Why Won't My Daughter's Chuch Let Me Take the Lord's Supper?

By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services on Aug 15, 2008

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Q: I'm widowed and in my late 70s now, and a few months ago I moved to a new city to be near my daughter and her family. I go to her church and love it very much, except they won't let me take the Lord's Supper because they restrict it to their members. Why do they do this? -- Mrs. R.U.

A: You have probably visited various churches in the course of your long life -- and if you did, you realize that churches sometimes differ in the ways they worship. Some churches, for example, are very informal in their worship, while others take a more formal approach.

One of the ways churches have differed over the centuries is in their observance of the Lord's Supper. Jesus gave it to His disciples so they would always remember His death on the cross for them: "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). Whenever we join in celebrating the Lord's Supper, we are reminded again of Christ's great love for us.

Why does your daughter's church only allow its members to participate in the Lord's Supper? I don't know, of course (although you shouldn't hesitate to ask the pastor). However, I suspect they take seriously the Bible's teaching that only believers can understand its meaning, and therefore only those they know to be believers should be allowed to participate.

Be thankful you enjoy your daughter's church and profit from its ministry. No matter how young or old we are, God doesn't want us to stand still spiritually, but to continue to be "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith" (Colossians 2:7).

========

Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.