5 Reasons for Practicing Corrective Church Discipline

This list is taken from Mark Dever's "What is a Healthy Church?"

Practicing Corrective Church Discipline shows love for:
1. the good of the disciplined individual;
2. other Christians as they see the danger of sin;
3. the health of the church as a whole;
4. the corporate witness of the church and, therefore, non-Christians in the community;
5. and the glory of God. Our holiness should reflects God's holiness.

Thinking on Lent

I did not grow up in a church that engaged the Lenten Season. As a matter of fact, I used to think it was strictly a Catholic practice and having grown up as a protestant in Louisiana, we didn't do much that our Catholic friends did. I've since learned that Lent is for protestants too! Lent is a great season to ponder the cross and our need for daily reliance upon Christ and turning from sin. Below are my 3 main reasons for participating in Lent:

#1. Easter is too important to let it "sneak up on me" without giving much thought to Christ's substitutionary atonement.
#2. I want the Spirit to show me anything or anyone I am choosing more than Christ. Is every area yielded to Him?
#3. I want to rest in the completed work of Christ rather than think my work earns righteousness.

If you would like to lead your family through a weekly reading that will help them think on Easter and our need for Christ, I would recommend Lenten Lights by Noel Piper and here is the URL where the resource can be found:

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/lenten-lights