Those Who Must Give an Account: A Study of Church Membership and Church Discipline

by John S. Hammett (Editor), Benjamin L. Merkle

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.” --Hebrews 13:17aThere is a surprising, even dangerous, gap in the literature on the church in the areas of church membership and church discipline. The former sets the boundaries of a leader’s responsibility, and discipline is the last option of a church when members will no longer live in fellowship with their brothers and sisters in the Lord and accept the guidance of their leaders.And so this book is written first to church leaders, offering guidance on how they should receive and minister to those for whom they will have to give an account according to Scripture. But under the view of the church upheld in these chapters, the receiving of members and discipline of members are both acts of the greater church body, and thus all members of the church share in the accountability for each other. Consequently, Those Who Must Give an Account will be of interest to all believers.Among this volume’s nine notable contributors are Mark E. Dever (“The Practical Issues of Church Membership”), Thomas R. Schreiner (“The Biblical Basis for Church Discipline”), and Bruce Riley Ashford and Danny Akin (“The Church as God’s Missional People”). 

Genres: Ecclesiology, Theology, Church, Leadership, Church Ministry

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Anthony Locke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on membership and discipline from a Baptist (but not 9Marks) perspective. Appreciated the refresher and some different vocabulary used to express ideas from 9Marks writers.

[Rocky Woolery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very challenging read, not because of the difficulty in writing styles but because of the challenging nature of the material to o e who is involving church leadership. The call first to explain and expect church membership. Then to see membership status as a means for knowing whoa leader is responsible for are great suggestions for clarifying whom a minister is responsible for nurturing, protecting and correcting.

The second section on discipline is where much of the challenging nature of the book arises. In a day in age where Satan is using individualism to isolate us more and more, it seems difficult to get people to commit to anything, let alone something in which discipline might ensue. Yet as the authors correctly point out, the church is called to care for its members and that includes dealing with the cancer of sin and removing parts of the body to protect the larger part of the body. It was also good to see them point out that the over all goal of church discipline should be for the restoration of those in need of discipline.

The concluding section was a good reminder of another reason that discipline is necessary within the local body of Christ, outreach. If we as a church are not going to expect our members to look different than the world around us why should we expect them to see the necessity of becoming a follower of Jesus and a member of a church.

[Andrew Mcneill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical summary of church membership and discipline

This edited volume brings together a range of perspectives on the issue of church membership and discipline. Writing from a congregational and baptistic perspective, the authors show that the Biblical pattern is to have a regenerate church membership that displays God's glory, and as such takes care to ensure that discipline is administered to preserve the purity of the body of Christ.

[Matthew Rawlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, well-written exhortation to regenerate membership and church discipline. However, the authors do not address the question of the link between church discipline and the apostolic authority of the early church. A few hermeneutical leaps regarding congregationalism are also left unaddressed but, overall, a challenging read.

[David Rathel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essential read for pastors, this book offers theological, historical, and practical examinations of regenerate church membership and redemptive church discipline.

The contributors are excellent: Andy Davis, John Hammett, Nathan Finn, Mark Dever, etc.

[Seth Channell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of biblical basis, historical analysis, and practical issues on church membership and church discipline. I found the last chapter, particularly helpful for encouraging me in my role as a pastor.

[Ben Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Work on Neglected Topics

Well worth investing the time to read and study. Great and accessible for Christians at every level of church leadership, and good for an academic wanting to study this area further.

[Joel Griffis · Rating 3 out of 5]

School reading.