Wednesday, March 08, 2006

The Last Snack

This article by Steve Atkerson and Eric Svendsen of the New Testament Restoration Foundation (www.ntrf.org) should challenge some basic ideas about what goes on in our meetings!

Suppose my wife and I invited you over to our home for supper. What would you think if the only items we served you were a single shot-glass of juice and a tiny fraction of a soda cracker? Would you really consider that a supper? Would it even qualify as a snack? Might you feel disappointed or even deceived?

"Supper" is generally understood to refer to a full meal - enough food to satisfy the appetite. A portion of food that is less than a meal is typically seen as a snack. Considering the way most churches observe the Lord’s Supper (with a sip of juice and a cracker remnant), why is it called a supper? Would it not be better to name it what it honestly has become? To many believers, the Lord’s Supper is not a “supper” at all. It is the Lord’s Appetizer or perhaps the Lord’s Hors D’oeuvres! Did our Lord really intend to launch a memorial snack?

Read the Article Online

Download the Full Article - [Microsoft Word - DOC]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The article indicates that the "Lord's Supper" was intended to be a weekly church event, so not only has the supper turned into an appetizer, but the frequency has diminished.

Frankly, IMHO, communinion is only part of the worship experience. Perhaps it is parsed out for individual reflection and dialogue with God because other aspects of fellowship can occur outside this sacrament.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
Great site! I went to a home church conference and met Steve Atkerson, what a great and awesome guy.

It seems that we share similar views. I am a musician, and I would be honored if you would check out my music. All of the music is free for download. Anyway, just thought that I'd share.

Thanks,
-Sean
_____________________
www.SeanDietrich.com
"All my music is free for download."