Step-by-Step Process of Church Discipline and Restoration

Step-by-Step Process of Church Discipline and Restoration

DOVE International has established clear biblical guidelines for discipline and restoration of church leaders and church members. The two documents below can be a guide for leaders and their teams.

• Teams Who Lead the Process
• Step One – Discovery
• Step Two – Assessment
• Step Three – Determination
• Step Four – Confrontation, Repentance, and Response
• Step Five – Confession, Consequences and Building a Process towards Healing and Restoration
• Step Six – Reconciliation toward Restoration
• Reporting Abuse and Serious Misconduct
• Conclusion

DOVE International partner churches will apply discipline and if appropriate, restoration, as deemed fitting in any particular situation.

All steps below are to be carried out in accordance with section on “Reporting Abuse & Serious Misconduct”, and under the leadership of the team designated in the section, “Teams Who Lead the Discovery Process.”

Teams Who Lead the Discovery Process

If an accusation is received against:

1. A Church Member
Team to Respond: The lead elder and the eldership team.
The regional/specialized apostolic council or designate, is available for counsel, insight, recommendations, oversight and assistance as needed. (“DOVE Leadership Handbook, pg 18 Guidelines for Partner Church Ministries, and pg 22 VI, pg 27 Commissioned Worker”)

2. A Commissioned Worker, Licensed and Ordained ministers, Ministry staff, or member serving in a local church
Team to Respond: lead elder, elder team and a representative from the Regional Apostolic Council are to be involved in the discovery process. (“DOVE Website blog on discipline”)

The partner church eldership team is responsible for local ministries within the partner church. (Handbook page 18, Guidelines for Partner Church Ministries page 27). If the matter is not resolved at the eldership level, the local church apostolic oversight designate is available for counsel, insight, recommendations, oversight and assistance as needed.

3. A Fivefold Translocal Minister
Team to Respond: The Regional/Specialized Apostolic Council, and representatives of the eldership team of the local church where they are a committed member, are to be involved in the discovery process. (“DOVE Website blog on discipline”) (Handbook page 27).

4. A Missionary
Team to Respond: The missions director, representative of the sending church, leadership team members of the regional missions center, and a representative for the Regional/Specialized Apostolic Council of the mission center, are to be involved in the discovery process.

• This team should work in communication with the leadership team of the ministry where the missionary is serving, which may make its own determination and process as this ministry may be independent from DOVE International.
• This team should work in communication with the sending church.

5. An Elder of a partner church
Team to Respond: lead elder, other elders, and a member(s) of the Regional Apostolic Council or Apostolic Council designates should be involved in the discovery pro­cess.
Court of Appeal: in the event of any unresolved conflict, the designate from the Regional Apostolic Council is able to help if there is a need. (“DOVE Leadership Handbook” pg 24 25 Accountability for the Elder Team)

6. A Lead Elder
Team to Respond: Two Regional Apostolic Council members or designates are to lead this process with the involvement of other elders.

7. Member of a National or Regional/Specialized Apostolic Council
Team to Respond: the leader of that council, along with an Overseeing Apostolic Council member, and other Regional/Specialized Apostolic Council members are to be involved in the process.

8. A leader of a National or Regional/specialized apostolic team
Team to Respond: The Overseeing Apostolic Council member and members of the national or regional/specialized apostolic council will be involved in the process.

9. A member of the International Apostolic Council
They are accountable to the International Director, along with the Recognized Spiritual Advisors and the other DOVE International Apostolic Council members will be responsible for this process.

10. The International Director
If the International Director is accused, two or more of the recognized spiritual advisors will lead the process along with the other International Apostolic Council mem­bers.

Fields of Ministry Share Responsibility in Discipline

When a leader or worker serves across multiple spheres of influence (such as a missionary serving in another nation), it is essential to clearly identify responsibility for each area.

For example:

• The sending church is primarily responsible for the personal care and spiritual oversight of the individual.
• The missions board is responsible for the discipline and accountability of the missionary.
• In the case of an apostolicly commissioned minister, the sending leader/council is responsible for the discipline and accountability of the individual.
• The hosting ministry or church is responsible for their own field, where the incident took place.

