By Pastor Ryan Broadhurst
As with any change, there are, understandably, questions that arise from people wrestling with the ‘newness’ of things. When it comes to our move to weekly communion, it is certainly no different. We have members of our congregation who come from a variety of backgrounds, and some have a greater level of familiarity or comfort with weekly communion than others. Many have expressed excitement about this change and others have asked some questions along the way – which is great! I want nothing more than to help our people understand and appreciate the thoughtfulness behind this process when it comes to how we as elders are shepherding our church.
So what follows are some frequently asked questions, either from people here at Westminster, or others that I have encountered in the past. My hope is that this offers some additional insight and clarity to those who may be wondering.
- “Are we becoming ‘Catholic’?”
For some people, the only tradition they are familiar with that observes the Lord’s Supper (or Eucharist) weekly is the Catholic church, and so sometimes there’s a fear that we are headed in that direction. However, we should stop and consider that just because our Catholic friends ‘do’ certain things doesn’t immediately make those particular ‘things’ negative. Catholic churches also pray every week, sing, read the Bible, believe in the Trinity, etc. While we are unapologetically Reformed that doesn’t mean that everything we have “reformed” from is wholesale bad. Indeed, I have personally been involved with Baptist, Presbyterian, Non-denominational, and Evangelical Free churches who observed communion every single Sunday – and it was a true blessing to those congregations!
But I know for some the concern is something akin to a fear that we suddenly have an ‘overly high’ view of the sacrament of communion in a way we might say the Catholic church does. To be clear, we do not agree with Transubstantiation (that the bread/wine become the literal body/blood of Christ) nor do we believe that partaking of the Lord’s Supper is a ‘saving’ grace. But we do believe this is a holy sacrament wherein Christ is spiritually present to nourish his people in a unique and blessed way, as I’ve written in previous articles.
- “Won’t it become rote or lose its meaningfulness?”
For some people, they come from a background where they partook of communion less frequently (perhaps monthly or even quarterly) in order to make those times where they did observe it more ‘special’. However, when you stop and consider it, we don’t think the same way about other aspects of the worship service. Should we only sing, take up an offering, preach, read Scripture, etc. once per month to make it more special?
Moreover, is there ever a time where singing, responsive readings, sitting under preaching, etc becomes rote for me? Absolutely! But the problem is not with the practice itself, but rather with my own heart. Another way to think of it is this: what if I told my wife that I was concerned that kissing her was becoming ‘rote’, and I wanted to decrease our frequency of kisses in order to make them more special when they occur. How would she respond? Probably not favorably (at least I hope!). So you see, it isn’t the frequency that determines its meaningfulness. It’s the practice itself and the engagement of our own hearts in that moment as well.
- “Won’t this detract from the centrality of the preaching of the Word?”
As good Reformed Protestants, we believe that the most important thing that happens on Sunday mornings is the reading and preaching of God’s Word. For some folks, the concern is that by ending each week with communion that we may be moving towards a more “communion-centered” worship service. However, that is simply not the case. For one, Reformers such as John Calvin himself (whom none of us would charge as being ‘light on the Bible’) advocated for weekly communion practice. Additionally, we believe that the sacraments are ‘the Word made visible’. Baptism and communion are complementary, not competitive, with the preached Word. In many ways, our coming to the Table each week will be the appropriate response of our hearts in worship to how God has spoken to us once more through the Scriptures. And at the end of the day, the move to weekly communion comes from a conviction to be faithful to what the Bible teaches regarding this sacrament.
- “Doesn’t this add more time to service and more work for volunteers?”
Yes, and we are so thankful for those who are accommodating this to make it happen! We are shifting our Sunday times to 9:00am Sunday School and 10:30am Worship Service starting in 2024. This will help us still end at approximately the same time each Sunday as we already have been, plus it gives us more time to go from Sunday School to Worship each week.
We realize this takes an adjustment, but we believe it will ultimately benefit our church in multiple ways. And what an incredible opportunity for more folks to serve Christ’s body (the church) by serving “Christ’s body” in preparing communion each Sunday. If you’re not currently serving and could help out in preparing the elements, talk to one of our deacons today!
- “What does it mean to partake in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27)?”
Sometimes, Christians with sensitive consciences are concerned they may need to refrain from taking communion because they may not be coming in a “worthy manner” per the warning in 1 Corinthians 11. However, generally speaking – those who are actually partaking in an “unworthy manner” are not even worried about whether they are or not! The problem we see with the Corinthian church was that they were coming to the Table only concerned about themselves – completely self-centered and navel-gazing. They lacked concern for their brothers and sisters and reverence towards Christ. Thus the Apostle Paul says, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” – 1 Corinthians 11:28
But notice, Paul’s warning is not that if you had a little extra sin in your life this week you shouldn’t take communion. It’s that if you’re coming to the Table and you are trusting in your OWN righteousness, then you are not worthy. That’s why he says, “But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.” – 1 Corinthians 11:31 So you see, this is a meal for those who come with repentant hearts that are looking to Christ alone as their Redeemer. If someone is “full” on either their sin OR their self-righteousness, they are unrepentant and unworthy of this meal.
The Lord’s Supper is not a “cookie for good behavior”, friends. It isn’t your “reward” for resisting sin this past week. It’s a victory meal that Christ has won and prepared for you in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5) – Satan, Sin, and death! Indeed, for those of us who belong to Christ, he promises to use this to strengthen us in the temptations and spiritual battles we face. So, may we not quickly refuse the very means God has given us to grow by his grace! For all who humbly and contritely look to Him by faith… you are MADE worthy in Jesus. Eat, drink, and be merry, for yesterday you were dead!
Let me also point out that this is one of the reasons we do not permit children to come to the Table until they have been welcomed as “communing members”. We require them to give a credible profession of faith, and be examined by our elders in that regard. That is because we do believe the ability to “examine ourselves” is important, and we do not want them to “eat and drink judgment upon themselves” as Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 11:28-9. So we do not practice what is often called “paedo-communion”.
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