Does it fit at your church?

The church should be a place of healing. I believe the primary purpose in church discipline is restoration. I have seen some churches that use discipline, just to kick people out. All church discipline should be done with a heart that has been broken and a desire to have the person restored in their relationship with the Lord and the church. If the church would become a place of healing in this way I believe it would be stronger and have more of a place in the life of its members.

Bro Tony

 

Funny, an Elder and I were just talking about this 30 min. ago. The hardest part about the ministry is relationships. It takes constant work for us to maintain our relationships with one another. Restoration is not just a term for discipline. We also need to make sure we are restoring our relationships with one another every time we offend or are offended.

 

I agree with you PJ. There are certainly different facits of restoration. In each there must be a desire to bring together and bring healing.

Bro Tony

 

I think we have an outbuilding which is falling apart that needs to be restored.

 

Johnv,
WOW! you took the words right out of my mouth! At our church, we seem to dwell on the physical rather than on the spiritual. We're getting better, however, we don't kick "em while they're down much anymore.

 

Is'nt part of building the body of Christ restoration?We ought not compromise ourselves but we need to know that it is better to bring one back into fellowship in the love of Christ than to let him drift away. We need to heal the hurts.

 

The purpose of the church is to help people draw closer to God, lead those who are unsaved to a saving knowledge of Christ. God has put into place a plan to discipline the membership. This plan has one primary purpose and that is to restore them to the point where there can be unity and sweet fellowship amongst the people and with God

 

The term 'restoration' as used by the PBs, at least the ones I'm associated with, is to 'restore to full fellowship' one who has been excluded from the church for one reason or another. The restoration entails a revival of all duties, rights of membership (ex. having a vote, participating in communion, etc.).

Ex. A lady had been excluded from our church in 1977 for joining another faith. She was basically sent a letter stating what the church had done and inviting her back anytime she wanted to come back. Last year she began coming back to church as a visitor. In June she came forward, repented of what she had done in leaving the church, and asked to be restored to membership. Of course the decision was unanimous to do so. She is a friend, so I don't think she'd mind my relating that she has been part of some 10 or so different religions...Catholic, Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc, etc. She said in her statement of apology that she felt like the Lord had not let her settle into those churches because he wanted her to go back home to her church (our church).

That is what restoration is, and might I say that it's a glorious feeling when someone comes forward to be restored to membership. Sometimes I think that is more spiritual than when someone comes forward to be baptized.

 

Restoration is a major part of our church ministry.

Rufus

 

The basis for restoration was established in Corinth. The man was to repent first and be brought back second.
Too many churches get the cart before the horse.

 

I've only seen two churches use church discipline, and I've seen very few true "restorations". One of my former pastors used church discipline on his own daughter who wed an unbeliever who was a bartender. She hasn't, as far as I know, been restored, and this was a couple of years ago. If churches today used discipline in the way it should be used, churches would be much stronger, and more people would have a fear of the Lord and seek restoration. But, in todays "touchy feely...fuzzy accept all" society, very few have the fortitude to stand up and do what's right.