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This comes from our church's Sunday morning service last week. Our Pastor for the first time in 7 years decided to restrict the Lord's Supper to just official church membership, leaving about a third to half of those in attendance to watch and unable to participate.
His reasoning was that he felt God wanted him to make this change to protect the fellowship of the membership.
As background, the church has lost a lot of membership in the last few years, and is down to about a total of 36 voting members. On any given Sunday, church attendance is about 30-40 persons. Most of them are members, or newer fairly regular attenders. Maybe 20 member to 10 regular attenders.
Although he had his reasoning (protect fellowship of the church), his actions seem to be harming the fellowship by driving a wedge between members and non members. It created some animosity and hurt feelings, which are lingering.
I know many churches do restrict the Lord's Supper, so I think the surprise here is that it was a change in his policy, and he also did it during the Sunday AM service, which is most likely to have new people, hoppers, church shoppers, and regular attenders who have not officially joined.
How does your church handle it? How do you feel a church should handle it?
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 speaks about the Lord's Supper.
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Some pastors/churches want to be certain partakers first understand exactly what the Lord's Supper is. My pastor asks that newcomers talk to him before partaking. I don't see anything wrong with that.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 speaks about the Lord's Supper.
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Some pastors/churches want to be certain partakers first understand exactly what the Lord's Supper is. My pastor asks that newcomers talk to him before partaking. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I agree with following Scripture and NOT man's ways. I think your pastor is wrong on this one. Perhaps you as a member need to go to him and in a loving way remind him that it is Scripture we follow and not man. If he does not listen then you need to go him with others (who agree and will stand with you.) If he then you (and the others) need to go the board. (Are there others willing to stand with you?)
Your pastor is the shepherd of this flock BUT he cannot decide who can and cannot partake in communion. That is between the person and the Lord. (Your pastor will one day stand in front of the Lord and be held accountable. Not only for what he did but for what he did NOT do. He carries a heavy burden.)
Although, I have not given Scriptural references, all I have written, is Scriptural.
In my church, we don't go up before the congregation to receive the Lord's Supper. Instead, it's passed to the members of the congregation by Deacons. You'd practically have to be sitting right next to someone who didn't participate to even be aware that he or she hadn't. I have heard our Bishop announce that "the Sacrament [i.e. the Lord's Supper] will now be passed to members of the Church," but this doesn't generally happen. Most of the time there is no mention of who should or should not participate. Since we see it as the time we renew our baptismal covenants with Jesus Christ, it would stand to reason that you can't renew a covenant you've never made. Still, unbaptized children (we baptize at the age of 8) generally participate, and I don't believe anyone would ever be made to feel that it's an absolute "no-no" to participate, even if he or she was not a member of the Church.
When I was a member of the Church of Christ, communion was handled almost identical to the way Katzpur describes. There was a little description of the manner in which one should enter into communion and a communion meditation and then whoever felt inclined to do so, were welcome as the trays were passed down each pew.
Could there be an economic reason for not allowing non members to participate? Or perhaps to put pressure on them to 'officially' join that church? Our church never had one have to 'join'. Upon baptism unless they were visiting from another city or it was clear that the person wasn't interested in church membership, the person was considered a member of the body of Christ and anyone of any denomination could partake.
I make no judgment upon a congregation restricting participation. They obviously feel they have scriptural grounds.
This comes from our church's Sunday morning service last week. Our Pastor for the first time in 7 years decided to restrict the Lord's Supper to just official church membership, leaving about a third to half of those in attendance to watch and unable to participate.
His reasoning was that he felt God wanted him to make this change to protect the fellowship of the membership.
As background, the church has lost a lot of membership in the last few years, and is down to about a total of 36 voting members. On any given Sunday, church attendance is about 30-40 persons. Most of them are members, or newer fairly regular attenders. Maybe 20 member to 10 regular attenders.
Although he had his reasoning (protect fellowship of the church), his actions seem to be harming the fellowship by driving a wedge between members and non members. It created some animosity and hurt feelings, which are lingering.
I know many churches do restrict the Lord's Supper, so I think the surprise here is that it was a change in his policy, and he also did it during the Sunday AM service, which is most likely to have new people, hoppers, church shoppers, and regular attenders who have not officially joined.
How does your church handle it? How do you feel a church should handle it?
You know to be quite honest, if there is division among members, it really is nothing that should be blamed on the pastor. While I do not go to any church that would limit expression to the Lord to only members in the first place I have to wonder why there is division.
Members should refuse to partake of it themselves in respect to the others if this is a bad idea. However it is likely that peoples true character is being revealed here and the pastor is a great scapegoat.
Some Church's may have these doctrines that are not scriptural but that is their business ..... It is best to bless them , join their church ..... You may have to leave the church and find a better church down the road if you do not like being rejected , or people rejecting your salvation .... But if you stay or leave the church , to the Lord it is best to bless them in your heart to the Lord and take no offence.......
1COR 11:28 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." The only obligation that a paster has is to instruct them in this truth and let the participant examine themselves. The Paster should not make predetermined judgments or any judgments except what has been instructed by the Word. To do otherwise will bring needless divisions. Only God knows the heart.
His reasoning was that he felt God wanted him to make this change to protect the fellowship of the membership.
As background, the church has lost a lot of membership in the last few years, and is down to about a total of 36 voting members. On any given Sunday, church attendance is about 30-40 persons. Most of them are members, or newer fairly regular attenders. Maybe 20 member to 10 regular attenders.
No surprise seeing what the Pastor's felt what God wanted
The Lord's supper is limited to the Body of Christ, not to official church building members. So says the Bible.
My home church and the other church where I play worship music only restricts communion to believers in Christ.
Last edited by Mr5150; 12-06-2011 at 08:27 PM..
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