The book for elders Shepherd the Flock of God (2025), Appendix A, point 35, lists “Refusal to provide for family” as a disfellowshipping offense:
- Adamant refusal to provide materially for one’s own family, leaving wife and children destitute when having the means to provide, may warrant forming a committee. (1 Tim. 5:8; lff endnote 4) The body of elders should consider the following:
(1) Despite having the means to do so, does the Christian refuse to provide for his wife and children, leaving them without the basic necessities of life? Or are other factors, such as health or financial difficulties, preventing him from providing for them? Is he doing what he reasonably can to provide them with the necessities?
(2) Has he been counseled previously? Has he had an opportunity to respond to the counsel?
(3) Does his wife have material resources so that the family is not lacking basic necessities of life?
(4) Is the family lacking the basic necessities because of their rejecting his provisions by choosing to live apart from him?
(5) When a separation is involved, to what extent is the wife responsible?
While failing to support one’s family, whether one is a husband or a wife, is a violation of several biblical principles, it is not said to be a disfellowshipping offense in the Scriptures.
The five points listed above show that this disfellowshipping offense is ambiguous, and the elders’ gut feelings will play an important role in their judgment.
