How Often Should Christians Celebrate Communion?
I’ve been in churches that do it every week and others almost never. They all have their reasons, but there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on how often we should celebrate the Lord’s supper.
How often do you think Christians should celebrate communion?
We take communion every Sunday because the early Christians were breaking bread on the first day of the week I believe in 1 Corinthians.
do in remembrance of Him. 2Corin.11:23-26
For more than 50 years of serving as a pastor, I served churches that observed the Lord’s Supper the first Sunday of each month, and others the first Sunday of the quarter, or every 5th Sunday. My belief is that we must observe it often enough to make it a vital part of our ongoing worship services, but not so often that it becomes merely ritual. Too often can cause the people to lose it’s real meaning, and observing it so seldom can cause us to forget what it is all about. If we neglect to observe the Lord’s Supper we are in direct disobedience to Christ. His command to us is “do this, AS OFTEN as you do it, in remembrance of me”. No frequency of times is indicated in Scripture.
The frequency is not so important as the reason for taking Communion. It is important as a corporate reminder of what Jesus has done for us on the cross but it is not a means to Salvation. Communion does not make us and keep us Christians. That is Gods work through Christ and by the Holy Spirit.
I have found by reading scripture that every day was a day of Communion. Look at the things they ate, all were for the keeping of the Holy Temple which God gave us (our bodies). So i believe that everything we eat and drink should remind us of what Christ has done for us. As well as everything we do and say. Amen
We worship Holy Communion each Sunday after the pastor’s message eating bread and drinking grape juice. We believe that Communion can and is done when believers have fellowship around a table. We believe that the reason for Communion is to remember what Christ did for us on the cross and asking Him to forgive us for our sins.
Each Lords day, if we think observing it too often it would lose its significance then lets only take an offering once a month, or lets only have a sermon on the fifth Sunday or maybe only sing hymns twice a year. Compacency is not caused by frequency it is cause by little love.
I belong to a wonderful bible study church. Palo Cedro Community Church. We have communion the first Sunday of each month. Once a month is wonderful. It gives time to internalize the wonderful moment with Jesus and what communion means to the individual, not just going through the motion of the event.
daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The New Testament affirms as fact that our first century brothers and sisters in Christ took the Lord’s Supper (communion) each Lord’s Day (the first day of each week). Those that desire to take the communion on some other basis do so based, not on the Bible, but on their own invented thoughts as to how frequently would be appropriate. I am always amazed at those “churches” that take the Lord’s Supper less often than once a week because they say it might lose its significance and degenerate into a ritual, however have no thought of only taking an offering once a quarter or every fifth Sunday, but instead take it weekly. Inconsistency? Of course. But when you invent your own religion . . . ?
In Acts chapter 2 when the New Teastament church began- we can see the example of the christians there partaking of the Lord’s Supper verse 42.
In Acts 20:7 the christians were gather on the first day of the week, just as in Acts 2 to break bread (Lord’s Supper). These are just two verses that show that the Lord’s Supper is to be taken on the 1st day of the week. How often is to be answered by a question. How many weeks have a first day? Also we can return back to the Old testament to see that when God commanded Israel to keep the sabbath day holy, there is no question that he meant every sabbath. Hope this helps to rightly divided God’s word. 2Tim.2:15
As often as we can because there is so much in the remembrance that we need to know. The eating of His body and drinking of His blood has a tremendous implications in our lives as believers. The manna was given to the people of Israel and they were told to get only what they need each day. Our daily dependence on Him for our spiritual sufficiency is implied in that story.The eating and drinking of his body and of His blood tells us of our purpose in being adopted in Him and that is to proclaim Him. What we eat and drink in the natural comes out of our body and tells of those what we have taken in into our bodies. Similarly, if we daily feed on Him, He will surely be visible in our being. Praise God the Life that He has given us in His name.
God asked Moses to celebrate the Passover yearly once, to commemorate the Deliverance from Egypt. Jesus replaced it to the Church to commemorate His Death and Resurrection until His return. As He has not mentioned the time and it is more holy and special from the regular prayer, I feel it’s better and convenient to celebrate the Communion monthly in Sunday’s worship.
