A friend of mine was disfellowshipped for having a baby out of wedlock. He told me something I haven’t forgotten: whenever it was time for someone to be publicly disciplined, his church was always packed.
Packed. Not for worship. Not for prayer. Not for learning or growing. But to watch. To witness someone’s shame. To confirm, in a very human way, that “we are better than that.”
Church discipline is supposed to be about restoration—guiding someone back to faith, offering accountability, care, and a path forward. Too often, though, it becomes a performance. A spectacle. A way for the congregation to reassure themselves that they’re in, while someone else is out.
I’m not saying accountability isn’t important. Boundaries matter. Sin has consequences. But when fear, gossip, or the thrill of watching someone fall take center stage, we lose the point entirely.
There’s a better way. Imagine a church where discipline isn’t an event, but a conversation. Where accountability happens quietly, privately, and compassionately. Where we celebrate repentance and restoration rather than relishing shame. Where we hold each other accountable, yes—but always through the lens of love.
A church that truly embodies this vision won’t be packed because someone is being shamed. It will be packed because people are coming to worship Jesus—coming for grace, for hope, for a faith that strengthens rather than terrifies, a community where everyone knows they belong, even in their brokenness.
That is the kind of church I want to see. That is the kind of Adventism we can build—rooted in love, guided by grace, and full of people who show up for Jesus, not just to watch someone fall.
It’s Giving Tuesday, December 2—and BarelyAdventist needs you. Tired of religion as a spectator sport of shame? We’re for the messy, the broken, the curious—and anyone who believes faith should restore, not humiliate. We call out harmful traditions, shine a light on the hard truths, and imagine an Adventism built on grace, not guilt. Support us on Patreon today and keep this honest, irreverent conversation alive. Head over to Adventist Today for current events updates, analysis and opinion on all things Adventist.
