Handbook of Church Discipline

Jay E. Adams, A.B., B.D., S.T.M., Ph.D. (1929-2020) served as a pastor, church planter, denominational executive, seminary professor, author, and lecturer. He taught homiletics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and was the Director of Advanced Studies at Westminster Seminary in California. He was the founder of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (formerly NANC), and the Institute for Nouthetic Studies (INS). He was the author of over 100 books including the best-seller Competent to Counsel which launched the modern biblical counseling movement. He was the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded by the State of South Carolina.

• ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. What Is Church Discipline?2. Preventive Discipline3. Corrective DisciplineFour or Five Steps?ConfidentialityAll Steps, Always?4. Self-DisciplineThe Beginning and the End5. One-on-OneInformal DisciplineThe MeaningGoing to the OffenderWhat to SayPrivacyReconciliationEvery Little Thing?6. One or Two OthersWitnesses Only?What the Counselor/Witnesses Do7. Tell It to the ChurchTelling the ChurchThe Elders' PartHow Does It Work?8. Removal From the Midst“As a Heathen and a Tax Collector”The Terms and the RealityProcedures and RecordsMourning9. Restoring to FellowshipForgivenessAssistanceReaffirmation of Love10. Cross-Congregational DisciplineWhat If the Church Defaults?Respecting DisciplineHandling Church HoppersDivisive PersonsLiberal Churches?11. EncouragementChrist's Presence in the ProcessAnswered PrayerHeaven and EarthHow to Go About ItConclusionScripture IndexSubject Index