Should a divisive non-member be told not to come to worship?
Question:
I am a member of a church where there is a split of our church family. This revolves around a man (who is not a member) who has attended this church as a visitor for many years. He stirs up discord within the church habitually. There was a recent incident of this, and the pastor of the church told him that due to many members being angry with him that he shouldn't attend church there for a little over a week until a church meeting would be held.
The man then called several of his church friends, and talked about how unjustly he was being treated and that things needed to change in that church, and that the minister had been treating him like a "dog". So now his friends who are members of the church are angry and want an apology from the minister for his actions without the consent of the entire church membership.
Was our minister correct in his actions? Should this man be asked to not attend? Remember this man is not a church member, only a long-time visitor. Your input would be welcome. I am trying to find scripture that supports this issue before our business meeting so I can make godly decisions.
Answer:
"Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned" (Titus 3:10-11).
Whether your minister should have taken matters on directly since the group was not, is something I can't answer. Preachers do have the authority to teach God's truth, even if others don't like it. "Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you" (Titus 2:15). What the preacher did was not out of line. The fact is that tolerance of sin is not a good thing. "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" (I Corinthians 5:6).
