About THE CHURCH
That the local “New Testament Church” consists of a company of believers baptized into Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Who by the leading of the Holy Spirit, have voluntarily associated themselves for worship, for instruction and for service for our Lord as a local manifestation of the Body of Christ. Specifically important are the operation of Spiritual gifts given each believer for the benefit of the whole, that Christ might be manifest to the world.
I Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5; I Peter 4:10,11; Hebrews 10:23-25
That a local “New Testament Church” is an autonomous body whose responsibility is to Jesus Christ directly and His will as reflected in the Bible. The spiritual direction is to come through Christ’s ordained local leaders, known as Elders and must be free from interference by any convention, ecclesiastical or political authority.
Acts 14:23; 20:17-32; Titus 1:5; I Peter 5:1
That a local “New Testament Church” is responsible to exercise church discipline. The purpose of church discipline is to effect a return to a biblical standard of conduct and doctrine in a member who is living in unrepentant sin, to maintain purity in the local church, and to deter sin. Members of this church who are living in unrepentant sin shall be subject to dismissal according to Matthew 18:15-18. Before such dismissal, however, 1) it shall be the duty of any member of this church who has knowledge of the unrepentant sinning member to warn and correct such a member in private, seeking his repentance and restoration. If said unrepentant sinning member does not heed this warning, then 2) the warning member shall again go to the unrepentant sinning member accompanied by one or two witnesses to warn and correct such a member, seeking his or her repentance and restoration. If said unrepentant sinning member still refuses to heed this warning, then 3) it shall be brought to the attention of the membership of the church in a special called meeting of only the churches membership. It shall be the duty of the church to seek to make contact with said unrepentant sinning member for the purpose of warning and correcting that he or she might repent and be restored. If said unrepentant sinning member still refuses to heed this warning, then 4) he or she shall be publicly dismissed from the church in a special called assembly of the church. There shall be no appeal to any court from the decision. It is understood that this process will continue to conclusion whether the unrepentant sinning member leaves the church or otherwise seeks to withdraw from membership to avoid the discipline process. If said member, after dismissal, heeds the warning, demonstrates repentance, and requests reinstatement, he or she shall be publicly restored to membership in a special called assembly of the church.
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