The Disciples At The Lord S Table

The Disciples at Table! The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is about to enter its third century of worship, evangelism and Christian worship. This book is a snapshot of their Table practice: its origins, forms, prayers, and ecumenical development. Single-minded pioneers and advocates of Eucharistic Table fellowship each Sunday, the Disciples forged a unique experience of worship within the restorationist paradigm. What did this worship look like? A free tradition, explicitly "non-liturgical," these Christian communities were open to the directives of the Scriptures and the inspiration of the Spirit. There were no official texts. Yet there was a plethora of worship books and aids, in effect unofficial texts, operating to guide, inform and develop the Disciples' understanding of the Lord's Table and their worship. For the first time these devotional books have been uncovered and studied, revealing something of the deeper influences behind Disciples practice, the common lines of thought and ritual that unknowingly bind the communities, and the difficulties that have emerged in light of ongoing ecumenical worship and research.

The Lord's Supper has been the central and characteristic action of the church at worship. But there are still many ways of understanding it and many questions surrounding this meal... Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper? How frequently should we observe it? What does this meal mean? What happens when we eat the bread and drink from the cup? What do Christians disagree about and what do they hold in common? These and other questions are explored in this volume of the fair-minded, informative Counterpoints series. Contributors make a case for one of the following views: Baptist view (memorialism) Reformed view (spiritual presence) Lutheran view (consubstantiation) Roman Catholic view (transubstantiation) All contributors use Scripture to present their views, and each responds to the others' essays. Included are resources for understanding the topic further, such as: A listing of statements on the Lord's Supper from creeds and confessions Quotations from noted Christians A resource listing of books on the Lord's Supper Discussion questions for each chapter to facilitate small group and classroom use The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Eldership at the Lord's Table was written to meet the needs of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) elders in the 21st century. Elders in particular congregations may minister in a variety of ways, but the one common ministry setting for elders throughout the denomination is weekly ministry at the Lord's Table. This resource is designed to give elders the instruction and assistance they need for their Table Ministry without expecting them to read a lengthy volume on history and theology. It provides the reader with a concise history of Table eldership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a brief treatment of common Disciples' theology of the Lord's Supper, helpful hints on how to craft meaningful and brief communion prayers for both bread and cup, examples of communion prayers, and annotated lists of resources that can be consulted by elders if they would like to study further or seek assistance in other areas.

The Disciples at Table! The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is about to enter its third century of worship, evangelism and Christian worship. This book is a snapshot of their Table practice: its origins, forms, prayers, and ecumenical development. Single-minded pioneers and advocates of Eucharistic Table fellowship each Sunday, the Disciples forged a unique experience of worship within the restorationist paradigm. What did this worship look like? A free tradition, explicitly "non-liturgical," these Christian communities were open to the directives of the Scriptures and the inspiration of the Spirit. There were no official texts. Yet there was a plethora of worship books and aids, in effect unofficial texts, operating to guide, inform and develop the Disciples' understanding of the Lord's Table and their worship. For the first time these devotional books have been uncovered and studied, revealing something of the deeper influences behind Disciples practice, the common lines of thought and ritual that unknowingly bind the communities, and the difficulties that have emerged in light of ongoing ecumenical worship and research.