In such cases, it is wise to include a representative from each relevant sphere communicating with the discovery or discipline team. This ensures clear communication, proper accountability based on whose field of ministry is involved, and a balanced process.

The discovery process is valuable to the protection of victims. In the age where people are often presumed guilty when accused, a discovery process can bring protection to leaders from false accusation.

Step One – Discovery

When you become aware of an issue that may require disciplinary attention:

DOVE International requires immediate lawful reporting of any known or suspected child abuse or abuse of a vulnerable person to local civil authorities, following local mandatory reporting laws. If this is a case of suspected physical or sexual abuse, immediately follow local laws on reporting of abuse, sexual or physical abuse of minors, etc. to the appropriate authorities. Cooperate fully with the local laws and authorities. Additionally, see guidance for DI reporting process on page x, especially if the individual accused serves in other locations.

• Engage the appropriate leadership team to lead the discovery process. Reference page 18-19, for Teams Who Leads the Discovery Process.
• Seek the Lord for His wisdom and His discernment, praying also for a full and truthful disclosure of the facts.
• Begin written documentation of all that has and continues to occur throughout this whole process, from beginning to end. Be sure to keep thorough and accurate notes of each meeting, discussions, agreements and disagreements. This will help you to remember and provide a timeline of events if needed for future reference. Be sure to date each meeting and note who was present. Maintain secure, confidential records of reports and actions taken.
• Keep lines of communication open with all parties concerned at all times.
• There must be a commitment to openness, honesty, transparency, and genuine vulnerability to the oversight team (partner church eldership or apostolic council or designates) leading this process.

Step Two – Assessment

You now engage the process of discovering the truth concerning these issue(s).

Remember: you are not only looking at the truth of specific actions and behavior, but a clear discernment of the heart conditions of those involved. This will be important to your judgment process.

This is the information and fact finding process. Look for the truth and accurate facts, not senses or suspicions, or emotions and accusations, etc.

• This is where you speak to all those involved in the process. Assign a two-person assessment team to interview those involved. In cases of sexual misconduct with potential female victims, include a female reviewer.
• In cases of sexual abuse, determine if an independent third-party investigator should be engaged to assist with the fact-finding and reporting process. The team leading the process (see page x) will assess the results of the findings and oversee Steps 3-6, making the final determination.
• Follow scriptural guidelines: Matthew 18:15-17 for disputes between believers; 1 Timothy 5:19 for accusations against elders (requiring two or three witnesses). Accused leaders should have the opportunity to respond face-to-face to their accusers (except in cases of abuse, where other elders may represent the issue to protect the victim).
• Accusations must be based on actual events and facts, not solely on “prophetic insight.”
• Keep clear, dated records of evidence, testimony and decisions

Internal Reporting during the Process

Discovery teams should provide concise written updates to the Lead Elder of the local church where the accused attends, the leaders overseeing their ministry, the appropriate DOVE International apostolic team leader (especially in cases involving abuse, sexual misconduct, minors, or vulnerable adults), and any additional leaders in other regions or locations where the individual serves or the incident occurred, for the purpose of safeguarding.

Send a concise written summary including:

• A brief summary (facts known, status: alleged/substantiated/inconclusive)
• Mandatory-reporting actions taken (agency, time, reference if available)
• Immediate safety measures/restrictions recommended
• Contact information for the point person for the Discovery process, contact person and other team members involved.
• Are there any other known jurisdictions involved (church, region, country of incident)Regular updates for the conclusion and/or judgement.

Confidentiality and records: Protect victim/survivor identities and maintain confidentiality. This does not replace legal counsel—local law prevails.

Step Three – Determination

It is here that you will make a judgment based upon all that has been weighed and assessed.

If need be, you will seek outside counsel concerning these issues as to your legal options.

It is at this point that you will render a clear decision.