Thank you, Isaac(India)
I grew up in the Church of Christ, though now I attend a non-denominational church. Corporately, we celebrate communion once a month. My family still observes it every Sunday, through elements provided for those who wish to do so. We gather as a family, off to the side, in a circle. My father leads us in a heartfelt prayer. Sometimes we add a phrase or two. We’ve celebrated it in the middle of the week in our homes. Communion is one of the most important memories from my childhood. So, I will say I agree with the ‘It’s not when, or how often. It’s why.’
We need to take part in communion whenever we gather together as a local church.We need not have communion when only part of the church gathers ,like youth meeting outreach meeting etc
A person should receive Communion at least once a week (preferable at Mass on Sunday). Being Catholic, the church celebrates Mass a couple of times a day throughout the week and I find that receiving Communion during the week is a way to get spiritually replenished whenever I need it.
Well said, Stuart: “The frequency is not so important as the reason….” I think no matter how frequently or infrequently we take communion, each of us has the capacity to fall into the trap of “going through the motions”. Whenever I take communion, I do my best to think very deeply on what I am doing and what it represents.
“As oft as you eat of and drink of…” suggests to me just that — no particular demands other than that WHEN we do, we are to do so in MEMORY of HE who instituted the rite in the first place—each time!
Personally, my wife and I recently finished a season where we began each day with prayer and communion. It drew us significantly closer to one another besides increasing our intimacy with the Father. I highly recommend sharing communion in fellowship since that is where it was instituted (not that you couldn’t take communion by yourself).
I suggest that you go to a concordance and look under the first day of the week. You will never find communion being taken. “Breaking bread” was talking about taking a meal together. The phrase was used a lot in this country until the recent past, and I still hear people use it occasionally. The Lord died at the exact time of the Passover, and that is when He instituted the change to the bread and the wine. The Passover is the “Lord’s Supper” just like the sabbath is the “Lord’s Day”. As often as you keep it is once a year as it states in Leviticus that is is an ordinance for God’s people “forever”. One day, in the Kingdom of God we will all keep it together with HIM.
Right on, Gerald. I agree. That is the only biblical answer I’ve read.
the night in which Jesus was betrayed, He broke the bread and drank the cup and told the twelve with Him – that as often as they did that – to do it in remembrnace of Him…. It wasn’t the wine and bread that were the issue, but being broken bread and drinking the cup of suffering, and in THAT we are in communion with Him…. That was a one-time deal that He used as an example, and it’s too bad we have ever done it again… The act was symbolic of our call as Christians when we choose to follow Him… and not intended to be a ‘bread and wine’ commercial break during church….
Act 20:7 said the disciple came together the first day of the week and broke bread, we should follow their examples.
The church I am attending celebrates communion every Sunday morning. I know WHY they do it but I have had a problem settling my spirit enough after fighting traffic to get there in time. I take the command to discern our sins and take this seriously…as many “sleep” who do not. I know it it MY problem, I am just sharing my personal experience with every service communion and wanting to be spiritually prepared to discern my sins and my Lord’s great sacrifice.
as for me communion should be celebrated as often as the church has a gathering. ” John 6: 51, ” I am the living bread which came down from heaven , if any man eat of this bread , he shall live forever and the bread that i will give is my flesh which i will give for the life of the world. ” and ” Corinthians 11: 26 ” For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death ’till he comes. ”
As a christian we need to do the remembrance which he gave us in the last suffer, to remind ourselves the death of Jesus Christ. although we are not pastors and priest, we ought to share each other why there is a communion, some people does not know why they are taking it thats why many people take it in a wrong way.
Jesus also required footwashing at the Passover meal with His disciples. He put a great emphasis on it there, and as they did, so ought we to wash one another’s feet.
