“Growing a Local Church”, Church Discipline and Church Growth (Dr. Tom Ascol)

The final session has completed.  This last session was on Church Discipline and Church Growth, by Dr. Tom Ascol.

Tom spoke on the two forms of Church Discipline, Formative and Corrective, as well as the two forms of Church Growth, Numerical and Spiritual

Formative Church Discipline is something that should happen all the time within the church.  It is that educational, instructional learning that every member of a Church should be experiencing.  Corrective Church Discipline, then, is necessary when when formative discipline is not happening in a member, and when that member remains unrepentent of his/her sin.

He made a very good point about corrective discpline in that it is NOT in response to sin, but rather in response to a lack of and unwillingness to repent of that sin.  It should be done in love and with reverence, never out of hatred or spite.

In talking about Church Growth, Tom made the point that in the current evangelical culture we exist in, where the Church Growth Movement has run totally amock, we sometimes are too reactionary and that we SHOULD seek for numerical growth, but Biblical Numerical Growth.

In addition, Tom spoke of the Spiritual Growth that should be happening in a church, wherebye her members are made more like her Savior.

Finally, Tom made a Biblical and Historical connection between Church Discipline and Church Growth.  If Church Discipline is not happening, then Biblical Church Growth is not happening.  Likewise, if a Church is practicing Biblical Church Discipline, then some form of Biblical Church Growth should be expected.

Overall, very good session and good conclusion to the conference.  I’ll try to put together a summary of my thoughts of the conference maybe later today or tomorrow.  Until then, enjoy the quotes and pictures.

I think I screwed up the video for this session, so you’ll have to content yourself with the mp3 when it is made available.  Rath Dé ort!

Church Discipline is absolutely necessary for Church Health.

Church Discipline is the process of maintaining and training the principles and practices of Jesus Christ in the Church.

Church growth is that which happens in the life of the congregation when the Lord manifests his blessings.

The Faithful practice of Church Discipline…has often been followed with wonderful seasons of Church Growth.

Our modern forgetfulness of Church Discipline practically screams out a ‘Practical Atheism’

When a Church takes the name of Jesus Christ and yet refuses to obey the simple, clear teachings of Christ that church is at best clouding over the glory of God in Christ.

We should never expect Revival to come without Reformation.

Soli Deo Gloria!