the evil increases, till the whole church is made to suffer. Settle the matter ‘between thee and him alone.’ This is God’s plan. ‘Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another.’ Proverbs 25:8, 9. Do not suffer sin upon your brother; but do not expose him, and thus increase the difficulty, making the reproof seem like a revenge. Correct him in the way outlined in the word of God."—Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 260, 261.

To Seek Reconciliation—" Do not suffer resentment to ripen into malice. Do not allow the wound to fester and break out in poisoned words, which taint the minds of those who hear. Do not allow bitter thoughts to continue to fill your mind and his. Go to your brother, and in humility and sincerity talk with him about the matter.

"Whatever the character of the offense, this does not change the plan that God has made for the settlement of misunderstandings and personal injuries. Speaking alone and in the spirit of Christ to the one who is in fault will often remove the difficulty. Go to the erring one, with a heart filled with Christ’s love and sympathy, and seek to adjust the matter. Reason with him calmly and quietly. Let no angry words escape your lips. Speak in a way that will appeal to his better judgment. Remember the words: ‘He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.’ James 5:20.

"Take to your brother the remedy that will cure the disease of disaffection. Do your part to help him. For the sake of the peace and unity of the church, feel it a privilege as well as a duty to do this. If he will hear you, you have gained him as a friend.

"All heaven is interested in the interview between the one who has been injured and the one who is in error. As the erring one accepts the reproof offered in the love of Christ, and acknowledges his wrong, asking forgiveness from God and from his brother, the sunshine of heaven fills his heart. The controversy is ended; friendship and confidence are restored. The oil of love removes the soreness caused by the wrong. The Spirit of God binds heart to heart, and there is music in heaven over the union brought about."—Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 261, 262.


p. 187

"As those thus united in Christian fellowship offer prayer to God and pledge themselves to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God, great blessing comes to them. If they have wronged others they continue the work of repentance, confession, and restitution, fully set to do good to one another. This is the fulfilling of the law of Christ.

" ‘But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ Matthew 18:16. Take with you those who are spiritually minded, and talk with the one in error in regard to the wrong. He may yield to the united appeals of his brethren. As he sees their agreement in the matter his mind may be enlightened.

" ‘And if he shall neglect to hear them,’ what then shall be done? Shall a few persons in a board meeting take upon themselves the responsibility of disfellowshiping the erring one? ‘If he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church.’ Verse 17. Let the church take action in regard to its members."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 262.

" ‘But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.’ Verse 17. If he will not heed the voice of the church, if he refuses all the efforts made to reclaim him, upon the church rests the responsibility of separating him from fellowship. His name should then be stricken from the books.

"No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrong doer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faithfully followed. When this instruction has been followed, the church has cleared herself before God. The evil must then be made to appear as it is, and must be removed, that it may not become more and more widespread. The health and purity of the church must be preserved, that she may stand before God unsullied, clad in the robes of Christ’s righteousness. . . .

" ‘Verily I say unto you,’ Christ continued, ‘whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ Verse 18.

"This statement holds its force in all ages. On the church has been conferred the power to act in Christ’s stead. It is God’s instrumentality for the preservation of order and discipline among His people. To it the Lord has delegated the power to settle all questions respecting its prosperity, purity, and order. Upon it rests the responsibility of excluding from its fellowship those who are unworthy, who by their un-Christlike conduct would bring dishonor on the truth. Whatever the church does that is in accordance with the directions given in God’s word will be ratified in heaven."—Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 262, 263. (Italics supplied.)



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""Matters of grave import come up for settlement by the church. God’s ministers, ordained by Him as guides of His people, after doing their part are to submit the whole matter to the church, that there may be unity in the decision made.

"The Lord desires His followers to exercise great care in dealing with one another. They are to lift up, to restore, to heal. But there is to be in the church no neglect of proper discipline. The members are to regard themselves as pupils in a school, learning how to form characters worthy of their high calling. In the church here below, God’s children are to be prepared for the great reunion in the church above. Those who here live in harmony with Christ may look forward to an endless life in the family of the redeemed."—Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 263, 264.