• If the individual is found innocent
  A clear statement of innocence should be communicated to the same extent that the accusation was known, seeking to restore the individual’s reputation and bring clarity to all affected.
• If the individual is found responsible for a lesser matter than originally alleged
  Provide clarity that acknowledges any error in judgment while stating that the more serious allegation was not substantiated. Proceed to step four if appropriate.
• If the individual is found guilty
  Proceed with the discipline process in step four, making use of the resources and counsel available to you, with the goal of restoration, repentance, and redemptive care for all involved.

Communicate the decision truthfully, measured, and proportionate. Protect the privacy of victims/accusers. A clear statement of the assessment should be communicated to the same extent that the accusation was known. In some cases, a more public response is appropriate.

If the judgement is against a leader, refer to the additional steps in this document of the Process for Corrective Discipline of Leaders. This is especially important if the individual accused serves in multiple locations.

If your decision is such that discipline must essentially follow, then move to the next step.

Step Four – Confrontation, Repentance, and Response

Confront the accused with the findings and give them the opportunity to respond to the determination of guilt.

When the accused is confronted with the findings, the team should carefully look for the fruit of genuine repentance, including clear confession, acknowledgment of sin, and a willing submission to the discipline and restoration process.”

There must be a willingness on the part of the one who sinned to submit to the process of discipline and restoration.

If the person leaves the church or movement without responding appropriately, a truthful reporting of the facts should be shared with related churches. Privacy should not protect unrepentant sin.

If at any time in the process of church discipline, a member resigns and leaves a church, all church disciplinary action must be considered ended. {Right to Privacy Law}. However, in many regions, Mandatory Reporting, is unaffected by withdrawal from church membership.

For allegations of a civil nature, a limited statement of factual warning on a need to know basis could be shared. We recommend consulting with your attorney in the nation you are working.

Step Five – Confession, Consequences and Building a Process towards Healing and Restoration

Consequences should reflect the seriousness of the sin, the response to confrontation, and the level of cooperation. Consider these factors in your assessment:

Quantifiers for consideration in discipline:

• Qualitative Assessment: How serious were the sinful acts and to what degree were people victimized by their action?
• Quantitative Assessment: How long was this sinful behavior practiced and how many victims were involved?
• How widely are people affected?
  What are the areas that need addressed or healing?
  In what areas does the offender need to take responsibility or consequence?
• Voluntary Action: Did this person confess on their own or were they caught and forced to confess?
  Cooperative Conduct: Did this person cooperate with investigators or were they absent, uncooperative, or combative?
• Active Coverup: Did they confess their sins during the time of their perpetrated acts, or did they seek to continuously cover them up with co-conspirators?
• Repentant Behavior: Was there sincere and open repentance from the heart or were they more concerned about  preserving their own reputation or the reputation of the organization?
• Humble Submission: Was there a willingness to submit to church discipline and adhere to those requirements or was he/she unwilling?
• Is confrontation of the leader without partiality?
• Is confrontation of the leader for the purity of the church versus the protection of a leader or ministry?
  Is the focus on truth and purity or on maintaining the comfort and preservation of a ministry?

After making a determination based upon these quantifiers, a strategy of discipline should be developed.

Building a Process towards Healing and Restoration

• Assign a small oversight team (one for relationship, one for communication, one for accountability). Schedule periodic evaluations and commit to seeing the process through to a godly conclusion.
• There must be agreement to the discipline process by all the leadership involved.
• The guilty person needs to take full responsibility for their actions and the impact they have had on others. The first step of taking responsibility is confession. (also see section on pg 21 on Confession)
  • The scope of confession should match the scope of the offense. He or she must make this confession to all appropriate parties, based on whom the sin affected and the level of private or public knowledge of the sin. This confession should be made in order of priority to those who are closest to the individual, then outward to those with less relationship.
  • Examples of the closest relationships would be: spouse, children (if age appropriate), family, then leadership teams or small groups, or those they mentored, then the broader church.
  • In some cases it is appropriate for confession by the guilty party to go beyond those who already know of the sin, to communicate to those who would be deeply affected if they found out in another way. Greater transparency should be given to those in closest relationships, with a more general statement made to those with less relationship.
    In this way the individual is taking the first steps towards restoration by being willing to take responsibility to confess the truth and start to clean up the mess their sin has made.

