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We are really preaching a series of messages, that help us examine ourselves, if we are really a healthy before God as a people. We have looked at some tests, some marks that we can apply to ourselves and we say, number one, a healthy church is one which preaches the Word of God and not just teaches or uses the Word of God to teach what we want.

Number two, we say, a healthy church is centered on the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is the message we believe, we live and we give. Number three, we say, a healthy church is one that is faithful in evangelism, we understand that if we don't evangelize, we will fossilize. Then number four, last week we looked at what it means to be in a church with meaningful membership, where there is wonderful biblical relationships, one with another.

So this morning we're going to look at the last mark and that is on discipline. Now, first thing I want to say about these five marks again is that these five marks are important but they are often neglected. That's why they are here, it is not comprehensive, there can be many other tests, like a church is healthy when you look at its prayer life, its worship life, its missions and so on, but I think these are important and commonly neglected marks and discipline or church discipline is certainly one that is often neglected, isn't it and I can understand why.

When you think about the word discipline, you think about something that is negative, something that is painful. In fact, the first thing I think about is cane, the cane, I have at home, actually I have five canes at home, I've only two boys, but I have 5 canes at home. We kiasu because we find it very hard to buy canes in Singapore, so we bought more, in case they break. So five canes for two boys is what I think about in discipline, and you say aiyoh, discipline is so painful, it's so negative and when you apply it to the church, church discipline, some of you may immediately think, this is very unloving, this is very harsh, this is very judgmental, maybe it's illegal, you say.

But no, if you are a parent, you understand discipline is not negative, it is actually very positive. It's important, it's good for my kids that they should have discipline. That's why I buy five, that's why they can have a change of behavior. That's how I can help them repent of their disobedience, their rebellion, their sin.

So we see discipline as something formative, it's helpful, it's given by God for the church. If you think about it, discipline is needed for almost every human institution. You need it in the family, you need it in the army, you need it in school, you need it in your office, you need it in the country, you need it in every sports team, you need it on the football pitch or in the basketball court. You need discipline because people are sinners and especially in the church, we need church discipline.

So I believe a healthy church practices responsible discipline. Now I want to say first and foremost, I recognize this is not a sermon that is easy for everyone here, especially for our guests who are here with us first time. You say wah, first time I come church, I go and hear about something like this, I've never heard before. Well, you're not alone, I think many church members probably have not heard a sermon on church discipline.

So I know this is something strange to some of you, this is something very unique to some of you, but I think this is important enough for us to pay attention to, now, I'm going to try my best to make it as simple as possible, alright, so that we as a church, understand what responsible discipline is that we may be able to be healthier in God's sight.

So hard am I going to make this simple, I'm just going to preach this as a question and answer format. So you have questions like what is discipline, who should be disciplined, when should we discipline, how should we discipline, I'm going to ask these who, what, where, when, why questions and just going to answer them according to Scriptural verses, can, simple alright, okay, so let's go.

First question I want to answer is this, what is church discipline. I know what happens in your family, Jason, because you use a cane. But what happens in the church, what is church discipline. A renowned Christian leader, teacher, JE Adams, he said church discipline is the process of correcting sinful behavior among members of a local church body for the purpose of protecting the church, restoring the sinner to a right walk with God and renewing fellowship among the church members.

So the first thing I want to highlight to you is that he understands church discipline as a process of correcting sinful behavior. So what is involved in this process? Well, it can be something as simple as a gentle rebuke from a fellow church member. I read about a pastor, his name is Todd Wagner, he said that he receives church discipline every day, nine times. Huh, how do you? Yeah, I receive church discipline nine times, by who, by a member of the church, who is the member of the church, his wife. So every day, he says, his wife reminds him, rebukes him lovingly about some wrong behavior in his life and we all are sinners imperfect people who need others to help us walk rightly.

So church discipline can be as simple as a member of the church, reminding you, helping you see a sinful behavior or pattern in your life and say brother, I think you should repent and not carry on with that, that is part of church discipline or it can move on to the next stage where it may be a group of people who love you, brothers and sisters in Christ who speak the truth in love to you to cause you to repent. It might, from graduate, from an individual to a group of people and if this is still not taken heed to, it escalates ultimately to this process which you call ex-communication.