Authority of the Church—" The world’s Redeemer has invested great power with His church. He states the rules to be applied in cases of trial with its members. After He has given explicit directions as to the course to be pursued, He says: ‘Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever [in church discipline] ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ Thus even the heavenly authority ratifies the discipline of the church in regard to its members when the Bible rule has been followed.

"The word of God does not give license for one man to set up his judgment in opposition to the judgment of the church, neither is he allowed to urge his opinions against the opinions of the church. If there were no church discipline and government, the church would go to fragments; it could not hold together as a body."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 428.

Church Responsible for Dealing With Sin—"God holds His people, as a body, responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them. If the leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible for these sins."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 269.

"He would teach His people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to Him, and are not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins. In His dealings with His people in the past the Lord shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs. One sinner may diffuse darkness that will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation. When the people realize



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that darkness is settling upon them, and they do not know the cause, they should seek God earnestly, in great humility and self-abasement, until the wrongs which grieve His Spirit are searched out and put away. . . .

"If wrongs are apparent among His people, and if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike guilty and will just as surely receive the displeasure of God; for they will be made responsible for the sins of the guilty. In vision I have been pointed to many instances where the displeasure of God has been incurred by a neglect on the part of His servants to deal with the wrongs and sins existing among them. Those who have excused these wrongs have been thought by the people to be very amiable and lovely in disposition, simply because they shunned to discharge a plain Scriptural duty. The task was not agreeable to their feelings; therefore they avoided it."—Testimonies, vol. 3, pp. 265, 266.

Unconsecrated Resist Church Discipline—"There are many who do not have the discretion of Joshua and who have no special duty to search out wrongs and to deal promptly with the sins existing among them. Let not such hinder those who have the burden of this work upon them; let them not stand in the way of those who have this duty to do. Some make it a point to question and doubt and find fault because others do the work that God has not laid upon them. These stand directly in the way to hinder those upon whom God has laid the burden of reproving and correcting prevailing sins in order that His frown may be turned away from His people. Should a case like Achan’s be among us, there are many who would accuse those who might act the part of Joshua in searching out the wrong, of having a wicked, faultfinding spirit. God is not to be trifled with and His warnings disregarded with impunity by a perverse people.

"I was shown that the manner of Achan’s confession was similar to the confessions that some among us have made and will make. They hide their wrongs and refuse to make a voluntary confession until God searches them out, and then they acknowledge their sins. A few persons pass on in a course of wrong until they become hardened. They may even know that the church is burdened, as Achan knew that Israel were made weak before their enemies because of his guilt. Yet their consciences do not condemn them. They will not relieve the church by humbling their proud, rebellious hearts before God and putting away their wrongs. God’s displeasure is upon His people, and He will not manifest His power in the midst of them while sins exist among them and are fostered by those in responsible positions.

"Those who work in the fear of God to rid the church of hindrances and to correct grievous wrongs, that the people of God may see the


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necessity of abhorring sin and may prosper in purity, and that the name of God may be glorified, will ever meet with resisting influences from the unconsecrated."—Testimonies, vol. 3, pp. 270, 271.

Rules and Regulations Necessary "Brethren, never allow anyone’s ideas to unsettle your faith in regard to the order and harmony which should exist in the church. . . . The God of heaven is a God of order, and He requires all His followers to have rules and regulations, and to preserve order."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 274


2 b cont..

This post has been edited by Aletheia: Apr 10 2007, 11:57 AM

[awesumtenor]

And your point is?

In His service,
Mr. J

[Aletheia]

.

Self-appointed Organizations—The church in its organized capacity is God’s instrumentality for preserving order and discipline among His people. Its God-given message is borne to the world not only by the personal testimony of the individual member but in the corporate witness of the church as the body of Christ. Such corporate witness requires the recognized administrative structure that has been established with all duly elected officers and all properly organized channels of work such as the Sabbath School, Personal Ministries, Youth organizations, et cetera. It also acknowledges such self-supporting institutions whose activities contribute to the attainment of the church’s objectives. Therefore, although all members have equal rights within the church, no individual member or group of members should start a movement or form an organization or seek to encourage a following for the attainment of any objective or for the teaching of any doctrine or message not in harmony with the fundamental religious objectives and teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Such a course would result in the fostering of a factional and divisive spirit, in the fragmenting of the effort and witness of the church, and thus in hindering it in the discharge of its obligations to its Head and to the world.

