vision
We are a church for our community
that lives out Jesus' mission beyond a Sunday morning.
WE ARE A CHURCH
As a Gospel-centered church, what we are not is a social hangout, private golf club, or activities group. We are, instead, a biblical church that follows the scriptures with God as the Head of the Church.
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
In our current cultural climate, many Christians can be classified as "Sunday Morning" Christians. To perform the act of going to church on a Sunday morning can rate high on people's priorities; however, Jesus has called us to lay down our lives, not just Sunday mornings. Our hope and prayer at Freeway Church is that we will be able to connect all types of diverse people through Jesus who gives life and purpose to everyone, regardless of age, race, and socioeconomic background.
THAT LIVES OUT JESUS’ MISSION
As we look to the scriptures to find what the global and local church is called to look like, what we find is a clear call to make disciples who multiply themselves. We see this from the very words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20.
BEYOND A SUNDAY MORNING
The conviction we have as a church is to live the gospel out every day of the week, not just on Sunday mornings. Our purpose as Jesus followers is to show and teach others what it means to live a life of sacrificial worship to God in a practical and faithful way.
that lives out Jesus' mission beyond a Sunday morning.
WE ARE A CHURCH
As a Gospel-centered church, what we are not is a social hangout, private golf club, or activities group. We are, instead, a biblical church that follows the scriptures with God as the Head of the Church.
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
In our current cultural climate, many Christians can be classified as "Sunday Morning" Christians. To perform the act of going to church on a Sunday morning can rate high on people's priorities; however, Jesus has called us to lay down our lives, not just Sunday mornings. Our hope and prayer at Freeway Church is that we will be able to connect all types of diverse people through Jesus who gives life and purpose to everyone, regardless of age, race, and socioeconomic background.
THAT LIVES OUT JESUS’ MISSION
As we look to the scriptures to find what the global and local church is called to look like, what we find is a clear call to make disciples who multiply themselves. We see this from the very words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20.
BEYOND A SUNDAY MORNING
The conviction we have as a church is to live the gospel out every day of the week, not just on Sunday mornings. Our purpose as Jesus followers is to show and teach others what it means to live a life of sacrificial worship to God in a practical and faithful way.
mission
To make disciples who multiply gospel communities.ere the description goes.
MAKE DISCIPLES
In the scriptures we see Jesus spend His life investing into people. We also see Jesus giving His disciples practical steps on how to follow Him in the way that He follows His Father. We want to be a community that helps each other in doing the daily tasks well. Jesus tells His disciples to daily pick up their cross and we want to show and teach people to do that out of a place of joy and peace.
WHO
We live in a culture where we rely on the "professionals" such as pastors to do the job of making disciples. At Freeway, we train and encourage all Christ-followers to share the Gospel and make disciples.
MULTIPLY GOSPEL COMMUNITIES
In every community that we are a part of, we want to be the Gospel, the light and the salt; but we don't just want to be that in itself, we also want to equip and release disciples who create gospel communities and spread the Gospel wherever they go.
MAKE DISCIPLES
In the scriptures we see Jesus spend His life investing into people. We also see Jesus giving His disciples practical steps on how to follow Him in the way that He follows His Father. We want to be a community that helps each other in doing the daily tasks well. Jesus tells His disciples to daily pick up their cross and we want to show and teach people to do that out of a place of joy and peace.
WHO
We live in a culture where we rely on the "professionals" such as pastors to do the job of making disciples. At Freeway, we train and encourage all Christ-followers to share the Gospel and make disciples.
MULTIPLY GOSPEL COMMUNITIES
In every community that we are a part of, we want to be the Gospel, the light and the salt; but we don't just want to be that in itself, we also want to equip and release disciples who create gospel communities and spread the Gospel wherever they go.
values
love Jesus passionately. love others authentically. love Cary generously.
LOVE JESUS PASSIONATELY
The first value we want to create in our community is that we love Jesus passionately. Jesus says we are to be known for our love and in order to do this, we need to first love Jesus and to know that we are loved by Him. To love someone is to spend time with them and to talk to them. We get the privilege of spending time with the Creator of the heavens and the earth and this love changes us from the inside out.
LOVE OTHERS AUTHENTICALLY
When we love Jesus first, it compels us, calls us and empowers us to love others authentically like Christ loves us. We want to create a culture that is fueled by the fact that He first loved us and that we are now, in turn, able to love others authentically.