Wah, you say, pastor, this is a big long word, this is Sunday morning, what is excommunication? Well it's very simple, ex, ex means out, right, that's why you have exit, that's why you have the word Exodus, out. So excommunication means out of communication or out of the community. So excommunication is when someone is put out of the membership of the church. So church discipline is the process of correcting sinful behavior. It may be as simple as a rebuke by a certain individual or it can graduate to the ultimate discipline process of excommunication, being put out of the membership of the church.

Now this is not my idea, it's what is found in Scripture, in 1st Corinthians 5, this is, this is, this is a sad and amazing problem. In the church at Corinth, it's a city in olden days, Paul wrote a letter to them, because he knew of a problem and the problem is this, it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, in the church, amongst the people there is a case of sin. What sin, sexual immorality, what kind of sexual immorality, the kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, pagans here are people who do not know God, who are not part of the church, who do not follow Jesus.

The sin that is in the church is so bad that even the non-believers don't commit that, it's not even heard amongst them, and what is that, a man has his father's wife. He has a relationship, an immoral relationship with his mom, might be step-mother, but with his mom, nonetheless. So it's immorality, you can say incest and you are arrogant, you're not even doing anything about it, ought you not rather to mourn, don't you think you should grieve and what should be done, as you grieve, let him who has done this be removed from among you, so excommunication.

Well, maybe not you say, well let's look on, it says in verses four and five, when you are assembled and so on and so forth, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. In other words, you are to remove him from the care, from the authority of the local church and let him be out of this fellowship, out of this membership on his own and he will suffer temptation by the devil, but all that is intended to cause him to suffer loss and pain, that he may learn to repent and so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord, ex communication.

Your boasting is not good, do you know that the little leaven, leavens the whole lump, you says what's leaven? Leaven is, yeast, all you ladies who bake, you make bread and cake you understand, you need yeast and the thing about yeast, is that you just need what, very little, you put it in the mixture, it goes throughout the entire mixture isn't it, it just spreads and so Paul is saying, if you don't deal with this sin and this sinning brother in the church, it will spread. So what you do, you cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, excommunication.

I'm writing to you, not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother. So he says is a Christian, he's part of the church, but he's living in such an immoral life and even if it is not immorality, it maybe idolatry, greed, drunkenness and so on, don't associate with him, excommunication. And then again in verse 13, purge the evil person from among you.

So, Paul's instruction to the Corinth church, where there is someone who is persistently engaged in a grievous outward sin, is that he needs to be disciplined and in this case, excommunicated.

This is not only the teaching of Paul, in 1st Corinthians, Jesus Himself spoke in Matthew 18, if there is an offense of a brother against you, it's a sin that he's committed, he did that which was wrong, you have to forgive him, but you are also to go and tell him his fault, so that he may turn, so that he may repent, so that he will continue in his sin. So you go to him and if he refuses to answer, go, refuses to turn, get one or two more guys to confront him and if he refuses to listen to them, then you tell it to the church and even after the church confronts him about it, he refuses to listen, then let him be to you as a Gentile, meaning a nonbeliever, non follower of Jesus and a tax collector, someone who is notorious as a sinner in those days. So let him be out of church, excommunicated, that's what Jesus said as well.

And then you have other references like second Thessalonians, keep away from the brother who is walking in idleness, he doesn't want to work, he wants to leach on God's people in the church, he is to be out. Likewise, if he does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of the person and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

And then again 1st Timothy, handed over to Satan, same idea, away from the protection and care of local church on his own, struggling, suffering loss and then 2nd Timothy, avoid such people. What kind of people, those who have the appearance of godliness, they look like Christians, they come to church, they say they are Christians, but they are living in a kind of a sinful lifestyle. For such, the Bible says, you have to let them go through a process of church discipline.

So let me ask you, this is what the verses tell us, if someone really is subjected to church discipline, can he come to church for worship service? Well, I think, the principle is this, when you excommunicate someone, you see him now not as part of the membership of the church, he's like a Gentile, he's like a tax collector, he's not a brother, let me ask you, are Gentiles, non-Christians, atheists, Taoist, Buddhist, whatever, are they welcomed to join us in our worship service? Yes, because we understand, when you come for worship service, you're not saying, you're the church, you are not saying, I'm a Christian, you're just here to hear the preaching of God's Word.