Safeguarding the Unity of the Church

Christians should make every effort to avoid tendencies that would divide them and bring dishonor to their cause. "It is the purpose of God that His children shall blend in unity. Do they not expect to live together in the same heaven? . . . Those who refuse to work in harmony greatly dishonor God."—Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 240. The church should discour-age every action that would threaten harmony among its members and should consistently encourage unity.

Reconciliation of differences within the church and its membership should, in most cases, be possible without recourse either to a conciliation process provided by the church or to civil litigation. "If matters of difficulty between brethren were not laid open before others,



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but frankly spoken of between themselves in the spirit of Christian love, how much evil might be prevented! How many roots of bitterness whereby many are defiled would be destroyed, and how closely and tenderly might the followers of Christ be united in His love!"—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 59. (See Matt. 18:15-18 and pp. 188-190.)

Settlement of Differences Among Members—Every effort should be made to settle differences among church members and contain the controversy within the smallest possible sphere. "Contentions, strife, and lawsuits between brethren are a disgrace to the cause of truth. Those who take such a course expose the church to the ridicule of her enemies and cause the powers of darkness to triumph. They are piercing the wounds of Christ afresh and putting Him to an open shame. By ignoring the authority of the church they show contempt for God, who gave to the church its authority."—Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 242, 243.

Civil litigation is often carried on in a spirit of contention that results from and reveals human selfishness. It is this kind of adversary proceedings that must be discouraged by a church that seeks to exhibit the spirit of Christ. Christian unselfishness will lead followers of Christ to suffer themselves to be defrauded (1 Cor. 6:7) rather than to ‘go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints’ (1 Cor. 6:1).

While there are, in the modern world, occasions for seeking decrees of civil courts, Christians should prefer settlement within the authority of the church, and should limit the seeking of such decrees to cases that are clearly within the jurisdiction of the civil courts and not within the authority of the church or for which the church agrees it has no adequate process for orderly settlement. Such suits before civil courts should never become revengeful adversary proceedings but should develop out of a desire to seek arbitration and to settle differences amicably. Examples of such cases may include, but are not limited to, the settlement of insurance claims, the issuance of decrees affecting the boundaries and ownership of real property, the deciding of some matters involving the administration of estates, and the awarding of custody of minor children. While the church should set up procedures within the constraints of legal practice to avoid the type of litigation referred to in 1 Corinthians 6, it should constantly be on guard against turning from its gospel mission and taking up the duties of a civil magistrate. (See Luke 12:13, 14 and Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 216-218.)

God’s ideal for members of His church is that they should, as far as possible, "live peaceably with all men" (Rom. 12:18). The church should use its readily accessible and reasonably prompt process by which many differences among members can be settled. Should the church fail to



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respond to a member’s request for help in reconciling a difference, or if the church acknowledges that the nature of the case is such that it is not within its authority, it should be recognized that the member has exhausted the possibilities of the biblically outlined procedure for the settlement of differences and that what he/she should do beyond that point is a matter for his/her conscience. (See The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 698.)

However, when the church, endeavoring to assist in timely and amicable settlement of differences among its members, recommends a solution, they should not summarily reject the recommendation the church has offered. It is no light matter for a church member, outside the orderly processes of the church, to litigate a grievance against another church member. "Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another" (1 Cor. 6:7).

Church members who demonstrate impatience and selfishness by their unwillingness to wait for and accept recommendations of the church in the settlement of grievances against other church members may properly be subject to the discipline of the church (see p. 189) because of the disruptive effect on the church and their refusal to recognize properly constituted church authority.

Settlement of Grievances of Members Against the Church—The same principles that influence resolution of differences among members apply to the settlement of grievances of members against church organizations and institutions.

A church member should not instigate litigation against any entity of the church except under circumstances where the church has not provided adequate process for orderly settlement of the grievance within the church, or where the nature of the case is such that it is clearly not within the authority of the church to settle.