LOVE CARY GENEROUSLY
God has placed us in Cary, North Carolina not by accident but for a purpose. We want to love where we live in a generous way. We want to put our money, time, and efforts where our community is. We are always looking for opportunities to bless the area that we live in because the Gospel has changed our lives and we want our community to encounter the Gospel.
LOVE JESUS PASSIONATELY
The first value we want to create in our community is that we love Jesus passionately. Jesus says we are to be known for our love and in order to do this, we need to first love Jesus and to know that we are loved by Him. To love someone is to spend time with them and to talk to them. We get the privilege of spending time with the Creator of the heavens and the earth and this love changes us from the inside out.
LOVE OTHERS AUTHENTICALLY
When we love Jesus first, it compels us, calls us and empowers us to love others authentically like Christ loves us. We want to create a culture that is fueled by the fact that He first loved us and that we are now, in turn, able to love others authentically.
LOVE CARY GENEROUSLY
God has placed us in Cary, North Carolina not by accident but for a purpose. We want to love where we live in a generous way. We want to put our money, time, and efforts where our community is. We are always looking for opportunities to bless the area that we live in because the Gospel has changed our lives and we want our community to encounter the Gospel.
statements of faith
TRINITY
We believe God has revealed Himself as one God existing eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit; distinguishable, yet indivisible. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
SCRIPTURES
We believe the Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and inerrant as they were originally
given. (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13)
SIN
We believe God created humanity in His image free from sin but humans rebelled through Adam’s sin and are
born spiritually dead, with a sin nature and eternally separated from God. (Romans 5:12, 18)
VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
virgin Mary and is the Savior of humanity. (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6)
THE CROSS
We believe Jesus Christ died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all people. He was buried and then resurrected on the third day appearing to His disciples. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)
SALVATION
We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work
of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, by which forgiveness of sins is granted. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews
9:12, 22; Romans 5:11)
ASCENSION
We believe Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, is exalted as Heavenly High Priest, and will come to earth a second time to judge all nations and establish His Kingdom’s reign. (John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,
Hebrews 4:14)
ETERNITY
We believe in Eternal Life for the believer and Eternal Punishment for the unbeliever who has rejected the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 5:24, 3:16; Mark 9:43-50; 2 Thessalonians 1:9)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, His convicting and regenerating work, and abiding presence in the
true believer. The Holy Spirit indwells all true believers and He has been sent to be the Comforter and Empowerer of the Christian church, to enable believers to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit and to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures. (John 16:13; Ephesians 4:7; Romans 12:6; Galatians
5:22
BAPTISM
We believe in water baptism by immersion as a confession by the believer in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an expression of faith and obedience to His command. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:37-41, 19:1-6)
CALLING
We believe that all Christians are called to a life of godly character, devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, and fulfilling the great commission to be ambassadors of reconciliation. (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1)
CHURCH
We believe that the universal church is a company of the called-out ones; it is the body of Christ where all
believers join together to pursue the work of the ministry of Jesus Christ with Him as the Head. We believe
that the local church is an autonomous group of believers who join their lives together by a covenant. The
local church is governed by the scriptures and operates under the Lordship of Christ with Pastor-Elders
leading the people toward faithfulness in Christ. The office of the Pastor-Elder is limited to men as qualified by the scriptures. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). We also believe men and women were created equally in God’s image, and are spiritually equal as heirs in Christ, with equal access to God. Both men and women should be encouraged and equipped to use their spiritual gifts in service to the body of Christ, as both men and women are given gifts to strengthen the church. Although they are equal in spiritual value, men and women have different roles and responsibilities in the church.
COMMUNION
We believe in the breaking of bread commonly called communion or the Lord's Supper where bread and the cup are the symbols of celebration and remembering Jesus' sacrifice. We do this every time we come together corporately. Jesus said remember me and do this often and we want to do both those things as a community. (1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Luke 22:18-20)
ROLES
God has given to the man the primary responsibility to lead the family in accordance with the servant-leadership and sacrificial love characterized by Jesus Christ. In the same way, the office of elder is distinctly for men as the primary leadership role in the church. Even within the Trinity, the persons of God have different roles, and the Son is under the leadership of the Father: “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” – 1 Corinthians 11:3. The Father’s headship over Jesus does not mean that Jesus is inferior in any way to the Father. Jesus has a glorious purpose within the Trinity, but even He experiences leadership. Male leadership is not about chauvinism, but about living in the fullness of who God has made us to be. Women should be equipped for ministry alongside men in roles such as deacon, community group leader, or leader of specific ministries and teaching. Their leadership should be felt in the church and their voices should be heard to inform decision-making.
