There is nothing magical about communion. When we receive the Lords Supper in pews it is easier to be very private and individualistic. Granted, weekly communion is not commanded in Scripture, but consider the few biblical hints that we have regarding early church practice. If, however, we are sitting at tables looking at one another and participating in communion as at a meal, then it is much harder to ignore the command to be reconciled first. . We are refusing to give it to those who desire it. However, some dont think so, and it will therefore be helpful to address common objections to weekly communion. Yet they were about to come and take him by force to make him king (John 6:15). For one reason or another, many Catholics don't feel the need to go to Confession. What we have here are some suggestions that the Lords Supper was probably weekly in the early church, perhaps daily at first. Then they may begin to want to have that extra blessing every week. I am a proponent of weekly communion, and would argue that your arguments in points one and three can be equally well applied to infrequent communion. This gift directly connects the baptized to the central miracle of human history, the sacrificial death and the resurrection of the Son of God (Rom. There was a long period where many Anglican churches didnt have communion every Sunday. If not, why not? And, as mentioned above, with weekly communion we have the opportunity to explain how, in this meal, our faith is fed by the spiritual realities represented in the bread and cup. These greater works magnify Jesus presence in the proclamation of His Gospel throughout the world. I am inclined to think that communion is served basically for sentimental reasons: because it seems right and appropriate. But in any case, if it is preparation of your heart that you are really concerned about, shouldnt you want to be pushed to it more frequently rather than less? The ultimate reason behind this decision is our understanding of the meaning and significance of this meal. If communion is just me and Jesus, then we can ignore the need to become reconciled. The Lords Supper is simply the sealing climax of the covenant renewal that takes place on the Day of the Lord (the Lords Day). A typical argument against this idea is, If we do this so often it will become less meaningful. At first this has the appearance of wisdom; but with just a little pondering the illusion fades. 2. It is common during a communion celebration that pastors say the bread is Jesus body, broken for you. But is broken the correct word to use? It shows a lack of understanding of communion to have it on Christmas Eve, at some kind of mid-week service, or at any time other than when the covenant community is assembled for covenant renewal. In other words, as the concern is sometimes expressed, observing communion weekly will make it less special or significant. Editors note: A fuller version of my argument in the broader context of the practice of communion can be found in The Lords Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes (B&H, 2011), ed. I believe 1 Corinthians 11:17-31 answers these questions. We know that Gods Word is too important to our faith for that. Rite Reasons, Studies in Worship, No. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. In a day seemingly interested merely in Our Best Life Now, do we not regularly need the Christ-ordained means of reminding us of the Lords return and the wedding feast of the Lamb? Ive even heard an elder proclaim the Gospel proclaimed is not sufficient without the sacrament of communion. A while back a friend told me that his church had finally introduced weekly communion. Certainly it can be misused, and there has been no shortage of superstitious abuses in the history of the church, but this is not a matter of frequency, and the difference between practicing it weekly, or every other week, or monthly, will make no difference in this regard. There is nothing more freeing and joy-filled for the week ahead. For one thing, you never see any kind of covenant renewal meal in the Bible celebrated privately, or in a highly privatized manner. Some also say we can better appreciate communion when we set aside only certain Sundays for it and on those days focus directly on communion. I love it so much, it would be strange now to not have that wonderful blessing each week. Some doubt that this can be done well. Verse 22 says that we have houses to eat and drink in. At most this is a pattern, not exactly a command. i would argue: The Elders are responsible for making sure that their flock is personally and spiritually able to take communion as the defenders of the table. This passage is 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. There have been churches in the modern era who have gone to great lengths to remove anything churchy from their services. We have no intention, in this transition to weekly communion, to limit the role of preaching in our services. This was the reason why most lay people did not receive communion during the Middle Ages. What Jesus bestowed as the New Testament in His blood is holy food. . Evangelistic proclamation. Special counsel blasts Trump's bid to delay documents trial until 2024 election Federal prosecutors said Trump should not be allowed to use "baseless" legal arguments to delay his trial. Last, communion at the close of each service has a way of tying the service to the gospel. On the one hand, it seems to assume there is not an equal