Communion

[Joseph Patrick]

From Gerry Milligan...I recently had a conversation with a person who knows quite a bit more about the Bible than I do (most of those who are alive fall into this category). This person challenged my beliefs as to who could take the Lord's Supper. I am vaguely familiar with close, closed and open communion, all of which are traditionally reserved for born again believers. The person with whom I was discussing asked why is it reserved only for born again believers. Not being the Bible scholar that I should be, I could not answer this challenge. I have tried to get the answer from the Bible using several search engines but have not found an answer. What do you know about this? Is it clear from the Bible that the Lord's Supper is for any and all, or only for those born again?

[Sandy]

1 Cor. 11:26-29, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly."

Lots of room for interpreting "in an unworthy manner" and "examine himself." So what makes one "worthy," since no one apart from Christ is?

[Haruo]

[Dave Roberts]

In the small church past of Baptists, the restriction of communion was part of the discipline of the church to keep members in line under community norms for that area. Then communion was parceled out to those in the local congregation considered worthy. The Baptist roots of this were in the Landmark Movement of J. R. Graves and C. M. Pendleton on the western frontiers in KY and TN. The actual roots are probably in Catholicism where the denial of eucharist was a way to imperil someone's salvation. Baptists have actually practiced four forms of communion practice: local church members only, Baptists only, Christians who have professed Christ, and Open.

[Rvaughn]

[Rvaughn]

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

OK, count this for what its worth coming from a Methodist, but we have completely open communion, including if a non-believer wanted to commune. The reason being that John Wesley believe that someone, by being invited to the table to meet Christ, might be converted at the table.

That being said, I basically followed the same policy (without Wesley's input) when I was an American Baptist. We were open communion and welcomed all to Christ's table at all the ABC churches I pastored.

[Dave Roberts]

My reference to "open communion" meant that it is served without direct reference to qualifications.

[Haruo]

Most non-Catholic communion services I have attended have been pretty open to whoever is present and wishes to partake. Christ is the one doing the inviting, generally. Maybe even in the LDS Sacrament service (bread and water!), I don't recall the words of institution there, but the elements were served to all and sundry, Mrs H and me included.

[Tim Bonney]

[Jon Estes]

I would not dare stop someone in our service from participating. They would all end up at Timothy’s church.

THis is between the individual and God and I’m not God so I leave it to Him to deal with.

[Tim Bonney]

[Lamar Wadsworth]

Two women profoundly shaped my understanding of the Lord's supper. One was a young woman named Judy about 30 years ago when I was pastor of Unity Baptist Church in Dalton GA. Following a communion service, she lingered to speak to me after the others left. Tears were running down her face. She said, "I hope I didn't do something wrong, but you did say (she quoted my words of invitation to the table). I do love Jesus, He has forgiven my sins, and I want to follow Him, so when the trays were passed, I took communion." I told her that she did the right thing. A smile broke across her face, followed by beautiful holy laughter. "I guess that means I need to be baptized." I told her "I guess it does." Not realizing that she didn't know how to do evangelism, she led her 11 year old daughter to faith in Christ that afternoon, and I baptized both of them that night.

The other woman was our oldest daughter Linda who was 18 when she held my feet to the fire and told me exactly how it made her feel to see only men serve communion. I will never lead another communion service where women are excluded from serving the bread and the cup.