MARRIAGE AND SEX
We believe marriage between one man and one woman is a picture of the covenantal relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). We believe God made humanity in the complementary and biologically distinguishable sexes of male and female. All mankind is meant for loving, covenantal relationships, but sexual intimacy is a gift restricted to the permanent marriage union between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6; Genesis 1:27, 2:24). Additionally, we do not believe that either marriage or singleness holds more value than the other. We believe that both marriage and singleness are gifts from God, and that both are a means to put the glory of God on display (1 Corinthians 7).
We believe God has revealed Himself as one God existing eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit; distinguishable, yet indivisible. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
SCRIPTURES
We believe the Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and inerrant as they were originally
given. (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13)
SIN
We believe God created humanity in His image free from sin but humans rebelled through Adam’s sin and are
born spiritually dead, with a sin nature and eternally separated from God. (Romans 5:12, 18)
VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
virgin Mary and is the Savior of humanity. (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6)
THE CROSS
We believe Jesus Christ died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all people. He was buried and then resurrected on the third day appearing to His disciples. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)
SALVATION
We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work
of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, by which forgiveness of sins is granted. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews
9:12, 22; Romans 5:11)
ASCENSION
We believe Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, is exalted as Heavenly High Priest, and will come to earth a second time to judge all nations and establish His Kingdom’s reign. (John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,
Hebrews 4:14)
ETERNITY
We believe in Eternal Life for the believer and Eternal Punishment for the unbeliever who has rejected the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ as Savior. (John 5:24, 3:16; Mark 9:43-50; 2 Thessalonians 1:9)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, His convicting and regenerating work, and abiding presence in the
true believer. The Holy Spirit indwells all true believers and He has been sent to be the Comforter and Empowerer of the Christian church, to enable believers to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit and to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures. (John 16:13; Ephesians 4:7; Romans 12:6; Galatians
5:22
BAPTISM
We believe in water baptism by immersion as a confession by the believer in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an expression of faith and obedience to His command. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:37-41, 19:1-6)
CALLING
We believe that all Christians are called to a life of godly character, devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, and fulfilling the great commission to be ambassadors of reconciliation. (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1)
CHURCH
We believe that the universal church is a company of the called-out ones; it is the body of Christ where all
believers join together to pursue the work of the ministry of Jesus Christ with Him as the Head. We believe
that the local church is an autonomous group of believers who join their lives together by a covenant. The
local church is governed by the scriptures and operates under the Lordship of Christ with Pastor-Elders
leading the people toward faithfulness in Christ. The office of the Pastor-Elder is limited to men as qualified by the scriptures. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). We also believe men and women were created equally in God’s image, and are spiritually equal as heirs in Christ, with equal access to God. Both men and women should be encouraged and equipped to use their spiritual gifts in service to the body of Christ, as both men and women are given gifts to strengthen the church. Although they are equal in spiritual value, men and women have different roles and responsibilities in the church.
COMMUNION
We believe in the breaking of bread commonly called communion or the Lord's Supper where bread and the cup are the symbols of celebration and remembering Jesus' sacrifice. We do this every time we come together corporately. Jesus said remember me and do this often and we want to do both those things as a community. (1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Luke 22:18-20)
ROLES
God has given to the man the primary responsibility to lead the family in accordance with the servant-leadership and sacrificial love characterized by Jesus Christ. In the same way, the office of elder is distinctly for men as the primary leadership role in the church. Even within the Trinity, the persons of God have different roles, and the Son is under the leadership of the Father: “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” – 1 Corinthians 11:3. The Father’s headship over Jesus does not mean that Jesus is inferior in any way to the Father. Jesus has a glorious purpose within the Trinity, but even He experiences leadership. Male leadership is not about chauvinism, but about living in the fullness of who God has made us to be. Women should be equipped for ministry alongside men in roles such as deacon, community group leader, or leader of specific ministries and teaching. Their leadership should be felt in the church and their voices should be heard to inform decision-making.
