Why must I be a member of a church to take part in The lord's supper?
: As a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America, I have agreed to abide by certain denominational practices, one of which is to “fence the table” (the Lord’s Table, that is) in the way specified in our Book of Church Order. Let me quote those words in their entirety as they are printed in Chapter 58:
Since, by our Lord’s appointment, this Sacrament [i.e., the Lord’s Supper] sets forth the Communion of Saints, the minister, at the discretion of the Session, before the observance begins, may either invite all those who profess the true religion, and are communicants in good standing in any evangelical church, to participate in the ordinance; or may invite those who have been approved by the Session, after having given indication of their desire to participate.
Notice that the Book of Church Order gives me two options. Option #1 is to invite to communion all who both (a) profess faith in Christ and (b) are members in good standing of this or another evangelical church. Option #2 is to invite only those people who have, previous to our celebration of the sacrament, applied to and been approved by the Session. In earlier times in our nation’s history, Option #2 was commonly used by churches. Here at UPC we use Option #1, given the impracticality of the other option in a church of our size.
But beyond this, keep in mind the responsibility that we, the elders, have to guard the people of the church. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:27 that “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.” Asking that people be members in good standing of some evangelical church helps guarantee that they have professed their faith in Christ publicly and have come under the authority of Christ’s church. People who have jumped through these hoops are, more than likely, able to “examine themselves” and properly discern the Lord’s body in the sacrament. Fencing the table as I do protects people from the judgment of God.
Furthermore, this practice shows the importance of membership in a visible church. Paul told young Timothy that the church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). A believer in Jesus who is not connected by ties of accountability to a local church is really missing out! Membership means that you have publicly professed Christ, have taken vows to serve, support, and be involved in a local church, and are willing to come under the discipline and care of anointed church leaders. These are important parts of Christian discipleship. A professing Christian should not delay finding a strong, Bible-teaching church and becoming an active member.
Must you wait to become a member of UPC before participating in communion? Not necessarily. The Book of Church Order leaves open a window for approval by the Session prior to formal membership. If you are such a person, give me or one of the other pastors or elders a call. We’d be glad to talk with you about your desire to participate in the Lord’s Supper.