Settlement of Grievances of the Church Against Members—There may be times when church organizations or institutions will have grievances against church members. At such times, church administrators must, in Christian forbearance, keep in mind the biblical counsel for settling disputes among Christians and apply that counsel to the settlement of grievances of the church against its members. The church should, in preference to litigating matters in a secular court, make every reasonable effort in cooperation with the member to provide a process by which orderly settlement of the problem can be accomplished.



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Administering Discipline

If a member falls into sin, sincere efforts must be made for reclamation. "If the erring one repents and submits to Christ’s discipline, he is to be given another trial. And even if he does not repent, even if he stands outside the church, God’s servants still have a work to do for him. They are to seek earnestly to win him to repentance. And, however aggravated may have been his offense, if he yields to the striving of the Holy Spirit and, by confessing and forsaking his sin, gives evidence of repentance, he is to be forgiven and welcomed to the fold again. His brethren are to encourage him in the right way, treating him as they would wish to be treated were they in his place, considering themselves lest they also be tempted."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 263.

"We are nearing the judgment, and those who bear the message of warning to the world must have clean hands and pure hearts. They must have a living connection with God. The thoughts must be pure and holy, the soul untainted, the body, soul, and spirit be a pure, clean offering to God, or He will not accept it."—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 426.

"Sin and sinners in the church must be promptly dealt with, that others may not be contaminated. Truth and purity require that we make more thorough work to cleanse the camp from Achans. Let those in responsible positions not suffer sin in a brother. Show him that he must either put away his sins or be separated from the church."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 147.

When grievous sins are involved, disciplinary measures must be taken. There are two ways by which this may be done:

1. By a vote of censure.

2. By a vote to remove from church membership.

There may be cases where the offense is not considered by the church to be so serious as to warrant the extreme course of removing the offending member from church membership, yet it may be sufficiently serious to call for an expression of disapproval. Such disapproval may be expressed by a vote of censure.

Censure has a twofold purpose:

1. To enable the church to express its disapproval of a grievous offense that has brought disgrace upon the cause of God.

2. To impress the offending member with the need for amendment of life and reformation in conduct; also to extend to the individual a period of grace and probation during which these steps might be taken.



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Discipline by Censure

An erring member may be placed under censure by a vote of the church at any duly called business meeting of the church, provided the member concerned has been notified. The individual may be present if he/she so desires. A vote of censure is for a stated period of time, from a minimum of one month to a maximum of twelve months; it terminates the erring one’s election or appointment to any and all offices he/she may hold in the church and removes the privilege of election to office while under censure. A member under censure has no right to participate by voice or by vote in the affairs of the church and can have no public part in the exercises thereof, such as teaching a Sabbath School class, et cetera. Neither may the individual’s membership be transferred to another church during the period of censure. He/She is not deprived, however, of the privilege of sharing the blessings of Sabbath School, church worship, or the ordinances of the Lord’s house. A vote of censure must not carry any provision involving severance of church membership in case of failure to comply with any conditions imposed. Proper inquiry should be made at the expiration of the period of censure to ascertain whether the member under discipline has changed course. If observed conduct is satisfactory, the individual may then be considered in regular standing without further action. If observed conduct is not satisfactory, the case should again be considered and such discipline administered as is required. Any return to church office must be by election.

Discipline by Removal From Church Membership

Removing an individual from membership in the church, the body of Christ, is always a serious matter; it is the ultimate in the discipline that the church can administer; it is the extreme measure that can be meted out by the church. Only after the instruction given in this chapter has been followed, and after all possible efforts have been made to win and restore him/her to right paths, should this kind of discipline be used. It would be advisable to secure counsel from the pastor of the church or, if he is not available, from the conference/mission/field president before any action is taken by the church, when such a step is contemplated.

This post has been edited by Aletheia: Apr 10 2007, 12:08 PM

[Snoopy]

I thought 3ABN was completely independent of the SDA church? So what does this have to do with anything??

[Aletheia]

Reasons for Which Members Shall Be Disciplined

Reasons for which members shall be subject to discipline are as follows:



CHURCH DISCIPLINE p. 195

1. Denial of faith in the fundamentals of the gospel and in the cardinal doctrines of the church or teaching doctrines contrary to the same.

