I believe church discipline should start off with love and the spirit of meekness, giving the person space to repent, and then it escalating up from there.
The following are scriptures that I believe suit church discipline and illustrate good principles to use:
Matt 18:15-19.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
1Co 4:18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
1Co 4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
1Co 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1Co 4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
2Co 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
My personal opinion is that church discipline should start off with going to a person alone and with love and the spirit of meekness and using the word of God, then giving the person space to repent. After the space, if the person still hasn't chang'd, then get 1 or 2 others and go to that person with the word and then give the person space to repent again. If after this space, the person still hasn't chang'd, then take it to the church leadership to deal with him and give him space to repent. Finally, after that space, if the person still hasn't chang'd, then bring it before the whole church and let that person be like unto a heathen person and a publican.
1 Cor 5 shows how Paul dealt with one and I believe
2 Cor 2:1-10 shows Paul's admonishing the truth to re-fellowship with him. Its easy for people to rise up in judgement against those who rebel, but Paul wanted to see if they could be obedient in ALL THINGS by receiving him back, forgiving him, and showing love back to him.
Now some believe that disobedient and/or rebellious people should not be dealt with at all, but that it should be left up to God to deal with them; essentially leaving the wheat and tares to grow together until the end. However, let me remind you that the interpretation of that parable was given later and that "the field is the world". The field is the world NOT the church. The bible is very specific that part of the responsibility of the ministry is to reprove and rebuke; not to show off spiritual muscle and power and authority, but because as a watchman and shepherd, you love that sheep and know that if they continue in what they are doing, it will be harmful for them. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me - the rod is for correction.
1 Cor 5:6 and
Gal 5:9 shows that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Because Achon took an idol and hid it in his tent, thousands of God's holy people who were innocent and on the front lines lost their lives even tho they did absolutely nothing wrong. One's man's disobedience caused thousands of innocents to die at the hands of their enemies. Since they had a leader called of God to be their leader, he sought after God to reveal the root cause of the problem and it was revealed and it was taken care of and after that God's people had victory over the enemies of their souls again.
Leaven that is not dealt with in a church will cause the enemies of God's people to have victory over them. A compromising church will lose its power and become a weak church.
God wants his church to be a beacon of light and a shining example to the world where they can go and get deliverance, but a compromised church that is losing its power, loses its witness.
That is why Paul said that he turned some over to Satan to learn not to blaspheme - basically for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved - that they would learn.
If a loving mother say her little boy with a fork going towards an outlet but still far away from it, she might say with loving concern, honey don't do that you are going to hurt yourself. If the boy doesn't listen, she might raise her voice and point to him with a stern face and say, I said don't do that, you are going to hurt yourself. Finally, if the boy still persists, she might get up and smack him really hard. Why did she do these things? Because she wants to abuse her power and authority and show off her spiritual muscle? No, because she loves and cares for the little boy and knows that he will get hurt if not die - she does it for him.
So should the watchman and Pastor of the church in my opinion.
Glory to God!