DisFellowship: Confusion Between Us!

1/17/2008

Thanks for the forwards. I was wondering if you could more directly speak to one of the things I wrote about. I feel as if the church as a whole (about 10 of us) is not all on the same page regarding DisFellowship. Specifically, my friend and I are on complete opposites of the perspective. He feels that we should still be pursuing her in the group as well as individually. I feel this is enabling her to continue “attending” us, and that will only make her continue down the path of not pursuing deep and meaningful relationship with God or us. When it comes to DisFellowship, it seems that the WHOLE church must be in agreement and not associate at all (biblically) with the person. It would make no sense if the church was not meeting with her, but people still had their relationships with her, making the whole point compromised…

…how does one be led in a church family as a whole, without defying his own conscience, and thereby sinning (1 Cor 8, Romans 14)?

I am not asking you to give us THE answer or answers, but more of how to work through this tension of unity in the church.

Thanks, cam

Hi…Why does this problem come up around the world in “loose knit” scenarios in particular, but sometimes in more Biblical Life, too? Wellllllll…ONE of you, either you or your friend, 1) don’t know her very well—and are approaching the “topic of her” sentimentally, or superficially, or with hidden blinding bias and unspoken fears or motives; or 2) don’t know Jesus and Truth very well (such as “lukewarmness” doesn’t make one of you sick as it does Jesus, but it does make sick the other one of you). That is the “explanation” of this dilemma around the world, 95% of the time. I can address the other 5% if you can speak to solving the first 95% clearly with each other and her. : )

Love,

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