MARRIAGE AND SEX
We believe marriage between one man and one woman is a picture of the covenantal relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). We believe God made humanity in the complementary and biologically distinguishable sexes of male and female. All mankind is meant for loving, covenantal relationships, but sexual intimacy is a gift restricted to the permanent marriage union between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6; Genesis 1:27, 2:24). Additionally, we do not believe that either marriage or singleness holds more value than the other. We believe that both marriage and singleness are gifts from God, and that both are a means to put the glory of God on display (1 Corinthians 7).
sabbath rest
WHAT IS SABBATH?
The word 'sabbath' is a reference from Scripture. Simply put, sabbath means to cease from work and to rest. While there is a command to rest from doing physical work, the New Testament introduces the idea of a spiritual rest as well. Jesus’ death and resurrection has covered the sins of everyone who believes in Him; therefore, followers of Jesus have been freed from all striving in the flesh. The Bible makes it clear that when we believe in Jesus our works and striving also rest. We no longer have to strive and toil to gain God’s love for us. Not only do we rest physically on a weekly basis but we have found rest for our souls on a daily basis. We can rest knowing Jesus accomplished everything we could not.
WHAT IS SABBATH SUNDAY?
We believe what the Bible says and aim to live out its principles. We practice Sabbath Sunday to live out the scriptures in a practical way. Every month that has a fifth Sunday, we take as an opportunity to Sabbath rest on the last Sunday of that month. This happens about four to five times a year. Our hope by practicing this corporately, is that you would be able to practice this privately by seeing that it is not just a quarterly rest from church, but a monthly, weekly and daily Sabbath rest as well. We encourage you to be intentional about these Sabbath rest times and to rest in the sacrifice of Jesus.
The word 'sabbath' is a reference from Scripture. Simply put, sabbath means to cease from work and to rest. While there is a command to rest from doing physical work, the New Testament introduces the idea of a spiritual rest as well. Jesus’ death and resurrection has covered the sins of everyone who believes in Him; therefore, followers of Jesus have been freed from all striving in the flesh. The Bible makes it clear that when we believe in Jesus our works and striving also rest. We no longer have to strive and toil to gain God’s love for us. Not only do we rest physically on a weekly basis but we have found rest for our souls on a daily basis. We can rest knowing Jesus accomplished everything we could not.
WHAT IS SABBATH SUNDAY?
We believe what the Bible says and aim to live out its principles. We practice Sabbath Sunday to live out the scriptures in a practical way. Every month that has a fifth Sunday, we take as an opportunity to Sabbath rest on the last Sunday of that month. This happens about four to five times a year. Our hope by practicing this corporately, is that you would be able to practice this privately by seeing that it is not just a quarterly rest from church, but a monthly, weekly and daily Sabbath rest as well. We encourage you to be intentional about these Sabbath rest times and to rest in the sacrifice of Jesus.
partnership expectations and benefits
SUNDAY MORNINGS
gather regularly
Hebrews 10:25
blessing when we come together
Psalm 133:1-3
contributing gifts
Ephesians 5:19-20
Ephesians 4:11-12 & 16
Jesus showed the value even though he had a specific mission
John 8:2
Luke 4:16
MISSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
caring for others
Acts 4:32-35
Acts 1:8
Romans 10:14-17
caring for the poor
Matthew 10:42
community
Acts 2:46-47
DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS / COMMUNITY GROUPS
relational support
Proverbs 27:17
Genesis 2:18
Hebrews 3:12-14
purpose
Matthew 28:16-20
multi-generational discipleship
Titus 2:3-6
GIVING GENEROUSLY AND SACRIFICIALLY
Christians are called to generously give in response to the Gospel, based on God the provider.
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS
Protection/Coverage
1 Peter 5:2-3
Intentional Discipleship
Matthew 28:16-20
2 Timothy 2:1-2
2 Timothy 2:13-14
Advancing the Gospel
Matthew 11:12
When righteousness, peace, and joy abound the Kingdom of God advances.(Romans 14:17)
Shepherd Care
1 Peter 5:2-3
Relational Commitment
John 13:34-35
John 15:16-17
Leadership Opportunities
There is an opportunity for leadership. The opportunity would only be possible for someone who is a partner.
Character trumps gifting.