Additional Discipline Actions that Could Be Taken
Here are some possible steps of action:

• Increased commitment to building relationships with specific steps of follow-through
• Specific prayer and fasting for a brief season
• Personal ministry, inner healing and deliverance
• Teaching and personal study of the Word as specifically relates to issues
• Counseling (personal, marriage, family)
• Conflict mediation
• Bringing in outside specialist(s) to aid in this healing process
• Restitution made to those affected. Consider if appropriate steps of restitution to those harmed is needed, following the example of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:8-9).

The purpose of any discipline is to see the fruit of repentance that leads to restoration first to God and if appropriate to leadership responsibility. If the disciplinary actions are rejected in part or in full further steps of action may need to be taken including:

• Confrontation and rebuke (personal and private)
• Confrontation and rebuke (small group, by elders and/or corporately)
• Removing from areas of responsibility for a set season of time
• Removal from fellowship
• Cutting off from all small group participation activities for set season of time
• Cutting off from all church activities for a set season of time
• Involvement of and cooperation with public authorities
• Outside medical help
• Withdrawal of membership (from small group and church)

A leader cannot opt out of discipline. This takes firmness, time and accountability. It is recommended that the spiritual leader who has fallen into “gross” sin be removed from leadership for a period of time. The fallen leader needs to submit to the elders the Lord has placed over him or her. It should not be assumed that restoration to ministry will be the end result. There needs to be a genuine heart change and new habit patterns built into the life of the leader who is going through the discipline and restoration process. Further guidance on the discipline of leaders is available on page X of this document.

When considering how to handle a given issue, be sure to undertake the process with prayer, receiving outside godly counsel from wise men and women of God. Accurate discernment of the heart conditions of those you are working with is critical to a godly and just strategy of church discipline and restoration. All church discipline strategies must be truly redemptive in focus and objective with a strong biblical foundation and with a New Testament focus upon Christ Jesus and not of the law.

Remember, if at any time in the process of church discipline, a member resigns and leaves a church, all church disciplinary action must be considered ended. {Right to Privacy Law}. However, in many regions, Mandatory Reporting, is unaffected by withdrawal from church membership.

For allegations of a civil nature, a limited statement of factual warning on a need to know basis could be shared. We recommend consulting with your attorney in the nation you are working.

Always remember, the purpose of all discipline is reconciliation and restoration through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we always remember the scriptural admonition in Galatians 6:1-2: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Step Six – Reconciliation toward Restoration

Leadership Responsibility in Healing Care
If a person has been victimized, the church should help to provide care for the person who has been victimized. The local leadership should oversee this to ensure that it happens. Counseling and other forms of care should be considered in order to rebuild the one who has been damaged.

Discerning Full Restoration
The desired outcome is that the team can affirm the person should be fully restored to fellowship in the church, this does not always mean a full restoration to ministry.

Closure does not happen without restoration and healing taking place. Remember the admonition in Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

After true repentance, all parties involved must offer forgiveness. This will involve all people directly affected by the sin, but may also involve people who suffer reproach as a result of the sin–the Lord Himself, family, and other church leadership, and the church at large.

Those responsible for administering the process of discipline and restoration should set clear goals for the fruit of repentance.

A restoration process does not necessarily need to be completed within a set time frame. Time alone does not change rebellion in a person’s heart. “Gross” sin is evidence of major character weaknesses. In many cases, the timing for full restoration should be left open-ended with an evaluation of progress built into the process.

Restoration of a Leader: A minister may be restored to leadership after a suitable period of probation has given evidence of a successful restoration process. Church leaders must understand, however, that there are times when a sinning leader cannot be restored to a ministry office.

Causes for this may be the number of failures, or the depth of deception involved. Wherever genuine repentance occurs, restoration of the individual is always biblical—but this does not always mean restoration of the individual’s ministry. This is an area which requires great sensitivity and discernment.

