Close Communion Are we closing the door on reaching the lost?
Introduction Put a “C” if the statement describes close Communion.1 Put an “O” if the statement describes open Communion.2 1. ____ Has been practiced for the vast majority of the Christian church’s history. 2. ____ Is practiced by the majority of Christian churches today. 3. ____ Is practiced by churches that are serious about reaching the lost. 4. ____ Hinders a church’s ability to reach the lost.
What Are We Trying to Accomplish? 1 Corinthians 11:28,29 28Instead, let a person examine himself and after doing so, let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For if anyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way because he does not recognize the Lord’s body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Corinthians 10:16,17 16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1. What are the two scriptural reasons we practice close Communion?
2. Is one a greater priority over the other?
___________________________ 1 Close Communion is restricting reception of Holy Communion to those who belong to a specific congregation or
denomination 2 Open Communion is admitting to Holy Communion any Christian who desires it. © 2016 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
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