2. Violation of the law of God, such as worship of idols, murder, stealing, profanity, gambling, Sabbathbreaking, and willful and habitual falsehood.

3. Violation of the seventh commandment of the law of God as it relates to the marriage institution, the Christian home, and biblical standards of moral conduct.

4. Such violations as fornication, promiscuity, incest, homosexual practice, sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults, and other sexual perversions, and the remarriage of a divorced person, except of the spouse who has remained faithful to the marriage vow in a divorce for adultery or for sexual perversions.

5. Physical violence, including violence within the family.

6. Fraud or willful misrepresentation in business.

7. Disorderly conduct which brings reproach upon the church.

8. Adhering to or taking part in a divisive or disloyal movement or organization. (See p. 190.)

9. Persistent refusal to recognize properly constituted church authority or to submit to the order and discipline of the church.

10. The use, manufacture, or sale of alcoholic beverages.

11. The use, manufacture, or sale of tobacco in any of its forms for human consumption.

12. The misuse of, or trafficking in, narcotics or other drugs.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes the need of exercising great care to protect the highest spiritual interests of its members, to ensure fair treatment, and to safeguard the name of the church.

In a case of transgression of the commandments of God where there is deep repentance and full and free confession, giving evidence that genuine conversion has taken place, the church may administer discipline by placing the transgressor under censure for a stated period of time.

However, in a case of flagrant violations of the law of God which have brought public reproach upon the church, the church may deem it necessary, even though a sincere confession has been made, to remove an individual from church membership to protect its name and its Christian standards. Later, when it is evident that the individual’s life is consistent with church standards, the offender may be received back into the church after rebaptism. The church cannot afford to deal lightly with such sins nor permit personal considerations to affect its actions. It must register its decisive and emphatic disapproval of the sins of fornication, adultery, all acts of moral indiscretion, and other grievous sins; at the same time it must do everything to restore and reclaim the erring ones. As the world



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continually grows more lax in moral matters, the church must not lower the standards set by God.

Timeliness in the Disciplinary Process

It is the duty of the church to care for the disciplinary process within a reasonable time and then communicate its decisions with kindness and promptness. The application of discipline is a painful process in itself. One thing that increases the frustration and the suffering of the individual member and the local church itself is the delay in administering the discipline.

Caution in Disciplining Members

"Christ has plainly taught that those who persist in open sin must be separated from the church, but He has not committed to us the work of judging character and motive. He knows our nature too well to entrust this work to us. Should we try to uproot from the church those whom we suppose to be spurious Christians, we should be sure to make mistakes. Often we regard as hopeless subjects the very ones whom Christ is drawing to Himself. Were we to deal with these souls according to our imperfect judgment, it would perhaps extinguish their last hope. Many who think themselves Christians will at last be found wanting. Many will be in heaven who their neighbors supposed would never enter there. Man judges from appearance, but God judges the heart. The tares and the wheat are to grow together until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time. There is in the Saviour’s words another lesson, a lesson of wonderful forbearance and tender love. As the tares have their roots closely intertwined with those of the good grain, so false brethren in the church may be closely linked with true disciples. The real character of these pretended believers is not fully manifested. Were they to be separated from the church, others might be caused to stumble, who but for this would have remained steadfast."—Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 71, 72.

Ministers or Churches Not to Establish Tests of Fellowship—A minister, an individual church, or a conference/mission/field does not have the authority to set up or establish tests of fellowship for the denomination. This authority rests with the entire church body and is exercised through the regularly constituted organization of the church in the General Conference. Anyone seeking to apply tests other than those herein set forth does not, therefore, properly represent the church.



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"God is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust. The third angel is leading out and purifying a people, and they should move with him unitedly. Some run ahead of the angels that are leading this people; but they have to retrace every step, and meekly follow no faster than the angels lead." —Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 207.

At a Duly Called Meeting—Members may be disciplined by the church for sufficient cause, but only at a duly called business meeting of the church after the church board has reviewed the case. The meeting must be presided over by an ordained minister or a licensed minister who is ordained as a local elder of the church concerned or, in his absence and in counsel with him or with the conference/mission/field president, a local ordained elder of the church concerned.

