 | Dr. John Click, has been the Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church for 27 years now he is the pastor emeritus. He’s a graduate of Baylor University with a BA and Southwestern Seminary with a BD. He received his DMin at Midwestern Seminary. He has served in numerous positions in the Southern Baptist Convention, including: President of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention, Executive Committee of SBC, North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, and Houston Baptist University Board. He has traveled to preach in Europe, Central and South America and the Far East. Dr. Click is the founder and first President of Harvest Communications, which is a TV production company specializing in producing teaching materials for Para- Church organizations. You may contact him for comments or questions by e-mail at: Jcclick99@aol.com. |
Religion
2009-10-01 09:07:00
How often should one receive communion?
Question: My question is about taking the Lord’s Supper (communion). In 1 Cor 11:23-26 St. Paul quotes Jesus: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Does this mean to do it “often,” or “as often as you do it?” I am aware that Catholics are encouraged to take communion daily, Christian churches weekly, Baptists only every three months, and some churches take it rarely or never. I would appreciate your insight on what this Scripture really means.
Answer: The reason that churches celebrate the Lord‘s Supper at various times is simply because the Bible does not clearly instruct us to do this at any exact times. The examples in the Scriptures seem to vary, as your examples illustrate well: “Whenever you drink...”As often as you eat this...” Apparently from the first, the Believers celebrated this Supper at various times...whenever appropriate and/or convenient. There was much freedom. Now, most Christians accept their church’s times and usually celebrate the Lord’s Supper only with and at their Church. Have you ever had this Supper anywhere else or with other Christians? Many people feel that it “cheapens” this worship activity to have it apart from the Church. I remember hearing about a group of Marines celebrating the Lord’s Supper on the shore of a Pacific Island. I thought that was great.
My opinion is that most Christians take the Lord’s Supper too seldom. If done with proper worshipful attitude, they should be celebrating The Supper more often and in more places, especially in their homes. The Father then acts as the spiritual leader of his family, a role too often lacking. “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship; to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:24.