And so if we excommunicate someone, I don't think it is that we cannot welcome them to hear God's Word and to be reminded of the Gospel truths, but we are saying that when you come and when we meet with you, though we are glad you're hearing God's Word, we cannot relate to you as if we are brothers and sisters in Christ. I cannot say to you welcome brother, I cannot affirm you in the Gospel.

Now, I can't, I'm not going to treat you like an enemy, I'm not going to say, ah, you dirty sinner, I hate you, I run from you, no, we don't do that, we are all sinners, saved by grace, but we understand that formerly you were part of this church, now because you are continuing in unrepentant sin, we can't affirm you in the Gospel. I still love you and wish you will repent, but the relationship is now changed, there's no possibility of doing the one another's of the Bible and there is a certain awkwardness, certain distance, certain coldness that has come in, but I think he is still allowed. I mean I don't have security guard there what, I mean face recognition system, whatever, wah, this one disciplined, cannot, no, we say, you come, but the way we relate to him would be different, that's what I think excommunication would practically look like.

The next question I then ask is who is church discipline for, you all answer lah, hey, I show you many verses already, who is discipline for, for members of the church, excellent. So, do you excommunicate non-Christians, how to, you can't. So the Bible says, for what have I to do with judging outsiders. If you are, if you're not a believer, there's noting I do with you or do to you, I can't, I have no authority over your life. This is applicable only to those who are inside the church.

By the way, this teaching on church discipline, pre-dis, presupposes that there must be church membership isn't it. You don't have discipline if there's no membership, and one of the reasons for membership is so that there can be a possibility of church discipline.

It's interesting that after the first service, a man came to me and said, actually, I never believed in church membership, I, I'd I don't agree with it, but hey, this does imply that discipline requires membership and he's absolutely right.

So it is about believers of Jesus who are committed to the local church, under the authority God has set in the local church that who are subjected to church discipline. Now, I know what you're thinking now, those cunning people, always think of an easy way out, you will probably be thinking, ah, like that ah, heng ah, I'm not a member. I still attend service and I can join care group, visit care group, then don't be member lah, because non-member don't have to subject myself to church discipline, what.

I know what you're thinking, but I think what you're thinking is not right, why, because church discipline is not my idea. It's whose idea, it's God's idea, and God's plans and instructions for the church are never for our detriment, it's always for our good and so even though discipline is a painful process, it is meant for your good, it's a means of grace.

It is a way by which we are held accountable to the church, to the leadership, that performs or functions like a guardrail that prevents me going out, off course in my spiritual life. I know how vulnerable I am, that if I'm not kept accountable, I may live in such a way that I'll sin against God, till my heart is so hardened, I turn against Him, so I say, I don't want that. I don't to be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, I want to follow Jesus in my life and so I submit to the leadership, I submit to the possibility of church discipline, so that I may watch my soul more vigilantly.

So in other words, if I may say, I care about losing my faith, more than I care about losing my face, and therefore, even though it's painful, I say I ought to be in membership because one of the reasons is that there will be the threat of church discipline that keeps me in check. I think a true believer will think like that and not say wah, heng ah, no need to be a member. No, I think a biblical thinking would not have such rationalization. So in the first service, someone said eh, then who decides, who decides when discipline should take place.

So the third question, is when is church discipline called for. So when, every time someone sins, every sin in every member, like that, tomorrow no church already, we are all excommunicated out, I don't think excommunication or church discipline can be called for, for every sin. For example, sins that are in the heart, how you know. Well as to when this is called for, we look at the occasions when church discipline is called for in Scripture.

So for example, we come back to 1st Corinthians 5, there is the sin of immorality where there's incest, we come to the other lists given in the same chapter, about greed and idolatry, reviling, drug drunkenness, swindling. We come to another list, when someone is idle, refuses to work responsibly to provide for himself, we look at a longer list in second Timothy where these apparent churchgoers, if I may say, who have a form of godliness, are involved in being covetous, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure, avoid such people.

So you look at this list, you look at these various lists, one thing for sure is that they're not comprehensive. I say though there are a lot, they are not totally exhaustive, because I don't read of murder here, don't you think murder is a serious sin, I mean I think so, don't you think kidnapping is a serious sin, I think so. So, but none of these lists contain every sin. So we cannot say only the sins listed in this passages are excommunicable, probably others involved as well.

