At First Baptist Church, Nevada, we celebrate the Lord's Supper each Sunday in two contemporary worship experiences and once a month in the traditional service. Someone commented recently, "It is not the Baptist way to have the Lord's Supper every week." So, as people fanatically committed to the authority of scripture, I asked what does the Bible say about this matter?
The truth is the Bible does not really instruct on how often to take the Lord's Supper. The scripture does say, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." (Acts 20:7) While some could argue this was a common meal, the context indicates it was probably the Lord's Supper. This is a verse that most people use who practice a weekly observance. Historical records bear out the early church practiced weekly, and sometimes daily, the Lord's Supper.
Those who take the Lord's Supper monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, have no scriptures to back up the practices. That does not make it wrong however. The key for Paul is this-- "as often as" you do it (I Corinthians 11:26) you do it to show the Lord's death. That could be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Some who argue that once a week is too often might also ask the question-- is it better to just listen to a sermon, pray, or sing, once a month or quarter. Some who feel like a weekly observance makes it too familiar and lack meaning might ask, "Should I not kiss my wife or husband every week so it will be more meaningful when I do it?"
THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE says this about the Lord's Supper: "The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memoralize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming." That is true however often it is observed.
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