The Lord's Supper

[Nikicarol]

Could you please give me your oppinion on whether children, young and older, should or should not be able to partake of the Lord's Supper.

Last sunday my church had ALL the children up and gave them the bread and wine - I was a little concerned at this. My older kids have made decisions to follow Christ, and I don't have a problem with them having it, but my younger 2 kids I did not allow. We have never given them it, I thought it was for believers only, when you have made a decision. I would like some other input on this subject.

 

[Lyle]

Do they have a storng walk with the Lord? Are they fully commited.. These are the requirements the Bible lays out.

 

[bliz]

Communion is for believers only.

I'd be uncomfortable with "come one come all" communion for adults as well as children.

Having said that, there are children who at a very young age have accepted Jesus and understand what communion is.

It sounds to me that you acted prudently. I think it can be harmful to kids spiritual growth when we ask them to profess to be beynd where they are in word or action. Some churches encourage children with their parents to come to the communion rail to receive a blessing.

 

[desi]

If its one time only it might be good to let it go in the interest of being agreeable, but if it becomes routine you may want to say something about it.

 

[Mary_Magdalene]

in total agreement with bliz!

 

[Nikicarol]

Thanks for your responses. Let me give you a little more info. My two older kids are 9 and 11, they have recently become Christians, and I don't have a problem with them taking the Lord's Supper. Before they became Christians I would have had a problem with it though. My younger kids are 3 1/2 and 5, and my Pastor actively enouraged me to take them up to have it ( I had taken them out of the meeting cuz they were being rather disruptive) but I was a little shocked and he left before I could talk to him about it, and we stayed where we were. My husband who was in the meeting told me that ALL the kids were asked to go up and have it big and small.

Like someone said, I would not like this to be a regular thing!

Another thing that is bothering me is that the reason my 2 older kids became Christian's was through asking me questions about why they were not allowed to take the bread and wine!! one thing led to another and they realised that just because they went to church and prayed and read their bibles, that didn't automatically make them a Christian, but we have to ask Jesus to come into our lives and forgive us for our sins. I think that if I had allowed my kids to have communion, they would just believe they were christians because they come from a Christian family. I am really worried about my church's attitude concerning this. Do you think I should approach my pastor about it? I was concerned also that a friend who in the past has not allowed her children to have communion, just let her children go up and have it!

 

[charligirl]

Definately speak to your pastor about it, you need to understand what his reasons were and what scripture he would use to support it, otherwise you will always feel uneasy and that will fester.

Our church leaves it up to the parents, I know children of 3 and 4 who take communion because they know Jesus and follow Him.

Our pastor invites all believers to partake, occasionally you may get an unsaved visitor taking part without knowing they shouldn't, he actually believes that as long as it is done respectfully it's ok. There are millions of Anglicans and Catholics who take communion and are possibly not even truely saved.

 

[Jesus_help_me]

i DO NOT SEE a problem witht he youngens takin communion but you have to have the walk with christ but Jesus said when the men would not let the children see him. HE said let the children come to me, so let the children come to Jesus's body and blood on communion but do not let it be a every day thing.