Leaving One Church For Another, Church Discipline, Disfellowship, God's Will, and Their Application

"Leaving One Church For Another, Church Discipline, Disfellowship, God's Will, and Their Application"

By Pastor/Elder Bret Lovitz

Ponderings and Musings

http://gracefellowshipmh.blogspot.com/

Due to recent events and discussions, I thought I would take the time to deal with the above titled issues, and hopefully clarify where I stand at least as "an" Elder of Grace Fellowship that I hope are based on biblical principals, and clarify some possible misunderstandings.


When a person or family is searching for a church, whether it is their first as a Christian individual or family, or because they recently moved into another area, they make the decision of which church to become a member of based on the will of God and biblical guidelines for what a church should be. It is not my intent to go into those biblical guidelines but just deal with it from the perspective that sovereign grace Christians know what those guidelines are. Many areas of the country will not have much of a choice of sovereign grace baptistic churches. Some areas may have more than one to chose from within an hour or so drive. But once that choice is made, while subjective, it's based on what the person or family believes is the will of God.


After they have been a member of that church, what would be reasons why they would want to leave that church?

1. Relocating to a different city, state or country for a job, military, health. Although as you may have seen me write on before, there being a sound biblical church in that city should be the first consideration for "if" and "where" you go.

2. Ministry opportunity, not just relegated to pastor/elder, in a different church and/or area.

3. Doctrinal heresy, a false gospel, or serious doctrinal differences being taught at the church that cannot be corrected.

4. Sin in the church by members or leadership that is not being dealt with biblically due to a lack of church accountability and discipline.

So, what if a person or family leaves, and it is not due to any of these reasons? Are the elders of the church that they left not supposed to ever do anything in any of these cases? Are the elders supposed to do something every time, or try to lead the church to impose church discipline on them in every one of these situations? The answer to both of these questions are no. Each catagory and each particular situation is different. I have never said or suggested that all situations are the same or that every time someone leaves one church for another (especially one of like faith) they should be disciplined by the church they are leaving (what little is left that could be done). If someone left the church and didn't have a good biblical reason to go, I would want to talk to them, I would try to get to the root of the problem, I would try to encourage them to stay, I would tell them I don't agree with them because they don't really have a reason to leave, but I would not suggest church discipline by telling the church not to fellowship with them.


Most of the time the church is mentioned and dealt with in the New Testament, it refers to the local church. Church at Rome, Church at Corinth, Churches in Galatia, Church at Ephesus, Church at Colosse, Church at Philippi, Church at Thessalonica, Church at Laodicia, Church at Sardis, Church at Philadelphia, Church at Smyrna, Church at Pergamos, Church at Thyatira. The Church is both local, and catholic (universal, not roman catholic) making up all the churches in the body of Christ. If the sad occasion occurs that a person falls under church discipline and does not repent after going through the biblical steps, does that mean they can just go to another church as if nothing happened and be a member and serve the Lord there? Are churches not to communicate with one another when a Christian goes from one church to another for non biblical reasons, to make sure such people are not under church discipline? If someone leaves a church for a non biblical reason, is it wrong or unreasonable to expect that the pastor or elders would call the other church that they are going to (if they know what church it is)? The answer to these questions are no. It is part of upholding the biblical principals of church holiness and discipline. If someone flees one church for another because of church discipline or unresolved issues, it is doubtful that they will voluntarily share that information. So wisdom says, that there needs to be checks and balances in place for the glory of God and protection of His church. It's not about lording over the flock, trying to be controling, or abusing God's people spiritually, it's about trying to glorify God by being obedient to His word.


What about disfellowship? Where does this fit into church discipline? Well, there are several passages of Holy Scripture that deals with this that I have already shared in a previous BLOG post. Disfellowship is what is done when someone is put out of the church because they wouldn't repent after the first three steps. Disfellowship doesn't mean "no contact at all." It doesn't mean you don't continue to love them and pray for them. But it means that you don't have that same level of fellowship and contact so that the "watching world" (whoever they may be) will not think the church is condoning them of their sin, and in hopes that the Lord may be pleased to use that disfellowship as a "means" to bring them to repentance, and restoration and reconciliation to the Lord and His church. If the person(s) are not under any official church discipline, but left the church because of problems and struggles they had, even if they are not disfellowshipped by the church they left (all that could be done anyway) because of their leaving in of itself, if the person who left was disgruntled and began complaining and gossipping about their previous church and/or elders, it would be biblical, wise and right for the elders to ask the church not to fellowship with them anymore in that situation until the person repented. In our situation, all that was said to some, was that we would only ask them not to fellowship with the couple who left if the began complaining and gossipping. Praise the Lord, that has not been the case, and there has been some fellowship between them and a couple of people from our church.



Again the goal in this siutation and others like these, is that the Lord would be glorified through the biblical handling of situation as it applies, the holiness of His church (both positional and practical), and the concern for the souls of God's people. Each situation is different. There is no cookie-cutter answer to each type or particular situation. And both elders and members need to be in prayer and examine themselves as to the reasons why these things happen.


I hope the Lord will use this for His honor and glory for both this local church of His here, and abroad through those who read this. Thank you, and may God bless His own!