I grew up in a church where we took communion every single Sunday. As a matter of fact, Sunday was a very long day at church because we would show up for Sunday school at 9:30, have a worship service at 10:45, and then a communion service would follow. Our church always had homemade bread during communion, which was what I looked forward to because let’s face it: as a kid, when 12:00 rolls around on Sunday, all you’re thinking about is food (which is also true of me now that I’m an adult). So I would try to break off as big a piece of bread as possible when it was passed my way.

I was taught the significance of communion and told that we were to prepare our hearts to take it, but I always thought that meant just simply bowing my head during communion and asking God to forgive me of known and unknown sins. That is certainly a good, right, and biblical thing to do, but I don’t believe that’s the full extent of what it means to “take cup in a worthy manner” (1 Corinthians 11:27). My understanding of the Bible’s teaching on communion has drastically grown over the last year or so and now, I’m beginning to see and believe that preparing your heart to take communion can be a weeklong process. It should begin the week before you show up on Sunday to partake with your fellow believers.

First, it should be a personal reflection and prayer time with the Lord to ask Him to reveal any sin in your life that you are unrepentant about. Maybe there is known sin that you bring before Him, and also ask Him to reveal unknown sins. This gives you time to reflect unlike the 2 minutes you may have during the worship service. Carry this attitude of repentance with you throughout the week as you approach the table, and then that short prayer on Sunday as you hold the elements in your hands will be much more meaningful.

Next, if you live with family members, spend some time preparing them as well. Husbands, lead your family members in a time of prayer for repentance. Teach your kids what communion means and explain to them that it’s only for those who have professed faith in Christ to partake of. Make sure they know just how important this event is so that it’s not just something you do once a month, but it is an expression of the grace that you live in every single day.

Also, pray for God to reveal any broken relationships in your life. Is there anyone you need to extend forgiveness to or ask forgiveness of? Don’t come to the table without resolving these things. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:29 - “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” I’ve often argued that “the body” Paul is referring to in that verse is the body of Christ - His Church. Communion is not an individual act, but a corporate one and we must approach the table in love and unity with one another.

The last point I would like to make in this post is that you should also pray for your pastor(s) the week leading up as well. I said earlier, my understanding of communion has grown and I have now begun to see that Scripture teaches us that the Lord’s Table is a means of grace for the Church, but also is an opportunity for pastors to exercise biblical, loving church discipline when needed. Pastors and elders have a responsibility, I believe to ‘fence’ the Table - meaning that we shepherd our people to take the supper in a worthy manner and we don’t allow those living in known, unrepentant sin to partake - for the sake of their souls. Pray that your pastor(s) have the courage to reach out to church members that they know would not be able to partake in a worthy manner and that they love them enough to counsel them in this regard. And also, be willing yourself to receive such a phone call or conversation from your pastor and humble yourself to submit to their leadership in your life.

In all of this, I am pushing for a more biblical, and I believe, beautiful understanding and practice of the Lord’s Supper. In it, we proclaim the Lord’s death, unite with the body, and experience His grace in a unique way. As I write this article, MissionWay is preparing this week to take communion together, so if you’re a member of MissionWay and plan to partake on Sunday, be sure to prepare your hearts leading up to it. I can’t wait to surround the Table of the Lord with you all and Remember Jesus together!