Matthew 20:26
gather regularly
Hebrews 10:25
blessing when we come together
Psalm 133:1-3
contributing gifts
Ephesians 5:19-20
Ephesians 4:11-12 & 16
Jesus showed the value even though he had a specific mission
John 8:2
Luke 4:16
MISSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
caring for others
Acts 4:32-35
Acts 1:8
Romans 10:14-17
caring for the poor
Matthew 10:42
community
Acts 2:46-47
DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS / COMMUNITY GROUPS
relational support
Proverbs 27:17
Genesis 2:18
Hebrews 3:12-14
purpose
Matthew 28:16-20
multi-generational discipleship
Titus 2:3-6
GIVING GENEROUSLY AND SACRIFICIALLY
Christians are called to generously give in response to the Gospel, based on God the provider.
2 Corinthians 9:6-10
PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS
Protection/Coverage
1 Peter 5:2-3
Intentional Discipleship
Matthew 28:16-20
2 Timothy 2:1-2
2 Timothy 2:13-14
Advancing the Gospel
Matthew 11:12
When righteousness, peace, and joy abound the Kingdom of God advances.(Romans 14:17)
Shepherd Care
1 Peter 5:2-3
Relational Commitment
John 13:34-35
John 15:16-17
Leadership Opportunities
There is an opportunity for leadership. The opportunity would only be possible for someone who is a partner.
Character trumps gifting.
Matthew 20:26
church discipline
Church discipline is one of the most controversial and misunderstood aspects of life in a local church. As a result, this process – which God designed to help mature and protect the church – has often been the source of division and mistrust.
Understanding the purpose of church discipline requires understanding the purpose of the church. Ephesians 3:10-11 tells us that God established His church to reflect His character, wisdom, and glory in the midst of a fallen world. He has intended from the beginning of time to present the church as a gift to His Son, Jesus, which is why we often refer to the church as the bride of Christ. To prepare her for the eternity that awaits, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are committed to purifying the church and bringing her to maturity.
Church discipline is part of the church’s purification process, whereby the church has been given the authority and responsibility to address sin found among its members. That is the purpose of church discipline in a nutshell. But why is that important? And how does the church practically do this? In detail, we will address the “why” and the “how” of church discipline below, but first there are three common misunderstandings that should be addressed.
PURPOSE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Contrary to what many seem to believe, church discipline is not about punishment. Above, we said that church discipline is part of the church’s purification process, and this process is actually for the good of the church! Consider why parents discipline their children, or why coaches discipline their athletes. It is always with the hope of seeing them grow and mature. In the context of the church, discipline has three specific purposes.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the individual.
Sin is our mortal enemy, and when we refuse to repent of sin we are effectively choosing to worship an idol – something has become more important to us than God. Idolatry dishonors God, but it also destroys us. Discipline is God’s way of calling us to repentance, not simply so we will feel remorse over our past, but so that we will make changes for the sake of our future, which God cares about even more than we do. The goal of discipline is always restoration for the individual.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the corporate body.
Often, unrepentant Christians think their sin only affects them. But the reality is that sin affects everyone around us. The consequences are not precise, but are often catastrophic and far-reaching. In that way, sin is much more like a bomb than a bullet – there are always casualties. Church discipline is one of the ways that God protects the church. In the Bible, Israel was instructed to remove lepers from the camp so that the entire nation would not succumb to disease. In the same way, unrepentant Christians are removed from the church so that the entire body will not succumb to idolatry.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the watching world.
God left his church on earth to be a witness to everything that Jesus taught and did. Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:7-8 make it clear that Jesus gave this mission to the church before he ascended to heaven. The whole point of the Gospel, indeed the grand narrative of the Bible, is that God saves sinners – and the church is the tool through which He has chosen to reach sinners. When the church tolerates unrepentant sin within its ranks, the mission of the church is compromised. How can the church call non-believers to repentance and faith in Jesus if we are not willing to repent ourselves?
How can a non-believer understand what repentance looks like if it is not modeled? As Christians, we are called to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel – if we don’t, then the message we proclaim will be compromised, and the world will suffer for it.
Now that we have an understanding of the Biblical purposes behind church discipline, how is it applied?
