Last week at youth group some of the guys commented how they felt a bit under the spotlight if they didn’t take communion on a Sunday morning. This is especially so if the person introducing it says something along the lines of ‘if you have unresolved sin then feel free not to take the communion’!
So, it occurs to me that communion has the same root as community and as such is surely something to do with unity and inclusivity within the church. So perhaps we should consider having communion (having community) rather than merely taking communion?
In our rush to take communion aren’t we alienating people?
Sure communion is for people who believe what it is about – Jesus’ death – and as such is obviously not appropriate for ye olde evangelism evente. But hang on, most Sunday morning church these days is open to seekers (et al). So why, in the face of not having communion do we insist on taking
communion?
I wonder if there is a basis for inclusive communion regardless of faith position
Yeah, to be honest I went on my own historic understanding of who communion is for and didn’t really examine that point. However, I would have to be persuaded of your case!…
I’m not a ‘church is everyone’ kind of guy! 🙂
I guess it depends on whether we see people being ‘saved’ as crossing a definate line, or as a gradual discovering of themselves and of God. I tend to see communion more as a meal with Jesus and one another rather than a big holy, liturgical exclusive thing. Surely anyone who acknowledges the possibility of God and wants to be part of a community should be welcome to join us in this?
Great point about the progression. I imagine that this relates a bit to ‘who is part of the church’. In my mind church is the ‘body of Christ’ – as in people who are choosing to follow Christ. It is more the direction people are headed than where they are at. But we know that there will be ‘weeds’ within the church. I wouldn’t want to take communion with someone who I know is deliberately rejecting Christ… just like I wouldn’t have intimate fellowship with someone who acts as if they are deliberately rejecting Christ.
The great thing is that we don’t need to get hung up with theological points on this, rather we can just focus on being friends to people and treating them as they should be treated.
But would someone who was deliberately rejecting Christ want to have communion with us?
As per original post – there is a lot of pressure on people to take communion.