So we are left not with a comprehensive checklist, but I think we are left with some principles that can be drawn from this text and that is this, number one, I think discipline is called for when the sins are for example, serious sins. You can't excommunicate and you probably shouldn't excommunicate over every sin. Now please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that some sins are serious and some sins are not serious, as if God is not affected by any of our sins, no, every sin in God's eyes is serious, every sin is repulsive and filthy before a Holy God.

But when it comes to church discipline, I think there is a kind of distinction where I think serious sins are called for in discipline and maybe there are some that are not. So for example, Pastor, just now, I took the lift and this lady came in and never smile at me, she should be disciplined, never greet one another with a, whatever. I think maybe John cool down, I don't think it's excommunicable.

Pastor, last week you told us the crocodile so big, but actually crocodile only like that, you say like that you should be, excom.. cool down, cool down, maybe not like that, alright. So I think it's about serious sins, now who, how do you know whether a sin is serious or not, whether it's excommunicable or not. I suppose that's where spiritual elders have to make a judgment call, alright. So there are so many kinds of sin, so many shades of gray, you need a judgment call at times. So I think this is the principle number one, sins that are serious.

Number two, I think sins that are outward, in other words, observable, it's something you can see, something you can hear, something you can tell, it's not guesswork. Pastor, you should excommunicate him, because I see jealousy in his heart. Wah lau, how do you know, I don't know, I just know he has jealous, excommunicate him. Cannot, you can't judge someone for your guess, or imagine, well, it's got to be observable outward sin and then lastly, I think what I can tell is that it should be for unrepentant sins.

If a man or woman is living in sin, but he or she is genuinely struggling, fighting, laboring to say, I want to get out of sin, then that's not excommunicable, you journey with the person, you help the person, you love the person, you surround the person with your love. It's only when he or she says, I give up. I don't think this is sin and I don't want to pursue holiness anymore, that's where you say, well, we might have to discipline. Okay so it's for unrepentant sins.

So three simple principles, serious, outward, unrepentant. Now, when should we then say, this discipline is enough. Eh, this one you cannot answer, cannot lah, it's quite a straight forward answer, it's not a trick question, when should discipline come to an end, when he repents, that is, he changes his mind, he comes back to God, he works towards holiness and I think the church should be very quick to receive someone who repents. So, for such a one. This punishment by the majority is enough.

So in this case, when Paul wrote the second letter to the Corinthian church, there's a case whereby this man has repented and so Paul says, the punishment is enough, you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow, so I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. So I think the church should not hesitate when discipline is called for and the church should also be very quick to forgive and receive someone when there is repentance. The whole goal is that he may be restored okay, clear so far, those who cannot answer will be disciplined, uh, no, huh, huh.

Alright the next question, how, how is church discipline to be done? When I say how, I'm not talking about the steps alone and I'm talking about the posture or the attitude, the spirit, how should church discipline be done, because if we are not clear about this, some of us may do church discipline with an abusive, proud, self-righteous mindset hah, orbiguat. I think that is terrible, so what is the attitude for church discipline, the church has to have. Now please, I know some of you are thinking, this is so theoretical, we never had a church discipline in our church, it will never take place. I think that's not the right thinking, alright, we, we got to understand God's will and when we are called for, we have to obey.

So I hope you will understand this, this is important, what is the spirit. I think the spirit is captured in Galatians 6:1, one of the great passages that says, brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in the spirit of gentleness. Your whole goal, the church goal in a church discipline is not to make this a spectacle, to mock him and to put him down, so that we have a sense of superiority and have self-righteousness. No, the whole goal is restorative, the whole goal is that we love him and we long for him to be reconciled with his Savior.

So it has to be with this attitude of restoration, in the spirit of gentleness. Now we must be firm, but I think we need not be harsh, so gently, lovingly do what is necessary, being aware of yourself that you too can fall into the very same sin and predicament and so with tenderness, with brokenness, with humility, with love, we go about church discipline, okay. So it applies to how a wife speaks to her husband, nine times, Todd Wagner, receives church discipline, I hope it's in a loving, humble way, okay.

Now besides a loving and humble approach, I think Scriptures also call for a patient approach. This is where we come to Jesus and His Words, He says that in this case where a person sins against you, it's a sin, like I said, you should already forgive him from your heart, you are not to have bitterness or anger towards him, but now you're going to approach him to help him turn from his sins.

