The Bible is clear that discipline is part of developing a potent life of faith. This is true for paid staff members as well as key volunteers and anyone who calls themselves a Christian. When you have been around for 30 years, have hundreds of thousands who have been part of your church, and many hundreds of staff members, the sheer numbers mean you have to become proficient at dealing with sin.
From time to time, someone in leadership at Crossroads does something that causes us to publicize their sin and rebuke them publicly. That sentence has words and concepts that are totally foreign to the vernacular of the normal world. Why? Because a healthy church operates differently than the world.
Every local church is to be a place set apart to the purposes of God. We believe things and do things that the rest of the world isn’t interested in. We have a moral code that is different, and we have mandated practices that don’t make sense to an unbelieving world, such as rebuking a public leader in public for committing scandalous sin.
We are never to make it a goal to find something wrong with someone else. In fact, when we accidentally stumble upon something questionable, the initial healthy response should be something like… “Well that’s annoying, but I’m going to choose to not make a big deal of this and give the person some grace. We all have issues that God will deal with in His timing.” That’s the heart behind verses like…
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)
No one can last long in an environment where it is open season on people who make choices we don’t approve of. Some people view this sort of judgment as a mandatory sport. That’s why many have left the Church.
I sin regularly, but haven’t done so in a publicly scandalous way. When I have a good idea that works, I often make sure people know it was my idea. That is pride, but doesn’t necessitate an email to the entire church or a stage announcement detailing the offense. I’ve done some embarrassing things, but nothing that would warrant me being fired like violating another woman, cheating on my wife, or stealing from Crossroads. Were that to happen, the Board would be compelled to rebuke me publicly. Why?
“Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.” (1 Timothy 5:19-20)
People may ask in an accusatory way, “How would you like it if your sin was made known to the whole church?!” I wouldn’t. I fear that. It’s part of what motivates me to not do (insert heinous sin here).
An “Elder” is a part of the senior most group in the church, so it makes sense that someone like a pastor, who has taught the entire church, is “held to a higher standard.” Meaning, their rebuke is done in the most public way possible. This is not a different standard for behavior, but different in consequences, such as the standard of discipline when scandalous sin takes place.
“Not many of you should become teachers… for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1)
A recent situation we went public with was done for the welfare of the church. This includes my friend who is a part of the church and lost his job. The information would have been known publicly anyway as a result of a police report. Aside from upholding biblical standards, nothing would be lost in telling people the truth and not leaving room for rumors and false assumptions, which are almost always far more damning than what actually happened.
The sort of pain that comes from church discipline can have a purifying effect on our relationship with God. It reminds all of us that we may have been playing games with God and His standards. It also causes the rest of us to appropriately “fear.” Time to double down on pleasing God, if for no other reason than I don’t want to hurt the people around me through public shame.
We have done this for 30 years at Crossroads. Most of the time it is in a smaller setting, because the person has a smaller following. Very rarely does this have to be on the broadest stage to fulfill the instructions of the Bible and to bless the offender and offended parties.
“If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” (Galatians 6:1)
Galatians 6:1 makes it clear that church discipline is about restoration. We should never practice putting a scarlet letter on someone in order to make them a permanent outcast. All of us need to be able to taste the wholesome fruit that comes from repentance, even if it may mean we are sidelined for a season or maybe even from specific roles for the rest of our life. An embezzler can be forgiven at Crossroads, but they’ll never again be around communal money.
Everyone on staff knows that we hold to clear biblical standards. When someone is caught in a transgression, there are clear actions that must be taken commensurate with the sin and the influence the person has had in the community.
Some time ago, we had a facility staff person commit adultery. This person was known by the whole staff but not the church. We asked him to stand before a staff meeting as we recounted how his action hurt the cause of Christ and our team. This is something he knew he had signed up for. As a testimony to his faith, he showed up for the meeting. Not everyone has.
We had a woman in another department who had done a similar thing. She was known by people in her department and she was rebuked in front of those peers. She found another good job, is still a part of our community, and is still a faithful giver.
Years ago, I was part of a couples’ small group that rebuked a husband for not being a hard worker. It was intended to motivate him to new behavior while protecting his wife.
I’m thankful that there have been very few industrial strength-type of rebukes before the entire church. And, I don’t want any more. That’s why we all need to take very seriously the God of grace and truth (John 1:14). Let’s root out and combat the sin that so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1).
If we can encourage each other to be like Jesus and redirect each other when things go awry, not only will we be revived, but we also may experience an Awakening.