Majority Vote—Members may be removed from church membership or otherwise disciplined only by a majority vote of the members present and voting at a duly called meeting. ". . . the majority of the church is a power which should control its individual members."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 107.

Church Board Cannot Remove From Church Membership—The church board may recommend to the church in a business meeting the removal of a member from church membership, but under no circumstances does a church board have the right to take final action. Except in the case of the death of a member, the clerk of the church can remove a name from the church records only on a vote of the church in a business meeting.

Right of the Member to Be Heard in Defense—It is a fundamental principle of justice that every member has the right to be heard in his/her own defense and to introduce evidence and produce witnesses. No church should vote to remove a member from church membership under circumstances that deprive an individual of this right, if one chooses to exercise it. Due notice should be given by the church to the member of its intention to consider the problem, thus giving the opportunity for the individual to appear.

Lawyers Not to Represent Members—The work of the church in its administration of order and discipline is an ecclesiastical function and, in no sense, has to do with civil or legal procedure; therefore, the church does not recognize the right of any member to bring a lawyer to represent



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him/her in any church meeting or council called to administer order or discipline or for the transaction of any business relating to the church. Therefore, our members should be informed that they will not be given a hearing if they endeavor to bring a lawyer into the meeting for such a purpose. The church should also exclude all nonmembers from any church meeting or council called for the administration of church order or discipline, except as they may be called as witnesses.

Members Not to Be Removed From Church Membership for Nonattendance—Absentees should be faithfully visited by the church leadership, and each should be encouraged to revive church attendance, explaining the seriousness of neglecting the obligation of church membership in deliberately absenting oneself for indefinite periods of time and making no report of one’s faith and hope to the church. When because of age, infirmity, or other unavoidable cause a member finds it impossible to attend divine worship regularly, it should be considered an obligation to keep in contact with the church leaders by letter or by other means. However, as long as a person is loyal to the doctrines of the church, nonattendance at church services shall not be considered sufficient cause for removal from church membership.

Members Moving Away and Not Reporting—When members move away from the vicinity, it is their duty to inform the church elder or clerk as to their new location and address. While they remain members of that church they should recognize their responsibility of reporting regularly to the church and sending in their tithes and offerings. It is desirable for such a report to be sent at least once each quarter. If, however, such a member leaves no address behind and makes no effort to reach the home church or send a report and it is found impossible to locate the missing member, then, after an absence of two years, an individual may be removed from the membership of the church by a vote of the church, provided the church officers can certify that they have faithfully endeavored to locate the person but without success. The clerk should record in the proper column, "Whereabouts unknown. Voted to designate as missing."

Members Not to Be Removed for Pecuniary Reasons—A member should never be removed from the church records on account of one’s inability or failure to render financial help to any of the causes of the church. Church membership rests primarily on a spiritual basis. It is the duty of every member to support the work of the church in a financial way to the extent of one’s ability, but an individual should never be



CHURCH DISCIPLINE 199

deprived of membership simply through inability or failure to render financial help to any of the causes of the church.

Removing a Member From Membership on Personal Request—Great care should be exercised in dealing with a member who requests to be removed from membership. Although we recognize the right of an individual to decide whether or not to belong to the church, ample time should be given such a member for sober thought and reflection, and every effort made to restore these individuals to a satisfactory experience. Letters of resignation should be presented to the church board, which will forward them to the church at a duly called business meeting. Out of Christian consideration for the individuals involved, action shall be taken without public discussion.

Notification to Persons Removed From Membership—It is incumbent upon the church that removes a member from church membership to notify the individual in writing of the action that was reluctantly taken with the assurance of enduring spiritual interest and personal concern. This communication should, where possible, be delivered in person by the church pastor or by a church board designee. The erring member should be assured that the church will always hope that reaffiliation will take place and that one day there will be eternal fellowship together in the kingdom of God.

