While most U.S. Protestant churches have policies in place to address significant misbehavior by members, formalized church discipline is rarely practiced, according to newly released data from Lifeway Research.
Scott McConnell, the executive director of Lifeway Research said, “The infrequency of church discipline is not because church members aren’t sinning.”
More than half (54%) of pastors reported that their churches have not formally disciplined a member during their tenure, nor were they aware of any previous instances.
Another 22% reported that discipline occurred three or more years ago, while 6% noted it within the last year, 6% in the past six months, and 3% in the last month.
Church discipline is notably less common in Mainline denominations.
The survey found that larger churches are more likely to engage in discipline. McConnell’s explanation for that finding is “The more people you have in your church, the more likely someone’s behavior warrants discipline.”
Despite rare enforcement, about 80% of churches have formal discipline policies. Only 14% of pastors reported that no official policies exist.
The biblical basis for church discipline stems from passages like Matthew 18:15-20, where Jesus outlines a process for addressing sin.