Matthew 18:15-20 “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
It is right for scriptural New Testament local churches to have discipline for their members. Following the discipline described in the Bible will prevent church members from hurting each other and/or ruining the testimony of the church. However, church leaders should be careful to not do even greater damage to believers and to the church through an unwise course of action. For example, controversies and sins which are not widely known should be dealt with in private and not taken before the whole church. This passage teaches that a member should be taken before the whole church only when that member has done serious wrong and is incorrigible and refuses to repent.