HOW CHURCH DISCIPLINE WORKS
Discipline happens in stages. Fortunately for the church, Jesus gave us a clear explanation of what those stages look like in Matthew 18:15-17:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
We see from this passage that the four stages of discipline are:
Stage One: Privately confront
Stage Two: Bring witnesses
Stage Three: Tell it to the church
Stage Four: Treat as an unbeliever
SUMMARY
Church discipline is not only about sin, but in equal degree about unrepentance. Church discipline does not escalate according to the severity of the sin, but according to the unrepentance of the offender. Church leadership has the obligation to protect the church from the unrepentant sinner, but also to protect the repentant sinner from the church. The care of the one does not overshadow the care of the other. When applied appropriately, so that the individual and the church are properly cared for and protected, the process of church discipline honors God and edifies the individual, the church, and the watching world.
Understanding the purpose of church discipline requires understanding the purpose of the church. Ephesians 3:10-11 tells us that God established His church to reflect His character, wisdom, and glory in the midst of a fallen world. He has intended from the beginning of time to present the church as a gift to His Son, Jesus, which is why we often refer to the church as the bride of Christ. To prepare her for the eternity that awaits, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are committed to purifying the church and bringing her to maturity.
Church discipline is part of the church’s purification process, whereby the church has been given the authority and responsibility to address sin found among its members. That is the purpose of church discipline in a nutshell. But why is that important? And how does the church practically do this? In detail, we will address the “why” and the “how” of church discipline below, but first there are three common misunderstandings that should be addressed.
PURPOSE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Contrary to what many seem to believe, church discipline is not about punishment. Above, we said that church discipline is part of the church’s purification process, and this process is actually for the good of the church! Consider why parents discipline their children, or why coaches discipline their athletes. It is always with the hope of seeing them grow and mature. In the context of the church, discipline has three specific purposes.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the individual.
Sin is our mortal enemy, and when we refuse to repent of sin we are effectively choosing to worship an idol – something has become more important to us than God. Idolatry dishonors God, but it also destroys us. Discipline is God’s way of calling us to repentance, not simply so we will feel remorse over our past, but so that we will make changes for the sake of our future, which God cares about even more than we do. The goal of discipline is always restoration for the individual.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the corporate body.
Often, unrepentant Christians think their sin only affects them. But the reality is that sin affects everyone around us. The consequences are not precise, but are often catastrophic and far-reaching. In that way, sin is much more like a bomb than a bullet – there are always casualties. Church discipline is one of the ways that God protects the church. In the Bible, Israel was instructed to remove lepers from the camp so that the entire nation would not succumb to disease. In the same way, unrepentant Christians are removed from the church so that the entire body will not succumb to idolatry.
Church discipline is meant for the good of the watching world.
God left his church on earth to be a witness to everything that Jesus taught and did. Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:7-8 make it clear that Jesus gave this mission to the church before he ascended to heaven. The whole point of the Gospel, indeed the grand narrative of the Bible, is that God saves sinners – and the church is the tool through which He has chosen to reach sinners. When the church tolerates unrepentant sin within its ranks, the mission of the church is compromised. How can the church call non-believers to repentance and faith in Jesus if we are not willing to repent ourselves?
How can a non-believer understand what repentance looks like if it is not modeled? As Christians, we are called to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel – if we don’t, then the message we proclaim will be compromised, and the world will suffer for it.
Now that we have an understanding of the Biblical purposes behind church discipline, how is it applied?
HOW CHURCH DISCIPLINE WORKS
Discipline happens in stages. Fortunately for the church, Jesus gave us a clear explanation of what those stages look like in Matthew 18:15-17:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
We see from this passage that the four stages of discipline are:
Stage One: Privately confront
Stage Two: Bring witnesses
Stage Three: Tell it to the church
Stage Four: Treat as an unbeliever
SUMMARY
Church discipline is not only about sin, but in equal degree about unrepentance. Church discipline does not escalate according to the severity of the sin, but according to the unrepentance of the offender. Church leadership has the obligation to protect the church from the unrepentant sinner, but also to protect the repentant sinner from the church. The care of the one does not overshadow the care of the other. When applied appropriately, so that the individual and the church are properly cared for and protected, the process of church discipline honors God and edifies the individual, the church, and the watching world.
leadership qualifications
DEACONS
Definition: Deacons are primarily servant-leaders, and the office of Deacon is one of only two Biblical offices found in the New Testament, the other being the office of Elder. That means the Bible gives us guidance on the qualifications for Deacons and requires them to maintain a certain degree of accountability. While the Elders have ultimate authority in the local church, the Deacons are an extension of their authority and lead primarily through service and practical ministry. (See 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6.)
EXPECTATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to the expectations of Partners, Deacons are expected to:
Meet the character qualifications for Deacons found in Scripture. 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6 provide the following character qualifications for Deacons: be of dignified or good repute, not double-tongued, not to be addicted to or drunk with alcohol, not greedy for dishonest gain, hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience, be blameless, be full of the Spirit, and be full of wisdom. Women are also specifically told to be dignified, not slanderers, sober-minded, and faithful in all things. Men are specifically told to be a one-woman man (if married) and to manage his household well. Both men and women are able to serve as deacons.
Have recognized evidence(s) of distinct grace and calling. The office of deacon is not something a leader is simply promoted into based on leadership tenure. Deacons have a specific calling from God to serve in that capacity, and so there should be mutual agreement between the individual and the eldership that a deacon is called to that role, and that God has given the necessary grace for the requirements of the role.
Support and own the mission of the Church as defined by the Elders. Deacons do not simply serve because they are told to, they have a sense of ownership in the mission of the Church.
Serve Freeway Church for the foreseeable future. Deacons should not only feel called to their office, they should also feel called to serve in a particular church. Meaning, deacons at Freeway Church should feel called to serve at Freeway Church until God leads them elsewhere. If an individual did not feel called to a Freeway Church context, then the deaconate would not be an appropriate place to serve within that context.
ELDERS & PASTORS
Definition: Elders are synonymous with pastors, overseers, bishops and shepherds. The office of elder is the second Biblical office found in the New Testament, and is the sole governing body of the church. We have an eldership team who provides direction, doctrine, and discipline alongside a team of pastors who care and shepherd the flock. They are not different in authority but gifting and action. While deacons have the primary responsibility of service and practical ministry, elders have the primary responsibility of governance, teaching, prayer, and ministry of the Word. (See 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.)
Leadership in the church is not a one-man show. Jesus’ plan for the church was for it to be led by a team of biblically qualified elders who provide vision and direction, guard doctrine, and lead in preaching and teaching. This team is led by a “first-among-equals”. This leader is not a king, but functions more like a quarterback, taking a lead role in calling the plays. While he has a leading role on the team, he relies on the support and accountability of the rest of the team. An elder team is not a hierarchy; it is a team that is committed to one another relationally, and committed to leading the local church into everything that Jesus wants it to be.
Expectations and Qualifications
In addition to the expectations of Partners, Elders are expected to:
Meet the character qualifications for Elder found in Scripture. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 provide the following character qualifications for Elders. According to 1 Timothy 3 he must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. Additionally, he must manage his household well, he must keep his children submissive, he must not
be a recent convert, and he must be well thought of by outsiders. According to Titus 1, he must also be disciplined, not be arrogant, not greedy for gain, a lover of good, be God’s steward, be upright and holy, and his children must be faithful and not insubordinate. Additionally, the office of elder is restricted to men.
Be able to teach beliefs and distinctives. We just saw that one of the requirements of elders is that they must be able to teach. Therefore, at Freeway Church, every elder should not only submit to and agree with the church beliefs and distinctives, but also be able to explain, teach and defend them. As the ones responsible for protecting church doctrine, the elders must be able to articulate those doctrines. This does not mean that every elder must be able to preach, because that is a specific duty not all elders are gifted for. But the pulpit is not the only place in which elders teach. Therefore, even those elders who do not preach are still expected to be able to teach whenever necessary.
Have recognized evidence(s) of distinct grace and calling. The office of elder is not something a leader or deacon is simply promoted into based on leadership tenure. Elders have a specific calling from God to serve in that capacity, and so there should be mutual agreement between the individual and the eldership that a man is called to that role, and that God has given the necessary grace for the requirements of the role.
Serve Freeway Church for the foreseeable future. Elders should not only feel called to their office, they should also feel called to serve in a particular church. Meaning, elders at Freeway Church should feel called to serve at Freeway Church until God leads them elsewhere. If an individual did not feel called to Freeway Church, then eldership would not be an appropriate place to serve in that context.
