5 Final Points on Authority
One final word to wrap up our discussion on authority, here are five points that Christian author J. Oswald Sanders (from his book Spiritual Leadership) makes and that every Elder is to keep in mind as he considers the use of spiritual discipline in the congregation:
1. Such action should be taken only after the most thorough and impartial inquiry,
2. it should be undertaken only when it would be for the overall good of the work [church] and the individual,
3. it should always be in a spirit of genuine love and conducted in the most considerate manner,
4. it should always be with the spiritual help and restoration of the offender in view, and
5. it should be done only with much prayer.
Please pray that these points will always guide Grace’s Elders when spiritual discipline is considered for use in our church body.
With a new month comes a new memory verse. Here’s the next verse in the series of verses we’ve been memorizing. Our memory verse for May is Galatians 6:9
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.