Written by Sean DeMars, pastor at Glory Community Church in Decatur, Alabama
Many Protestant churches practice what’s called fencing the table—offering a brief warning before the Lord’s Supper about who should and should not partake. This instinct is rooted in Scripture and church history. The supper is a sacred ordinance, and pastors rightly want to protect it from being taken lightly or profaned.
But as I wrote recently for TGC, Scripture doesn’t only help us see the need to fence the table; it also helps us see how not to fence the table.
In many churches today, fencing focuses on cultivating individual self-examination. While self-examination and personal repentance is certainly an important part of the Christian life, it’s not Paul’s concern 1 Corinthians 11:29. In that context, the apostle calls out a specific abuse of the table—Corinthian believers who dishonored one another and despised the church through their conduct at the meal.
Paul does call these church members to reconcile before they partake. But he doesn’t place the primary responsibility for deciding who should take communion on individual Christian consciences. His goal isn’t for introspective believers to worry over whether they’re worthy enough.
The New Testament gives that responsibility to the congregation. The church—not the individual’s self-assessment—determines whether coming to the table is appropriate. When someone claims to be a believer but refuses to repent of ongoing sin, the church is told to no longer treat that person as a member in good standing (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:11–13). But otherwise, struggling believers are called to come to the table of grace.
I pray this article encourages you to consider the supper with fresh eyes. Examine the Scriptures, reexamine your practices, and lead your church community to eat and drink in a manner worthy of Christ.
Grace and peace,
Sean