Definition: Deacons are primarily servant-leaders, and the office of Deacon is one of only two Biblical offices found in the New Testament, the other being the office of Elder. That means the Bible gives us guidance on the qualifications for Deacons and requires them to maintain a certain degree of accountability. While the Elders have ultimate authority in the local church, the Deacons are an extension of their authority and lead primarily through service and practical ministry. (See 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6.)
EXPECTATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to the expectations of Partners, Deacons are expected to:
Meet the character qualifications for Deacons found in Scripture. 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6 provide the following character qualifications for Deacons: be of dignified or good repute, not double-tongued, not to be addicted to or drunk with alcohol, not greedy for dishonest gain, hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience, be blameless, be full of the Spirit, and be full of wisdom. Women are also specifically told to be dignified, not slanderers, sober-minded, and faithful in all things. Men are specifically told to be a one-woman man (if married) and to manage his household well. Both men and women are able to serve as deacons.
Have recognized evidence(s) of distinct grace and calling. The office of deacon is not something a leader is simply promoted into based on leadership tenure. Deacons have a specific calling from God to serve in that capacity, and so there should be mutual agreement between the individual and the eldership that a deacon is called to that role, and that God has given the necessary grace for the requirements of the role.
Support and own the mission of the Church as defined by the Elders. Deacons do not simply serve because they are told to, they have a sense of ownership in the mission of the Church.
Serve Freeway Church for the foreseeable future. Deacons should not only feel called to their office, they should also feel called to serve in a particular church. Meaning, deacons at Freeway Church should feel called to serve at Freeway Church until God leads them elsewhere. If an individual did not feel called to a Freeway Church context, then the deaconate would not be an appropriate place to serve within that context.
ELDERS & PASTORS
Definition: Elders are synonymous with pastors, overseers, bishops and shepherds. The office of elder is the second Biblical office found in the New Testament, and is the sole governing body of the church. We have an eldership team who provides direction, doctrine, and discipline alongside a team of pastors who care and shepherd the flock. They are not different in authority but gifting and action. While deacons have the primary responsibility of service and practical ministry, elders have the primary responsibility of governance, teaching, prayer, and ministry of the Word. (See 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.)
Leadership in the church is not a one-man show. Jesus’ plan for the church was for it to be led by a team of biblically qualified elders who provide vision and direction, guard doctrine, and lead in preaching and teaching. This team is led by a “first-among-equals”. This leader is not a king, but functions more like a quarterback, taking a lead role in calling the plays. While he has a leading role on the team, he relies on the support and accountability of the rest of the team. An elder team is not a hierarchy; it is a team that is committed to one another relationally, and committed to leading the local church into everything that Jesus wants it to be.
Expectations and Qualifications
In addition to the expectations of Partners, Elders are expected to:
Meet the character qualifications for Elder found in Scripture. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 provide the following character qualifications for Elders. According to 1 Timothy 3 he must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. Additionally, he must manage his household well, he must keep his children submissive, he must not
be a recent convert, and he must be well thought of by outsiders. According to Titus 1, he must also be disciplined, not be arrogant, not greedy for gain, a lover of good, be God’s steward, be upright and holy, and his children must be faithful and not insubordinate. Additionally, the office of elder is restricted to men.
Be able to teach beliefs and distinctives. We just saw that one of the requirements of elders is that they must be able to teach. Therefore, at Freeway Church, every elder should not only submit to and agree with the church beliefs and distinctives, but also be able to explain, teach and defend them. As the ones responsible for protecting church doctrine, the elders must be able to articulate those doctrines. This does not mean that every elder must be able to preach, because that is a specific duty not all elders are gifted for. But the pulpit is not the only place in which elders teach. Therefore, even those elders who do not preach are still expected to be able to teach whenever necessary.
Have recognized evidence(s) of distinct grace and calling. The office of elder is not something a leader or deacon is simply promoted into based on leadership tenure. Elders have a specific calling from God to serve in that capacity, and so there should be mutual agreement between the individual and the eldership that a man is called to that role, and that God has given the necessary grace for the requirements of the role.
Serve Freeway Church for the foreseeable future. Elders should not only feel called to their office, they should also feel called to serve in a particular church. Meaning, elders at Freeway Church should feel called to serve at Freeway Church until God leads them elsewhere. If an individual did not feel called to Freeway Church, then eldership would not be an appropriate place to serve in that context.