From the New Testament we know that the original practice of Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, involved sharing a full meal together—one that included bread and wine—with a relatively small number of people (Matthew 26:17-29 ; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 ) At Woodland Hills, we would encourage followers of Jesus to regularly continue this practice in smaller contexts such as house churches, small groups, families, etc.
At the same time, we recognize that many people who participate in our weekend services are not part of a house church or small group. With this in mind, several times a year we practice Communion in a large-group setting. Here, we supply those attending the service at our building with a small portion of bread and grape juice, and we encourage those who are attending online to participate with us in their homes as well.
Whether we practice Communion in a smaller context with a meal, or in a larger context with small portions of bread and juice, the underlying purpose is the same. The Lord’s Supper is the “covenant sign” of the New Covenant relationship that all Christ followers share with Jesus and each other (Luke 22:20). When we share this experience together, we are remembering and re-celebrating together the radical, self-giving agape-love that Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). And we are re-confirming our commitment to love God with all of our heart, mind and strength, and to love each other as Jesus has loved us (Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:34-35).