I believe in the scripture in John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever…” Although it was not mentioned how often we should do it in 1 Cor.11:26 but the most important is why are we doing it? In my church, we often celebrate the breaking of bread or the holy communion at least once a week because we believe that as we partake the bread and drink the cup we remember that Jesus offered himself for our salvation. In today’s application,the bread and the cup is our protection against the works of the enemy like sickness, depression and other schemes of the enemy. In my experience, when we take the communion at least once a week,my family is protected against sickness than we had before. So, I believe that breaking of bread is not the question of when but why? If you believe in Jesus and in what He has done for you then, whenever you remember Him in the breaking of bread, you are in communion with Him. And if you are with Him then who can be against you?
OFTEN.
And he (Jesus) took bread and gave thanks and brake it, and gave it unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you; this do in rememberance of me. Luke 22:19
Apostle Paul puts it this way: For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 1st Cor 11:26
GOOD DAY ALL
Okay i want to know one thing does it takes cummmunion to remember the lord thou god i think that you should remember god each and every day although i’m for doing what the lord thou god say’s and yes i do understand that it is a reminder of his holy temple but we have to make sure that we keep our body holy before him and live holy before him as much as possible i do believe in the holy commmunion but i do not know when the last time i done it sent i came to the realazation of what it really means if not living according to the word and god’s law it can also do damnation to the body i’m pressing toward the mark of the high god but i do not want to take it if i still have sum sin in my life and yes when that day come to take it i just want to be right for i know that it will be right and a glorious day all through i do understand we will never be sin free. But taking it knowing that i will have a conscious of not sinning living it and asking god if their anything in my life that’s not like him remove it. People want you to take holy communion but are not telling the seriousness of it in jesus name amem.
This variation of thought on communion is very interesting. My denomination (which denies it is a denomination) has always offered communion every Sunday, using the “first day of the week” biblical support. I see many of you have different thoughts and practices. Oh my, how much tradition enters into our “biblical truth” and communion is just another example. When folks show up to take communion then promptly leave I get the feeling it is ritual, accepted as a “step to heaven”. Yet, I wonder how many truly examine their hearts and abstain when they are unworthy? To take when the heart is unworthy is sin is it not? Humm..honesty before God is required.
How can it be said only once a year or when passover happens? From the comments Paul made to the Christians at Corinth about how they were misusing this “breaking the bread” proves the very early Christians saw the event as important. Read the words of church fathers from some years later when they argued with Rome in efforts to stay off persecution and execution of believers and you will see Communion included in their words. They took this event seriously and went to their deaths as martyrs.
Weselyn Methodists..quarterly? Has that changed? Why quarterly: Consider that in the developing America in the later 1800’s a circuit riding ordained minister was deemed needed for communion. So, quartely it was, timed with the ordained minister arriving.
As for me, I will take communion while with my brothers and sisters any time we are able. The event is not made trivial if a heart is truly involved. The even is not made trivial if you are willing to abstain when your heart is not in a proper state. Sure, churches can make it routine and members can make it an ordinance to fulfill with or without heartfelt contact with our God at the time…so it becomes trivial. Well, all Christianity becomes trivial when the heart is gone from it. Just look around.
Communion has nothing to do with your giving. Do that as you can and honestly before your Savior and Father. Partake in communion the same way, honestly examine yourself first and come before the Father to truly remember this body the church and the means God used with Christ to bring cleansing and grace to all people who become part of the kingdom.
So, maybe I rambled a bit. Maybe I am tired of arguments about details God has not put into place. HIS freedoms are marvelous and I am very conservative. God Bless All.
I agree with several of you on this post that it is the manner in which the comunion is celebrated and or observed depending entirely upon the individual(s) involved. Each of us as individuals should in my opinion search our hearts to insure we are taking communion in a manner that is acceptable and pleasing to Christ. I have been involved in Churches that observe it each week and others that only observe it once a month. In each, I prayed hard about my worthiness to participate and be involved in such a solemn act. There have been some instances when I am not really sure that my actions and my heart is right with God for one reason or another. At these times I will not partake of it. Maybe a little harsh but it makes me work harder and smarter at being a good Christian. I simply want my heart and my life to be the torch that hungers and thirsts for God always.
