Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 12/13/2009

Question
Can children participate in Holy Communion in the church, without us knowing if they gave their lives to Jesus.
I am member of a Pentecostal church and I didn't have any concerns so far.It is a good church with a good,loving God people but recently the church started practicing something what in my and few of my friends opinion is wrong.They started communion classes for children of the age around 8-12 and at the end of this
teaching children are passing exam after which they are allowed to take communion.I was a member of the Pentecostal church in my home country where such a thing couldn't have happen.There was an order in the church that people who asked Jesus in to their lives
were prepared to be baptized and then to receive communion.Is it going towards tradition what our church is doing or being culturally friendly.I am very sad over this thing and so my friends are.

Thank you for your response and God bless you
Elizabeth  

Answer
Elizabeth,

Thank you for your question and the opportunity to help. And please forgive my late reply.

The simple answer to your first question ("Can children participate in Holy Communion in the church, without us knowing if they gave their lives to Jesus") is no. No one should ever participate in the Lords Supper without being in covenant with God through a born-again experience. However communion is a personal act, and as such the personal relationship with Jesus Christ of that person receiving communion is just that, personal. By this I mean that as long as all those being offered communion in a service understand that it is only to be received by those who are saved/born-again, then it should be offered to all and not withheld. In my own experience, I conduct the communion service at my home church. Before we serve the elements to the people, I first make it crystal clear that communion is only to be revived by Believers. Then after a brief explanation of what communion is, prayer, and giving an opportunity for those who are not saved to pray and receive Christ right then (before they take communion), then we pass the elements through the congregation. We do not ask each person as it is passed out if they are saved or not. That is between themselves and the Lord.

Now as to your church having classes for the children, I do not know all the details, but it sounds like the leadership wanted to make sure that the younger children were (as I wrote above) born-again, and understood what communion was. Over the years I have seen parents allow their children to receive communion that I personally knew were far too young to truly understand what it was. However, that is the parents choice to do so. My question to you is, is the church leadership forbidding communion for younger children until they go through the class?

As to preparatory classes for baptism or communion, there is not a Biblical mandate, nor is there a Biblical proabition. It could be a step towards religious "tradition". However, it is also a command of the Lord to not only preach (proclaim) the Gospel, but to teach (explain) the Gospel.

Matt. 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo , I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 28:31
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

My suggestion is that you speak with you pastor about your concerns. Let him know that your and others are worried about the direction that is being taken with these class. He can far better explain why he is doing these things that ever could.

Elizabeth, please let me know if this helps or if you have any further questions.

Merry Christmas!
Elder Greg Madden