Called to Be Holy: The Discipline of the Church

by Jeremy Walker

Discipline is not a dirty word. Any group which is united and effective embraces discipline to promote the health and strength of the group as a whole and its survival over time. The same is true of the church of Jesus Christ, serving and striving together so that Christ is formed in every member. - What is church discipline? This booklet is a concise summary of the principles and the practices Christ has given for the holiness of his church. - Why is it necessary? Jeremy Walker skillfully explains the assumptions that lie behind church discipline, grounded in the identity of the church and activity of the church of God. - Who ordained it? The text looks at the God-ordained purposes of corrective discipline, and the reasons why a church might have to pursue this course. - What should it look like? Called to Be Holy offers practical advice as to how such discipline ought to be carried out in the church of Jesus Christ, it speaks to the nature of church discipline, in its more positive and negative aspects, and it identifies love as the primary motive behind any discipline in the church. Ultimately, the church of the living God needs to respond righteously when there is sin in her midst. God has not left us alone in this! Wisely and graciously, the Head of the church has told us how and why the church must discipline unrepentant sin. Christ calls his church to be holy for its own sake and the sake of the world to which we witness.

48 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2023

Reviews

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written from a Congregationalist perspective, this little booklet of under 50 meaty pages is a broadly applicable exposition of the Bible’s instructions for both formative and corrective church discipline. Beautifully written, it has found a happy place in the back pocket of my PCA BCO binder.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meaty little pamphlet on the what and why of church discipline. I know that sounds like a downer but I learned of a new category called formative discipline where “the process by which the saints invest in one another” (p. 11) by practicing the “one-another’s” of the Bible in pursuit of godliness for all, motivated by love of God and love of one another. That’s beautiful and I see it playing out in our church in myriad ways. It encourages and challenges me to take much care with my friends (even when we’re being silly—a crucial part of formative discipline. I’d say!). I’ll share the last paragraph too:

“Holiness matters because heaven and hell matter. If we are to be holy and heaven-bound, drawing others on to that bright and upward path, then we must be and live as true disciples of Jesus Christ. God cares enough to provide for the life and health of His church. Do you care enough to pursue it?”

[Doug Van Meter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief but packed with solid pastoral exhortation grounded in Scripture concerning the oft neglected or sometimes abused practice of biblical church discipline.
Walker's emphasis upon the why of church discipline paves the way for faithful and constructive how of church discipline.