How long and how far will we go on with twisted traditions? Why do we not take stand and really go back to what Our Lord intended to do? It is right in the Bible. Please pray and research. Wasant Jesus celebrating the jewish Passover? Jesus is our Passover Lamb. His blood was spilled for us. As the people of Israel where saved by the Passover Lamb and the sprinkel of the blodd on the door posts. Jesus is the Door. As the isralites walked through that door into the desert to reach the promissed Land, we find our promissed Land (Eternal life) through Jesus. While we still walk in the desser of this life we have to keep remembering the Passover and our sacrificial Lamb. Is it not clear jet? It ist not just The Lord Supper. It is the meaningfull real and wonderfull Passover Feast.
I believe communion can be practiced by Christians as often as they desire, to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for them. However, I’d like to add that one thing about communion in some churches bothers me: a warning should always be given that communion is only open to those who know Jesus personally, and are saved. However, some churches do not give this warning often enough, even though there are usually always some portion of unsaved people in the church service; unsaved people need to hear that whoever drinks or eats unworthily of the bread and the cup are drinking/eating condemnation to themselves; now, on the other hand, saved people need to hear before taking communion that one should not partake of communion, if, for example, I have a brother who has something against me and I have not taken the step towards reconciliation on my part,… well, then, first, before taking communion, I would need to do my best to go to my brother and be reconciled to him. After that I could take communion before my God. The reason I feel it is necessary to blatantly state the above before communion (perhaps using the wording of the Bible verses themselves instead of one’s own words, like I did above), is that it is not safe to assume that all those in the church service already know the warnings.
as often as you do it in remerance of jesus christ
i believe its the attitude or motive for taking communion or the bread and wine (body an blood shed for many)
As oft as possible, but i naturally would like it at leasr once a month
I try to do it every day…..all we are doing is taking it in REMEMBERENCE of what Jesus did for us. If we wanted to do it 10 times a day, I’m sure God wouldn’t be upset about it. It’s like telling someone you love them…..you can’t put a limit on it, or only do it at certain times on certain days. It’s a spontaneous thing, done out of love and rememberence.
How about once a year on the Passover? Remember when Jesus said “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” I ask, do WHAT in remembrance of Him? The PASSOVER.
“After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
How often did eat “THAT” bread and drink “THAT” cup? Once a year at the Passover feast.
Acts 20 vs 7 (On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.)says that the disciples gathered together on the first day of the week to break bread.
1 Corinthians 11vs23-26 (For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24-and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25-In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26-For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
We have our examples throughout the New Testament as to when the Lords Supper is taken. And the importance of it. The bible teaches us in “EVERY” aspect of our lives of how we should conduct the services of our lord and savior as we worship God our Father and Christ our savior.
Sorry friends I couldn’t resist this one, I’m new to this forum but I have read all the posts on this subject, my passion.
I agree with Paul, J Ruiz, Gerald and Paul, It was the ANNUAL passover. I really believe todays confusion is due to the fact that most churches take it too regularly and it has lost most of it’s meaning since it was introduced over 2000 years ago.
Not only is the timing a problem but the discerning of the body, however what is so encouraging is the parallel with the Jewish tradition which has lasted for the last 2000 years. Please, brothers and sisters in Christ, read my Web article http://www.krelle.net/church/communion.htm
Kind Regards Herb
Though I applaud Brother Stephen’s convictions mentioned above, no where in Scripture does it say we need to be reconciled to our brother before taking communion…..that verse is in reference to leaving your sacrifice at the altar. I believe communion should be taken as often as one feels, but it should truly be done prayerfully and in full knowledge that we are proclaiming our discipleship to Christ. As long as EVERY time we do it, we do it as an act of obedience & worship….it should not be done for ANY other reason. Bear in mind we ALL will answer to Him one day & I will be darn sure that when He asks me if I did it “in rememberance of Him”, my answer will be YES, Abba!!!