Are there limitations on who can serve communion? - Some denominations and brotherhoods try to restrict who is allowed to administer the communion service. I encountered this as a Pastor of a United Church of Christ congregation. The congregation had called me to serve as their minister even though my education and ordination was through another group. However, a denominational committee had to supposedly give their approval for me to serve the sacrament of communion. The committee reluctantly agreed to me being the pastor. However, I was instructed NOT to serve communion. The congregational leadership decided that they were the ones who called me, and their desires trumped those of the denomination. From a Biblical point of view I see no restriction on who can serve or oversee communion. In fact communion was a part of corporate worship, but is more a personal act between a person and God. There are instructions concerning preparing to receive communion.
How does one prepare to partake of communion? - I Corinthians 11:28 and 29 read, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.” (NKJV). Albert Barnes in his notes on the New testament write, “Let him search and see if he have the proper qualifications--if he has knowledge to discern the Lord's body, if he has true repentance for his sins, true faith in the Lord Jesus, and a sincere desire to live the life of a Christian, and to be like the Son of God, and be saved by the merits of his blood. Let him examine himself, and see whether he have the right feelings of a communicant, and can approach the table in a proper manner. In regard to this we may observe,”. John Wesley adds, “Whether he know the nature and the design of the institution, and whether it be his own desire and purpose thoroughly to comply therewith.”.
Are there grounds for not serving communion to a person? - I encountered this question while serving communion to the shut-ins of a congregation in Arkansas. One particular woman was over 100 years of age, but also suffered from dementia. When offered the bread and the cup she thought we were giving her another pill and some medicinal concoction. She did not recognize it as having anything to do with the Lord’s body or blood. At the other end of the age spectrum, I have watched as children would partake thinking it was “snack time”. They had no idea what the loaf and cup truly commemorated. Parents, or other adults, can use this as a teachable moment to introduce the child to Christ and His sacrifice.
If you can think of any other questions concerning communion feel free to put them in the comment section or e mail them to me.
Dr. Oberg
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We had a young family that permitted their child (about 4 at the time) to partake of the Supper. I considered what they might be doing as teaching participation in something not yet understood (like singing hymns without understanding some of the words) but something ingrained early to be explained later.
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