A Sea Of Red

I come from a different church background, and so I have a different outlook on this, but, I have to ask...

How does everyone feel about communion?

I have a lot to say on this but I would like to see what other people have to say.

What do you want to know?

What it means to you personally, how often it should be taken, what it IS (transubstantiation, etc.)...

Things like that.

I think it's something we don't take nearly as serious as we should. It is something that is very sacred, and we are to examine ourselves before we take it be sure that we in one accord with Christ. As far as how often, I don’t have a particular stand on that: monthly may be too often, yearly too seldom, every other month seems about right.

I see, I will bring my stance later once I get a good amount of time to hit the Good Book, to get all my reasons for what I believe.

Why do I now anticipate shots being lobbed back and forth over transubstantiation and eternal security?

I am not sure what side you think I am coming from, but I do disagree with a few of the things Mr. Manson brought up.

You've given some hints in the past that indicate your background. Hence my last post ...

I know, I was playing dumb.

Here's the verse I was looking for:

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27).

I agree with that, but why should we not take it often? The church in Acts broke bread every time they met while studying the teachings of the Apostles. Why then should we not do the same?

I think we put TOO much "religion" into communion. It is a time of fellowship with man in accordance to His command. Sure, it is supposed to be meaningful, but meaningful doesn't mean we only do it once a year so it doesn't lose it's meaning.

If you are truly saved and a believer, you should constantly want to be in fellowship with Christ and with other believers. I think that every time we meet, in a gathering of believers to learn about the Word of God, that it would be appropriate to take communion. This would include Bible Studies, Prayer Groups on campus, church services. I think that since it is what the early church did, we should do it.

I think we get a little too Catholicized when it comes to Communion. We need to take it for what it is, a celebration of the life and death of our Savior.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2.

I haven't had communion but once in over 2 years, since I have been attending Baptist, Church of God, and "Relevant" churches, and I really miss it. I thought about it today, and realized I probably need to change that myself, since I won't get much help around here.

And here is a good article that better depicts m side of this story...

http://www.restorationunity.com/content/view/132/29/

Ahh, Stone-Campbell. How I love thee.

Communion and "breaking bread" are 2 different things.

jcmanson wrote:Communion and "breaking bread" are 2 different things.

Breaking of bread was exactly how Jesus commanded for the bread portion of the communion to take place, and therefore can be considered a reference, if in context, to communion.

Breaking of bread, in verse 42, is in the context of an act of worship (studying the teachings of the Apostles). This would imply it is more than just eating.

Why not washing each other feet every time you meet

4everfsu wrote:Why not washing each other feet every time you meet

I know what you are trying to say, and that it is sort of a joke, but that is CLEARLY a cultural thing....

Communion is meant to be a remembrance of Christ's death for us. It's us really mediating on what He did on the cross.

Personally? I think we should be doing that every Sunday. I'm all for communion every week. I think it's an important part of the life of a Christian that gets neglected. "Oh, it's the last Sunday of the quarter -- time to haul out the grape juice again." Call that reverence? I don't. We worry that it will turn into a ritual -- but we follow the same order of service every week in our Baptist churches, and don't call that a ritual or a liturgy. Try changing the order of the service sometime, and see what kind of reaction you get.

Of course, I've been called a "high church" Baptist anyway, so there you go. I think a little ceremony and pomp in our worship might actually remind us of how majestic God is.

Glad to see one of the board's pastors weigh in. I'd love to hear from more.

phoenix wrote:Communion is meant to be a remembrance of Christ's death for us. It's us really mediating on what He did on the cross.

Personally? I think we should be doing that every Sunday. I'm all for communion every week. I think it's an important part of the life of a Christian that gets neglected. "Oh, it's the last Sunday of the quarter -- time to haul out the grape juice again." Call that reverence? I don't. We worry that it will turn into a ritual -- but we follow the same order of service every week in our Baptist churches, and don't call that a ritual or a liturgy. Try changing the order of the service sometime, and see what kind of reaction you get.

Of course, I've been called a "high church" Baptist anyway, so there you go. I think a little ceremony and pomp in our worship might actually remind us of how majestic God is.

ToTheLeft wrote: I think we get a little too Catholicized when it comes to Communion.

I know what you're trying to say, but don't they take it once a week? That beats most traditional Baptist churches.

LUconn wrote:

ToTheLeft wrote: I think we get a little too Catholicized when it comes to Communion.

I know what you're trying to say, but don't they take it once a week? That beats most traditional Baptist churches.

Yes, what you know I am trying to say was my point. Not Frequency, but mindset.

phoenix wrote:Communion is meant to be a remembrance of Christ's death for us. It's us really mediating on what He did on the cross.

Personally? I think we should be doing that every Sunday. I'm all for communion every week. I think it's an important part of the life of a Christian that gets neglected. "Oh, it's the last Sunday of the quarter -- time to haul out the grape juice again." Call that reverence? I don't. We worry that it will turn into a ritual -- but we follow the same order of service every week in our Baptist churches, and don't call that a ritual or a liturgy. Try changing the order of the service sometime, and see what kind of reaction you get.

Of course, I've been called a "high church" Baptist anyway, so there you go. I think a little ceremony and pomp in our worship might actually remind us of how majestic God is.

Well said phoenix