So what do you do, you go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone, very clear, just yourself. Go to him and if he listens to you, done, church discipline is done, he's repentant, case close, thank God for that relationship restored. But if he refuses to listen, that is he says, I'm not wrong, I want to continue in what I'm doing. Then you take one or two others along with you, so that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. And if he listens to you, great, case closed, no need for further escalation. But if he refuses to hear, tell it to the church.

Now this might mean, in some churches they say, tell it to the entire membership of the church. In some churches, I think most churches, if I may surmise, it is to tell it to the leadership of the church, so that the leadership will look at this matter, judge the case, if necessary and if deemed suitable, will also bring it to the rest of the congregation, if it's not resolved.

But here is the escalation, you tell it to the church and if he listens to the church, case close, no further action, brother is repentant, thank God for that. But if he doesn't then, the Bible says, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

So look at the protocol, that's the SOP, I know people don't like SOP, but actually, Bibles also got SOP. The SOP is that you approach him alone, if not bring one or two, if not, tell it to the church and if he still doesn't listen, he's excommunicated. I think this is a process that gives people space and time to repent, don't you think, it's to keep it as small, as quiet, as private as possible, so that he can have the opportunity, space to repent, but you're willing to go all the way, if necessary.

I've actually, personally known in this church when someone sees a sin in another brother, you know what they do immediately, what do you do, immediately, hah, say lah, scold him. Wah, if you scold him then you are very good, you, you, not, not scold, rebuke lah, loving rebuke, then you are not bad, you are following Matthew 18 protocol, you and him alone.

That's okay, but most don't do that, because most don't have the, hah, the what, the guts to do that right, because aiyoh, I scold him, then he scold me how. So most don't do that, what do they do, they tell what, tell others ah, no, I tell you what, they tell, tell pastor, they want pastor to go and settle the problem, they call, they, they call the church policeman, as if I'm the policeman, they call the police, hey go and settle this problem, hey pastor, you know this guy blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you think that's the right thing to do, but do you know that's not the, first of all, it's the wrong thing to do, and it's also not the helpful thing to do, because I've known individuals in this church who found out that they had been ratted upon as it were, without being approached in a the biblical way, to the pastor and now in Chinese, Mei you di fang xia tai, Xia bu Liao tai.

They can't get off the stage. Wah, pastor know already, gone already lah, siow liao lah. So it is not the most appropriate or loving thing to do. So there's a protocol, this is patience, giving space and time for the brother to repent because your goal is not to make it a spectacle, the goal is to prevent him from further sin. The best way is the way Jesus has recommended, alright.

Now why is church discipline so important, you say there are five marks. Why is this so important that it qualifies as one of the important and neglected marks. Well I think church discipline is important because number one, it saves it is beneficial for the soul of the sinner he's put outside the care and protection of the church, so that he may suffer for a while, so that he may wake up, repent and live right, I think that's important. Don't you think, if there is no church discipline this person just keeps on sinning till his heart is hardened and he may actually turn out to be a non-believer in Christ. So I think this is important for his sake and welfare.

Number two it is important for the sake of the local church that his sin will not spread. When this church for example, if there is open adultery in Gospel Light and we as the church, the leaders and the people, we say it's okay, he's a brother, we love him let him continue in adultery, you know what will happen in a few years time, your husband will also think it's okay to live in adultery, because the church doesn't seem to take a very serious view about it anyway. So that little leaven would soon leaven the whole lump, like yeast, it spreads throughout the body.

So Paul says, the Scripture says, church discipline is important to protect the holiness of the people of God and then the Bible also says, as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. So this is a warning, sends a clear message that no serious, outward, unrepentant sin is allowed to fester for the testimony of the local church.

So church discipline is the process of correcting sinful behavior among members of the local church, why, for the purpose of protecting the church, restoring the sinners to a right walk with God and renewing fellowship among the church members. Now you know, preaching this, after studying this, I think this is very, this is, this is, this is tough, I, I think straight away, you recognize church discipline is not a pleasant process. I can picture myself sitting before a brother, who is living in sin and who will not repent and who may even spin stories, fabricate tales, blame every one and we go on a long process of investigation. It's time consuming, it's energy sapping, it's emotionally draining. But I don't think we have an option for the sake of the Gospel of Christ in the local church, it must be done.

