2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Church discipline: Principles of administering
From Wesleyan Discipline
5002. In order that the purposes of the church may be realized, discipline in The Wesleyan Church shall be administered in accord with the following principles:
- (1) A prayerful and Christlike spirit shall be maintained at all times by all parties.1
- (2) Every effort shall be made to bring back to the Lord any who have wandered from Him (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:268).2
- (3) A sincere and reasonable effort shall be made to resolve an accusation or to deal with an offending person in keeping with scriptural admonitions.3
- (4) Each accusation and all proceedings shall receive prompt and careful attention by the proper authorities.
- (5) Any offending person shall be dealt with kindly, yet faithfully, according to the seriousness of the offense and as provided for in The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church and The General Board Policy for Church Discipline and Ministerial Restoration.
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1 1 Cor. 13:4; Eph. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:2
2 See 1 Thess. 5:14; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Jude 22–23.
3 Matt. 18:15–18; Gal. 6:1–2; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:James 5:16, 19–20.