Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
Dean notes early Amish/Mennonite debates where less frequent communion came not from trivializing it but from fear of doing it “wrong” because “Christ is going to be manifested…we’re hurting ourselves”; what does that seriousness assume about God’s holiness and nearness, and how might recovering that seriousness disrupt casual or entertainment-shaped worship?
Another way to ask: Dean says some groups took communion less often because they feared doing it “wrong” since Christ is near in it. What does that say about God’s holiness and closeness, and how might that kind of seriousness change casual or entertainment-style worship?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript suggests their seriousness assumes God is truly near and active in communion—Christ “will be manifested”—and that mishandling the Supper brings real spiritual harm; recovering that would make worship less casual because it would force self-examination, reverence, and reconciliation.
- Dean explains less frequency wasn’t trivial: it was “just the opposite… they were taking it incredibly serious.”
- He describes their fear: “Christ is going to be manifested… And if we do this wrong, we’re hurting ourselves.”
- He ties this to 1 Corinthians 11’s warning that people “can come under condemnation.”
- He contrasts this with a mindset of scheduling it just to “get this done because it’s a command.”
- He also argues sacraments aren’t “merely” symbolic; they are “rich… deep… a mystery,” which naturally pushes toward reverence.