Severance pay for transition should be considered if the person is submitted to the discipline process. This, however, should only apply if they are submitted to the discipline process.

For restoration for leaders, additional guidance is provided in the Process for Corrective Discipline of Leaders.

Reporting Abuse and Serious Misconduct

DOVE International has established four key components for handling reports of abuse and serious misconduct.

1. Mandatory Reporting to Civil Authorities

DOVE International requires immediate lawful reporting of any known or suspected child abuse or abuse of a vulnerable person to local civil authorities, following local mandatory reporting laws.

2. Disclosure of Sexual Crime History (Internal Disclosure within DOVE International)

Any known history of sexual offenses (including registration as a sex offender, past convictions, or substantiated findings) involving a person who is serving, seeking to serve, or participating in a DOVE International leadership or ministry context, must be disclosed. This information will be used solely for safety and risk-management purposes and will be shared only on a strict need-to-know basis, and stored confidentially.

3. Internal Reporting Steps for Sexual Abuse or Serious Misconduct

Who reports: Anyone aware of an incident

When: Within 24 hours for cases involving minors; within 72 hours for other substantiated cases.

Report to: the Lead elder of a local church or body where the accused is a member or where the individual is currently actively serving to safeguard the community.

In addition, if the person is a missionary, staff worker or leader report to:

• Report to those overseeing your ministry.
• Report to the appropriate DI apostolic team leader for cases involving abuse, sexual misconduct, minors/vulnerable adults, or significant reputational/operational risk.
• In addition, if the situation touches other teams/nations/locations/regions where the incident occurred, report to any additional leaders for safeguarding. Especially if the individual travels to other regions for ministry purposes.

Share on a need to know basis only, keeping to facts. Protect victim/survivor identities and maintain confidentiality.

4. Internal Reporting during the Process *Also included in Step Two

Discovery teams should provide concise written updates to the Lead Elder of the local church where the accused attends, the leaders overseeing their ministry, the appropriate DOVE International apostolic team leader (especially in cases involving abuse, sexual misconduct, minors, or vulnerable adults), and any additional leaders in other regions or locations where the individual serves or the incident occurred, for the purpose of safeguarding.

• Send a concise written summary including:
• A brief summary (facts known, status: alleged/substantiated/inconclusive)
• Mandatory-reporting actions taken (agency, time, reference if available)
• Immediate safety measures/restrictions recommended
• Contact information for the point person for the discovery process, contact person and other team members involved.
• Are there any other known jurisdictions involved (church, region, country of incident)
• Regular updates for the conclusion and/or judgement.

Confidentiality and records: Protect victim/survivor identities and maintain confidentiality. This does not replace legal counsel—local law prevails.

Conclusion and Next Steps

For more on applying these principles, read our Teaching on Church Discipline and Restoration document.

The area of discipline, reconciliation and restoration needs to be thoroughly understood at a revelation level by all those in leadership. Teaching, training and even practical training would be of great benefit for all concerned.

Leadership persons need to develop their skill level in the areas of crisis management, conflict resolution, entry level counseling, and personal ministry. Those in leadership need to have their awareness level raised of the vital necessity of their walking out both positive and preventative discipline as a ministry life-style. Specialists in these areas need to be developed.

Works Cited

DOVE Leadership Handbook
Kingdom Accountability Project — International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders. International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders,

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Larry Kreider, Steve Prokopchak and Philip McAlmond Jr. for their contributions.

Additional Resources

Here are additional resources on discipline and restoration of church members and leaders

The Biblical Role of Elders in Today’s Church, by Larry Kreider, Ron Myer, Steve Prokopchak, Brian Sauder (House to House Publications).

Due Process, by Dan Juster, (Destiny Image Publishing).

The Making of a Leader by Frank Damazio (Bible Temple Publishing).

The Church in the New Testament by Kevin Conner (Bible Temple Publishing).
The Kingdom Accountability Project.

Additional sources for church leaders

Healing the Wounded by John White and Ken Blue (Intervarsity Press).
Can Fallen Leaders be Restored? by John H. Armstrong (Moody Press).