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(Arthur was asked to speak at a non-denominational, para-church retreat and to administer The Lord's Supper to those who professed belief, though not necessarily baptized. Arthur is not ordained and was wondering what he should do, so he sought counsel. First is a response from another minister, then Arthur's conclusion.)

Hi Arthur,

Sorry I couldn't give you a more definitive answer yesterday.

My first inclination was that Scripture is silent regarding who administers the Lord's Supper, especially whether it was limited to the ordained clergy, elder, or deacon of a church. As a matter of fact, even ordination as practiced today is not clearly taught in the NT. Yes, there is a recognition by the "body" of certain individuals as called of God for a certain ministry symbolized by the "laying of hands" (e.g., Acts 1-3), but does this establishes a biblical mandate to do so. Even Acts 13 is not about men within that local church, but those sent out for "missions" ministry. So the practice of ordination and a "clergy" class of people are open to question biblically.

Having said this, it also appears that the biblical material does not suggest who administers the Lord's Supper, or whether this is limited to the so-called ordained clergy, elders, or deacons. Exactly how it evolved in church history to be limited to the clergy is a mystery to me. It depends on the practice of your particular church or denomination. Wayne Gruden's Systematic Theology concludes that the NT does not give any explicit teaching on who should administer the Lord's Supper, so we are left simply to decide what is wise and appropriate for a local body of believers. I think this is consistent with the sources you consulted including MacArthur. However, safeguards should be in place in that it be conducted by spiritually mature believers with a clear understanding of what is the purpose and symbolism behind the Lord's Supper, and proper procedure is followed as recorded in 1 Corinthians 11. The focal point is always centered upon the person of Jesus Christ with an attitude of reverence, humility, and gratitude for his atonement and abiding presence.

Therefore I don't have an issue regarding you administering the Lord's Supper at the retreat as long as it is conducted within the biblical guidelines. Also, I don't see it as an expression of one's commitment to Christ. This would shift the focus from Christ, his person and his finished work, to ourselves and our making a commitment to Christ, as if we are doing something that merits God's approval. So ask for a clear statement of purpose from the retreat organizers on why they want to have the Lord's Supper. Obviously, being a traditional element of the retreat is not sufficient cause.

My pet peeve with para-church groups is they sometimes misrepresent themselves as a substitude for the church. Then again, we can get into a discussion on what constitutes a church biblically.

Have fruitful ministry at the retreat.

Regards,

Hey:

Thanks very much for your time and thought. I know how much mind space and time it takes to think through someone's questions. I appreciate it very much.

I think my conclusion, as of now, is to not administer it - more for wisdom reasons than didactic ones. I'm not sure the benefits are worth the cloud of uncertainty that comes with it. Even though it may be permissible, it's not a "slam dunk", and certainly carries concerns and precautions, at the least (as you've shared).

So, the fact that the responses I've received from wise counselors are mixed (some not totally comfortable with it, yet acknowledging that there may be some latitude, to some pretty strongly thinking it's not a wise thing to do) raises red flags.

Secondly, I'm wondering if this will "open a can of worms" and potentially negatively affect others (including those I'd be doing it with) - either by giving them precedent to be looser with the Lord's Supper ("since Arthur did it") , or disappointing or confusing them. I'm not sure that's worth it.

Thirdly, as I think you've expressed, I don't know who I'm participating with; I don't know their beliefs, understanding of the Lord's Supper, or their covenant with each other. This isn't a local church where members have covenanted to keep each other accountable, can verify to the veracity of each other's faith, and pretty much hold to the same beliefs.

One example of this is baptism. As I read through Acts 2, those who went from house to house "breaking bread" were baptized. The call to faith is repeatedly, "repent and be baptized." Obviously, baptism doesn't save, but it is a requirement for Christians with the opportunity to do so.

If someone at the retreat wasn't baptized, I'd wonder why, and I'd say it'd be better to wait. (Leader) stated she didn't believe that was a requirement.

Fourthly, as you've expressed, even though not stated explicitly, wisdom would dictate that, if possible, an official minister would be a better choice. It's no guarantee that he'd be more spiritually qualified but there'd be a better chance of it, having made more oaths and vows of faithfulness to God and His work. If we were in an area of the world where that would be most difficult, I'd likely do it; but that's not the case here.

Thanks for thinking this through with me and for letting me think out loud. Let me know if you have any further thoughts about what I'm thinking. I appreciate your friendship through the years.

Arthur

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