I hate to discipline my two boys, I've five canes, but I hate to use any one of them because I know they cry, it's painful for their butts, but it's very painful for my heart, I don't like it, but I have to do it and so in the local church I hope as a people, we recognize its importance and will not shirk the necessity to do so. We sometimes think eh, pastor, if you discipline people, you excommunicate people, then the church become smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller what, don't do that lah, so that the church will get bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger, but you see, that's not the right way. I think the Scriptures tell me that the back door of the membership of the church should be something that is allowing a purging process to take place.

Just to encourage your heart, in the Bible we read of a discipline case not by the leaders of the church, but by God Himself. So Ananias and Sapphira they were a couple, they sold their property for maybe let's say $1 million but they tell the church, hey we sold it for $200,000 and $200,000, we give it all the church. Actually they are hiding $800,000 behind.

So it was discovered that this was a sin, they lied, actually the Bible says they lied to the Holy Ghost, they lied to the church. So it was a serious sin in those days, and God in the early days of the local church, struck Ananias dead and the Bible says, great fear came upon all who heard it. Sapphira was confronted and she likewise came out with the same lie, yah, yah, we only sold it for $200,000 and she was also struck dead.

And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things and now the church began to shrink, because everybody don't dare to join church anymore, is that true. No, look at verse 14 after this and more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

I think when we honor God and we hold high the holiness and sanctity of His people, we live out, live up to the testimony we are supposed to live up, it draws people in, holiness draws, worldliness doesn't. So I think as a church, I'm saying, will we have the courage to do what is needed.

Now we've got to be fair, we've got to be loving, we've got to be patient, we've got to be humble, but we must have the fortitude to do what is needed. A healthy church practices responsible discipline.

Now, I know I've spoken a lot and it's quite theoretical for you. So I, I thought I'll share with you a real case example, not within our church, I think that would not be helpful, but I went on web, cyberspace and so on, to search for a case that maybe I could think it's helpful to bring all these points together and there is one case publicized about a year ago, year plus ago, it's in this church in US, called Watermark Community Church, it's a church in Texas.

This case was never meant to be public on cyberspace, no church discipline should, I feel be published on the Internet for the world to see, doesn't need to. But in this case, it was unfortunately put up and I'll tell you why.

Watermark Community Church had to excommunicate a certain man, his name is Jason Thomas who was struggling with the sin of homosexual relationships. So he has been helped by the members and even the elders of the church for several years. They have encouraged him, ministered to him, prayed for him, discipled him to help him not to continue living in homosexual relationships. After a while, after several years, he decided it's enough, he doesn't want to live a pure life in that sense, he wants to continue and he doesn't see homosexuality as sin anymore.

It was at that point where unrepentance is established, that the church had to write him a letter, inform him of their decision, he has to be excommunicated. So Jason Thomas together with his friends left, who are like-minded in his thinking, left the church. Now there was not publicized then in 2015, but a year later, exactly a year later, Jason Thomas took that letter, that Watermark Community Church sent him, put it up on social media, Facebook and so on and commented on it and that's how it became public.

So, Dallas News and so on, the news agencies all around, latched on the story and it became public information. So what was said, so Jason Thomas, first of all, put up the letter that Watermark sent him. This is the letter, you can't read it like this, so I typed it out for you and it says dear Jason, not me ah, dear, dear Jason, this is a difficult letter to write. We genuinely care for you, love you and want nothing more for you than to live an abundant life that is found in Jesus Christ alone. So I am taking some excerpts out of it.

Through the years, we have gently and repeatedly brought these patterns to your attention and at times you have heeded this counsel and repented. But now, it is no longer the case. So, in obedience to Matthew 18 verses 15 to 18 and first Corinthians 5:11 we are left with no other option but to remove you from our body and treat you as we would anyone who is living out of fellowship with God.

And we lovingly but firmly call you back to repentance. This means that you are no longer a member of our body at Watermark. We are praying that repentance comes quickly and that you do not continue choosing a path of destruction and one that leads you away from the authority and care of the church. We all pray for your repentance and full restoration. We love you, Jason, and stand at the gate for you and eagerly await God's restoration in your life in Christ, the Elders of Watermark.