Reinstating a Person Previously Removed From Church Membership—When a person has been removed from church membership, the church should, where possible, maintain contact and manifest the spirit of friendship and love, endeavoring to win him/her back to the fold. A person previously removed from church membership may be received again into membership when confession of wrongs committed is made, evidence is given of real repentance and amendment of life, and it is clear that the member will fully submit to church order and discipline. Such reinstatement should preferably be in the church from which the member was dismissed. This, however, is not always possible. In this case, the church where the person is requesting reinstatement must seek information from the former church as to the reasons for which the person was removed from church membership.

Because removal from church membership is the most serious form of discipline, the period of time before such an individual may be reinstated should be sufficient to demonstrate that the issues which led to removal from membership have been resolved beyond reasonable doubt. Readmission to church membership is normally preceded by rebaptism.



200 CHURCH MANUAL

Right of Appeal for Reinstatement—In a case where the church officers refuse to consider the application for reinstatement from a dismissed member, such an individual has a right to appeal to the church for a hearing. The church should not neglect or refuse to grant such a hearing. If it does, the individual has the right to appeal for a hearing to the executive committee of the conference/mission/field in which the church is located. If, after a full and impartial hearing, the conference/ mission/field committee is satisfied that an injustice is being inflicted by the church, the committee may recommend the reinstatement of the dismissed member. But if membership is still refused by that church, then the committee may recommend the individual to membership in some other church. On the other hand, if it finds good grounds for sustaining the church in refusing to reinstate the member, it will so record its decision.

Transfer of Members Under Censure—No church shall receive into membership a person who is under the censure of another church. Such a course condones the offense for which another church has applied discipline.

The acceptance into membership of an individual who is under discipline is such a serious violation of church policy that the offending church may be subject to discipline applied by the conference/mission/ field constituency.

End of quoted chapter.

This post has been edited by Aletheia: Apr 10 2007, 12:18 PM

[awesumtenor]

You could have just posted a link to the online church manual at adventist.org... and you still have not made a relevant point... or even an irrelevant point, for that matter... you've made no point at all.

So cut to the chase, por favor.

In His service,
Mr. J

[Observer]

One comment: The edition of the CHRUCH MANUAL that is cited is the 17th (2005) edition.

[LaurenceD]

Church Responsible for Dealing With Sin

Sin, or insinuation, both are evil.

What is the sin you are suggesting relates to our discussion, and how did you determine it was sin?

You've mentioned Mat 18 through reference of the Church Manual, but do you dare apply 1Tim 5:19,20?

Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

Do you not see how shallow all this is until you get the full picture. What is the sin, who and where are the witnesses, and how can we take warning if the a so-called sin is wrapped in abiguity, or subject to partial interpretation? Be clear if you want attention.

If you have no answer answer, may I respectfully suggest that discipline works both ways, including discipline to the accuser? There's no merit in accusing someone of sin if you can neither demonstrate the sin, nor define it.

[princessdi]

This is about Linda's "attempted" censure at the church. Would have little to do with 3ABN except many of the same people were involved both places. While I am in agreement that they followed the procedures, it just "who" was following that was the problem. Many of them should have recused themselve. Lots of conflict of interest. Many of the church board members are paid 3ABN employees, Including th pastor of the church JL, etc.

I thought 3ABN was completely independent of the SDA church? So what does this have to do with anything??

[erik]

Aleithia,


I am so Glad that you post all those rules on displine inth eSDa church, because now we KNOw what needs to be done to danny, and many others at 3abn, and some on the board.



thank you, thank you, thank you.


Erik

[Rosyroi]

Alethia highlighted this.

9. Persistent refusal to recognize properly constituted church authority or to submit to the order and discipline of the church.

Let's just add 3ABN per Thompsonville church manual.

9. Persisitent refusal to recognize properly constituted 3ABN church authority or to submit to the order and discipline of the 3ABN church.

Now that looks more like it.

Rosyroi

[Aletheia]

Aleithia,
I am so Glad that you post all those rules on displine inth eSDa church, because now we KNOw what needs to be done to danny, and many others at 3abn, and some on the board.
thank you, thank you, thank you.
Erik

Yeah, but the idea was that the instructions, and principles apply to ALL, on both sides in these issues, or in any other.

