What Is Adjudication?

Pastor Eric is in Phoenix, AZ this week to participate in an Adjudication Training Conference. In cooperation with Ambassadors of Reconciliation, our denomination is equipping pastors to serve as adjudicators.

What is an adjudicator?

Adjudicators serve as judges, making decisions on behalf of the parties. They cannot make decisions on relationship issues such as confession, forgiveness, and love. An adjudicator is limited to making decisions only on substantive issues.

Why do churches need adjudicators?

Adjudication provides a private, God-honoring alternative for Christians seeking a just decision on matters of dispute with another Christian. This process can protect relationships and protect the church's gospel witness.

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!  (1 Corinthians 6:1-8 ESV)