A Charismatic Theology Of The Lord’s Supper

Charismatic churches affirm the importance of the Lord's Supper, although it is not always a central feature of their worship services. Many discussions about the Lord's Supper among charismatic Christians have centered around the actual practice of the Lord's Supper. The celebration of the Lord's Supper is one of the earliest expressions of Christian worship, predating the writing of the first New Testament documents by twenty years. Like water baptism, Holy Communion is viewed by some groups within the charismatic movement as a sacrament, a holy mystery of God that imparts grace. Others see Communion as an ordinance or memorial instituted by Christ and carried out in obedience. These two perspectives are, in many ways, determined by the theology of the denomination to which the group belongs or from which the group has emerged. While there is a great variety in the frequency and style of celebration, the majority view of both charismatic and Pentecostal churches falls on the side o…