And to help clear up misconceptions and questions which keep arising here about "how to" take care of problems and recognize and decide what has being done correctly and what has not, so that it can all be done correctly from here on out.

ALSO my hope and prayer is that everyone can get in sync and resolve all this biblically BY PUTTING THE LORD AND HIS WAYS FIRST.

Seems to me it's pretty hard to be all in opposition, or heading in different directions, or get lost, by steppon off thepath or fallin in a ditch, if we're all following the same instructions, walkin the same way, avoiding the same obstacles, and all keepng our eyes on, and following the same Shepherd down the same narrow path with the same goal and destination.

We ALL need to cast Self aside.

Our time left on this earth is very short, and Satan is going nuts here.

This post has been edited by Aletheia: Apr 11 2007, 02:39 AM

[Aletheia]

Alethia highlighted this.
"9. Persistent refusal to recognize properly constituted church authority or to submit to the order and discipline of the church. "

No I didn't. The couple of words that got bold texted were by accident. I was only trying to bold the numbers.

This post has been edited by Aletheia: Apr 11 2007, 03:55 AM

[awesumtenor]

No I didn't. The couple of words that got bold texted were by accident. I was only trying to bold the numbers.

Then you did bold them Cindy... whether it was your intention to do so is another question; the poster just noted that in your post you bolded that statement; no attribution of any particular intent was made.

You are gonna give yourself an ulcer if you stay in kneejerk reaction mode constantly...

In His service,
Mr. J

Yeah, but the idea was that the instructions, and principles apply to ALL, on both sides in these issues, or in any other.

And to help clear up misconceptions and questions which keep arising here about "how to" take care of problems and recognize and decide what has being done correctly and what has not, so that it can all be done correctly from here on out.

ALSO my hope and prayer is that everyone can get in sync and resolve all this biblically BY PUTTING THE LORD AND HIS WAYS FIRST.

Seems to me it's pretty hard to be all in opposition, or heading in different directions, or get lost, by steppon off thepath or fallin in a ditch, if we're all following the same instructions, walkin the same way, avoiding the same obstacles, and all keepng our eyes on, and following the same Shepherd down the same narrow path with the same goal and destination.

We ALL need to cast Self aside.

Our time left on this earth is very short, and Satan is going nuts here.

You could lead by example, Cindy... and opt out of this whole Locutus of Borg thing you have going on Danny's camp's behalf. It's evident you have no first hand knowledge or involvement in any of this... so why be their lightning rod? Is there an all expense paid trip to Thompsonville in it for you? A ride on Danny's jet, perhaps? Maybe you'll get to finally meet the great and powerful Oz himself... just ignore the man behind the curtain if you do...

In His service,
Mr. J

[erik]

Yeah, but the idea was that the instructions, and principles apply to ALL, on both sides in these issues, or in any other.

And to help clear up misconceptions and questions which keep arising here about "how to" take care of problems and recognize and decide what has being done correctly and what has not, so that it can all be done correctly from here on out.

ALSO my hope and prayer is that everyone can get in sync and resolve all this biblically BY PUTTING THE LORD AND HIS WAYS FIRST.

Seems to me it's pretty hard to be all in opposition, or heading in different directions, or get lost, by steppon off thepath or fallin in a ditch, if we're all following the same instructions, walkin the same way, avoiding the same obstacles, and all keepng our eyes on, and following the same Shepherd down the same narrow path with the same goal and destination.

We ALL need to cast Self aside.

Our time left on this earth is very short, and Satan is going nuts here.

Aleithia,

I agree satan is going nuts,

Do I think that linda was perfect nope, was she guilty of something yep, i am sure she was, was it handle in manner that was in line with the church manual nope,

Do I think that Danny was perfect nope, was he guilty of something yep, i am sure he was, was it handle in manner that was in line with the church manual nope, But danny non like linda will not let this go. Notice this all went down in 2004, and most of the stirring of this happen 2006-07. the only one speaking out loud during that time was danny.

Do you really think that linda received fait hear, based on the John l. Walt T. and DAnny S. words they would believe yes, based on my reading of there words i see there total one sideness and blindness to there own foolishness, so i would say nope.


Erik