So this is the letter he put up, exactly one year later in October 9, 2016, he put this letter up and he commented, he wrote, Dear Watermark Community Church, Today I celebrate a very interesting anniversary with you. It was exactly one year ago when you told me I was no longer worthy to serve, be in the community group and be a member of your church. I spent years in your church battling against my homosexuality. I believed with all my heart that God would change me. I prayed for change almost daily, but when I wasn't able to change, you turned your back on me.

Here we are a year later and you're still doing to others what you did to me, you are tarnishing the name of God to Christians and non-Christians alike; you should be ashamed of yourself! Do not forget, Jesus was angry with people just like you who said certain groups of people were not worthy to be followers of Him. Thank you for removing yourself from my life, I'm who God made me to be. I cannot change my sexual orientation and nor would I want to, I now have internal peace and happiness unlike ever before.

So because what he did, like I said, it's now in public domain and Watermark had to release a statement or a reply, response and so they said, Watermark, I hope as you read these things, you're not in a gossip mind, but you're learning the principles, alright, how it's applied.

So Watermark says, we make a distinction between attending our church and being a formal member of our church. Membership is meaningful, significant, we don't remove someone's formal status as a member for struggling with sin, whether that sin is pride, materialism or sexual sin. An individual's formal relationship with us, as a member is only changed when someone no longer desires to resist sin and refuses our help, care and encouragement. Even if someone's formal membership status is removed, they are always welcome to attend Watermark and be reminded of the grace and truth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Balanced, biblical, but let me close with what their senior pastor, had to say, his name is Todd Wagner as I have said, We would never send that letter to anyone who is saying, man, help me! I'm stuck in my sin. In this case, it was hours of meetings and many tears. It was in a circle together with his friends and their ministry leaders that he finally said, guys, I don't see what I'm doing as wrong anymore.

Most people would rather deal with sin in themselves than deal with sin in a brother or sister's life, but we are constantly reminded, the body of Christ among us, that speaking the truth in love is part of what it means to love Christ Himself.

While Watermark mourns over the loss of Thomas and prays for his return, the publicity surrounding the, his departure has actually been reassuring to the congregation. The seriousness with which we commit to caring for one another and protecting the cause of Christ, has encouraged them. No less than 50 to 80 individuals in the congregation and around the country, thanking the church for its actions.

Shortly after Thomas was released from church, another member who had received a letter came back to Watermark, repentant and acknowledging the church's love for him. We had a great time celebrating that guy's reconciliation to the body of Christ and becoming a member in good standing again. Watermark longs for that day, that same reconciliation with Thomas, one day.

If I happen to be in Texas one day, I will drop by, Watermark Community Church. I think they take the holiness, the body of Christ seriously and it's a great mark to see. I hope we come to this, as we come to the end of this healthy church series, we as a church will not just know, but we will pray and we will labor in such a way, we will be healthy for God's glory.

Guys, if you're here with us first time, you're not a Christian, I know all this sounds so cryptic, so bizarre, so difficult for you. But I want to remind you, these teachings reveal to you the holiness of God. The seriousness with which, He looks at sin and you know, church discipline, would look like nothing, if you just have a picture of the sufferings in hell for eternity for those who sin against God and that's why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so stunning, that God would make His Son to be sin for us, Who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Because of what Christ has done, your sins can be forgiven and I urge you today, if not for anything, repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

Let's bow for a word of prayer together. I like to encourage you in this short time we have to just reflect upon this subject, perhaps reflect upon your own life. If you have sinned against someone, you should repent of, if you are causing grief in the body of Christ, I pray you have a humble heart today to come before your Lord and say, forgive me and help me to struggle and fight against my sin.

I pray today, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we would be speaking love one with another, speaking the truth in love, one with another. I pray perhaps today you reflect upon these five marks in the healthy church and say Lord, make Gospel Light healthy. We, we don't want to aim to be big but we aim to be healthy, help us.

Perhaps some of you here, you need to know Jesus as your Savior. I ask you to humbly consider repenting and believing in Jesus, that's what you need, that you may be saved from your sins.

So take this time and respond to God, your Creator, your Savior, your Lord, we, men look at sin very differently from how God sees it, may His Word draw you near to Him today. Father bless Your people, every single one, bless this church that we may be healthy, bless our friends here, that they may be granted repentance and faith, salvation in Jesus Christ, we ask this in Jesus Name, Amen.

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