What comes to mind when you hear the words "church discipline?"

For many Christians, the phrase brings up images of harshness, legalism, judgment, or even spiritual abuse. Yet Scripture presents church discipline as an essential part of discipleship, spiritual growth, and loving care within the body of Christ.

In this first episode of a new series, Pastor Tony Myers lays the foundation for a biblical understanding of church discipline. Rather than viewing it as punishment, we explore how God uses correction, restoration, and loving accountability to form His people into the likeness of Christ. This episode introduces the key questions that will guide the series: What is the Gospel? What is a Christian? What is the Church? And what is church membership?

Church discipline is not the opposite of discipleship—it is part of discipleship. When practiced biblically, it aims at restoration, reconciliation, renewal, and spiritual maturity.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

Before we can understand church discipline, we must answer a foundational question: What is the Gospel?

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers explores why our understanding of the Gospel determines how we view church discipline. Many people assume that love and discipline are opposites—that a loving God would never discipline His children. But Scripture teaches the exact opposite. God disciplines those He loves.

Drawing from Hebrews 12, this teaching contrasts a popular modern view with the biblical Gospel. Rather than simply helping good people become better people, God rescues sinners who are unable to save themselves, frees them from the power of sin, and calls them into a life of holiness. Because He loves His children, God refuses to leave them where they are.

Church discipline only makes sense when we understand the Gospel rightly. Love and discipline are not enemies—they are companions in God's gracious work of transforming His people.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

What is a Christian?

The answer may seem obvious, but how we answer that question has profound implications for discipleship, church membership, accountability, and church discipline.

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers continues laying the foundation for a biblical understanding of church discipline by examining what Scripture teaches about the identity of a Christian. A Christian is more than someone who agrees with certain beliefs. A Christian is someone who has been made new by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Drawing from passages throughout the New Testament, this teaching explores three essential aspects of the Christian life: a new condition, a new community, and a new calling. Christians are new creations in Christ, members of God's family, and people who have been called to live lives that reflect the holiness and glory of God.

Understanding this new identity helps us understand why accountability, encouragement, correction, and spiritual growth are normal parts of the Christian life and the life of the church.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

Is the local church just a voluntary organization that Christians attend when it is convenient? Or is it something far more significant?

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers continues laying the foundation for a biblical understanding of church discipline by exploring the question: What is the local church? Along the way, he examines two common misconceptions about the church and introduces a historic distinction between the visible church and the invisible church.

Many Christians today view the church as a provider of religious goods and services—a place to attend, evaluate, and leave when something better comes along. Others emphasize only a private relationship with Jesus while minimizing the importance of belonging to a local congregation. Scripture presents a different picture. God's design is that believers would gather together visibly, worship together, serve one another, and live under loving accountability.

Understanding the local church is essential for understanding church membership, accountability, and why biblical church discipline is ultimately a grace rather than a burden.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

Why should a church practice church discipline at all?

Before discussing how to practice church discipline, we must first understand why. In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers explains the four biblical purposes of church discipline and why every act of loving correction must keep all four in view.

Scripture teaches that church discipline exists to glorify God, reclaim straying saints, purify the church, and provide a faithful witness to a watching world. Far from being punitive or unloving, biblical church discipline reflects God's holiness, mercy, justice, and compassion. It is a ministry of restoration that seeks to rescue believers from the deceitfulness of sin while protecting the health and witness of Christ's church.

When practiced faithfully, church discipline makes the gospel visible. It demonstrates that God takes sin seriously, offers genuine forgiveness through Christ, and transforms His people by His grace.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit https://rodstaff.org.

How should Christians actually practice church discipline? Jesus has not left the church to figure it out on its own. In Matthew 18:15–17, He gives a clear process that begins with a simple but challenging first step: go to your brother or sister privately.

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers examines the first step of biblical church discipline—individual admonition. Church discipline does not normally begin with church leaders, a committee, or a public confrontation. It begins when one Christian lovingly and humbly goes directly to another.

Pastor Tony explains why we should go privately, why we must avoid gossip and assumptions, how to approach another believer with humility rather than accusation, and why the goal is never condemnation. The goal is repentance, reconciliation, restoration, and ultimately to “gain your brother.”

He also discusses important exceptions—including abuse, threats of harm, criminal activity, significant authority imbalances, and public scandalous sin—when going alone may not be appropriate.

Biblical church discipline requires courage, humility, and selfless love. And in most cases, this private conversation is where the process should begin—and end.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

Do Christians need to confront every sin they see in one another—or are there times when love calls us to simply overlook an offense?

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers explores one of the most practical questions surrounding biblical church discipline: How do we know when to address an offense and when to cover it in love?

Scripture tells us that “love covers a multitude of sins” and that it can be to our glory to overlook an offense. But there are also times when loving another person means having a difficult conversation.

Pastor Tony offers practical guidance for making that decision by considering the nature of the sin, whether it has become a pattern, its impact on the individual and others, the response of our own heart, and whether repentance is present.

He also challenges us with two important questions: If I overlook this offense, am I genuinely loving this person—or simply avoiding a difficult conversation? And if I confront it, am I seeking their restoration and God’s glory—or merely trying to prove that I’m right?

Biblical love doesn’t require us to confront every offense. But neither does it use forgiveness as an excuse to avoid the conversations that love sometimes requires.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit RodStaff.org.

What should you do when you privately confront someone about a serious offense and they refuse to listen?

In this episode of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers continues through the biblical process of church discipline found in Matthew 18. Jesus teaches that when private admonition has been attempted patiently but the person continues to refuse to listen, there may come a time to bring others into the conversation.

But those people aren't supposed to be your supporters or allies. They should be spiritually mature, impartial believers who care about both parties, are committed to the truth, and are submitted to Scripture. Their role is to listen carefully, establish the facts, correct misunderstandings, encourage both people to hear one another, and help pursue repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Tony also explains why this process should not be hurried. The goal is clarity and restoration—not winning an argument.

And sometimes the witnesses may discover that the offense isn't as significant as initially believed, that there has been a misunderstanding, or even that the person bringing the concern should overlook the offense in love.

For more biblical resources and teaching from Pastor Tony Myers, visit https://rodstaff.org.

When does church discipline reach the point of excommunication—and what does that actually mean?

In Season 2, Episode 11 of The Rod and the Staff, Pastor Tony Myers explains the final step described in Matthew 18:17. Excommunication is not public humiliation or flippantly “kicking someone out.” It comes only after persistent, willful refusal to repent despite repeated and loving appeals.

Tony explains how the church’s relationship with that person changes, why the goal is still repentance and restoration, and why even this most serious form of discipline should be carried out with love, clarity, patience, and hope.

The goal is never rejection for rejection’s sake. Even at this final stage, the church continues to seek restoration and the good of the person involved.

Learn more:

https://rodstaff.org