necessity of preparing our hearts to hear the Word, but there is. Tagged: Communion, Weekly Communion, Sacraments. Confident Protestantism worth its salt does not require Roman Catholicism as a foil. One of the stages of discipline in many Reformed churches is suspension Having come to Anglicanism from a mainline once-a-month-communion denomination, we too, now find ourselves feeling starved spiritually when we miss church, or are out of town and visiting a church without communion. IDENTIFICATION WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD. To be consistent, any argument against weekly communion would be an equally valid argument against weekly hymn singing, weekly preaching, etc. World Communion Sunday Grace Were Amazing. We can be sure that God knows all about the sickness, and that the sick person is not missing out on any special blessing by being absent for a Sunday or two. Mar 10, 2016 communion frequency the lords supper Not open for further replies. 1280720 229. The evangelicals take communion to the sick because they have communion only four times a year and it is a shame for a person to miss out on this extra just because he/she is sick. Already in Acts 2:42, we see communion listed as a central piece of Christian worship. But for the sake of our of our neighbor who feels a deep need it is best we allow Christ to serve us with all His gifts as He desires. First, it is never given as an argument against weekly preaching, or weekly prayer, or song. However, if we refuse to offer it, then we are making it a law. What was in these peoples minds? Sometimes, weekly worship and the weekly sermon may feel ordinary. In fact, I personally want to receive weekly communion as an additional proclamation of Gods grace for me in order to startle my sleepy heart all the more! Because it was not instrumental to something else, like strengthened faith, but was itself a participation in the End. May it be so, for Jesus sake! If they still get bored, consider that the worship of God, and the communion of the body of Christ with its head, does not exist for your childs entertainment and amusement. This practice is not directly commanded in Scripture, so I am not accusing others of sin. The apostles proclaimed its miraculous power as a washing for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), a gift that clothes one with Christ (Gal. wine for our spiritual nourishment is as necessary as the frequent partaking of food for our physical Might not the Bride be more pure if regularly reminded of the coming wedding? upcoming week. Any of these things can become rote or seem mundane. Bible & Theology Three Arguments for Weekly Communion April 18, 2012 | Ray Van Neste Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash Editors' note: Weekly communion may be standard in Anglican churches, but it's become a badge of honor in a growing number of Presbyterian and Baptist churches. Thus, it will be argued, we can have voluntary communions at times other than at the central, core covenant renewal ceremony of the entire assembly. In Acts 2:42-46, it seems implied that communion was first practiced daily by the early believers. View. always brought back to the fundamentals: the death and resurrection of Christ. When we teach that the Holy Supper is of supreme importance and thus we must observe it weekly, we are turning it into a work. Seven Arguments Against Weekly CommunionRefuted, Book Review: Beyond Authority and Submission (Miller), A Christmas Devotion from IsaiahUzziah, Ahaz, and King Jesus. View. Self-righteousness in High Church ministers have, and continue to use communion to punish and divide parishioners. Frequency is not the culprit here. . Even here, however, the focus in the traditional Reformed services is on individual self-examination and individual participation. This meeting of heaven with earth in the flesh of Jesus is so very uncommon (LSB639:3). Reformation Zion PublishingKnowingScripture.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In a sense, every day is a potential Lords Day, and if the Church is in a season of distress and can only meet late at night on Thursdays, then that occasion becomes the Lords Day. This just is not compelling to me. Through these decades, most congregations increased offering the full Divine Service to at least twice a month. :-) Great article by the way! Regardless of the sermon text or topic, the congregation is They did not view communion as part of the covenant renewal, or they would have participated in the entire service. (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. There is no extra blessing in communion. Weekly communion will only lengthen our services and weigh heavy on the childrens ministry volunteers. These are genuine covenant communities. What changes is its nature. They might be confused by it. Perhaps the Assoc Pastor,needs more training. But as I read through the comments from the first four articles it seems to me that some are misunderstanding what Pastor Wieting is saying. Additionally, this sentiment is nearly guaranteed when the Sacrament is mistakenly understood as our work. The wording suggests that each of these activities occurred when they gathered. Considerations Regarding Weekly Communion T. David Gordon The following brief sketch includes four parts: historical considerations, theological and exegetical considerations, arguments adduced against weekly communion, and practical considerations.
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