I keep telling my pastor to serve wine at communion instead of grape juice but he won't listen to me. Help?

Question

Isn't that the correct way to give communion? I would enjoy a little glass of wine with the service. All throughout the Bible it talks about wine and Jesus was always drinking wine with his disciples and friends. So why won't our pastor serve wine? Is he afraid that he'll turn us into a bunch of raging alcoholics? Doesn't he trust us? Or maybe he doesn't trust himself with wine in the church? What do you think the problem is?

Answer 1

why don't you bring your own hip flask

Answer 2

It isn't a big issue. As long as the drink represents wine it's fine.

There could be many reasons why your pastor would not agree. It could be that he doesn't think it's that big an issue either; or perhaps church tradition means he's always done it with grape juice; maybe it's a conservative denomination that shuns any alcohol consumption (even though there is no prohibition against wine in scripture, just abuse of it by having too much and letting yourself become addicted to it). Another reason is that some people have a weakness for alcohol or are battling alcoholism and so it's best not to let them have a temptation during communion.

Some reasons are fair enough; others probably are more about church culture than about the bible. You probably won't find a command about it having to be wine in scripture; but you will find that wine is normally used. It is shown to be a metaphor for the blood of Jesus though, so if whatever is used fails to convey the sense that it is blood, then it misses the mark and it might be more of an issue.

What is more important is that communion reminds people of the blood that Jesus shed, and the body of Jesus that was broken for us, through the reminder of bread and wine. I don't think it has to be real wine, it's a matter of style rather than an essential issue of the gospel.

If you really want to convince your pastor, try focusing on all the good things real wine will do, not what is wrong with grape juice; a mere focus on the idea that the pastor is wrong and doing something unbiblical usually does not leave the pastor a lot of room to save face apart from admitting fault, and frankly it's not definite that he has done anything wrong. No-one likes to face the "I'm right, you're wrong" approach, and few would like the implication. But convince the pastor there's a new way to make the communion real for people and how powerful it will be (I mean, red wine does leave a pretty indelible mark) for the purpose of communion and he may see something there, maybe.

Answer 3

Communion is not a social gathering where beverages are served, it is a sacred rite. I agree that wine should be provided as part of communion, however. Every church I have attended provides both grape juice and wine so that the communioner can choose. You might suggest to your worship committee that they do the same.

Answer 4

What is the reason Christians partake in communion? To remember the sacrifice that Jesus willingly did on our behalf. Yes, it is true that they drank wine, but you also have to remember that wine doesn't become wine overnight. It has to ferment. Wine starts out as grape juice. Who's to say that the cup that Jesus and the disciples partook of did not contain the "fruit" of the vine in the unfermented form? You have taken your eyes off of the ultimate expression of love...Jesus...and have the tunnel vision that comes with mocking the things of God. Here's something you probably have not considered. We are not to become a stumbling block for other believers, right? What if in your congregation there are those followers who have struggled with alcoholism and desire to be cleansed from it. Would you force them to drink alcohol because it makes more sense to you? You would then become a stumbling block to those you claim to love in Jesus name. You have plenty of opportunities to have communion in the privacy of your own home, where you can have fermented wine if you so choose. Communion is not only on Sundays or holidays...Jesus said "as often as you do this do it in remembrance of me". Are you?

Answer 5

Actually your church is doing wrong--(1COR.10:16-21)serving grape juice in church.

Also Passover is to be done at home with wine and Unleavened Bread.
1COR.11:20-22 = "WHEN YE COME TOGETHER THEREFORE INTO ONE PLACE, THIS IS NOT TO EAT THE LORD'S SUPPER. FOR IN EATING EVERY ONE TAKETH BEFORE OTHER HIS OWN SUPPER: AND ONE IS HUNGRY, AND ANOTHER IS DRUNKEN. WHAT? HAVE YE NOT HOUSES TO EAT AND DRINK IN? OR YE DESPISE THE CHURCH OF GOD, AND SHAME THEM THAT HAVE NOT? SHALL I PRAISE YOU IN THIS? I PRAISE YOU NOT."

Texts that do with Passover and Unleavened Bread
LEV.23:4-7; EXOD.12:17-20; 13:3-4,6-7,10; 1TIM.3:1-8; 5:23; LUKE 7:33-34; 22:7-8; MATT.9:17; 1COR.5:6-8; 11:20-34; MARK 2:22; 14:25; EPH.5:18; TITUS 2:3-6,12; JOHN 2:9; ACTS 12:3; 20:6; MATT.26:2,5,17-29; MARK 14:1-2,12,14 AND ETC.

HOLY DAYS CALENDAR
http://community.webshots.com/photo/370320470/1433208069049373547DrdFPq

Answer 6

The reason people at the time "Jesus" supposedly lived drank wine, is because they did not have purification technology or a source of naturally clean water at most times in that region. You could say that this made Jesus an alcoholic. So in following in Jesus footsteps, let your next Communion be a kegger. Have vodka and whiskey, and have him bless it all.

Answer 7

He probably dosen't want to serve wine, because he wants everyone to recieve communion and perhaps there are some other people that object to alcohol being served, and perhaps there are some recovering alcoholics in the croud that shouldn't be around alcohol. Besides, you should only be recieveing a sip of wine. It is that important to you?

Answer 8

Child of God, this is a one of the differences between the various sects of Christianity. Some Christian sects serve wine, in remembrance of Jesus and The Last Supper (as he commanded -- "Do this in memory of me"). Other sects take passages out of context ("I will not drink wine again until . . .") and believe that was his commandment NOT to drink wine, so they substitute fruit juice.

This is just ONE of the differences between the different sects, but, chances are, if you aren't comfortable with this aspect of your pastor / congregation choice on how to worship, you will discover other discrepancies between your beliefs and theirs, as well.

I urge you to worship God as he calls you to. At the same time, realize that either wine or grape juice is only a symbol for the blood of his sacrifice -- so the actual substance is unimportant.

Answer 9

Maybe try getting involved in the church itself. Get on the church board and bring the idea up there. I think you may find that in order for the church to be able to afford the wine, or justify the expense it would have to be pretty cheap wine and you likely wouldn't like it anyway!

Answer 10

Can't you drink your glass of wine somehwere else? