Chapell Meeks Aa 4 G. Bco Principles Of Discipline

Front 1

What is Church discipline?

Back 1

BCO 27-1
The exercise of authority given the church by the Lord Jesus Christ to instruct and guide its members and to promote its purity and welfare.

** The term has two senses:
a. the one referring to the whole government, inspection, training, guardianship and control which
the church maintains over its members, its officers and its courts.
b. The other a restricted and technical sense, signifying judicial process.

Front 2

What is the goal of church discipline?

PRRVS

Back 2

BCO 27-3

1. promotion of the purity and general edification of the Church,
2. rebuke of offenses,
3. removal of scandal,
4. vindication of the honor of Christ,
5. spiritual good of offenders themselves.

Front 3

What are the proper steps of church discipline?

Back 3

BCO 27-5

a. Instruction in the Word;
b. Individual's responsibility to admonish one another (Matthew 18: 15, Galatians 6:1);
c. If the admonition is rejected, then the calling of one or more witnesses (Matthew 18:16);
d. If rejection persists, then the Church must act through her court unto admonition, suspension,
excommunication, and deposition (for officers).

Front 4

Who Is Primarily Responsible For Disciplining Non-Communing Members?

Back 4

BCO 28-1
Their parents.
Only secondarily the church with its constant and sympathetic care.

Front 5

List and Define Church Censures

ASSED

Back 5

1) Admonition: Formal reproof of an offender

2) Suspension from sacraments: temporary exclusion from those ordinances (indefinite).

3) Suspension from office: exclusion of a church officer from his office (definite or indefinite duration).

4) Excommunication: excision of an offender from the communion of the church.

5) Deposition-degradation of an officer from office (with/without other censure).

BCO 30

**Regarding office, suspension of sacraments always means suspension from office... but not the other way around.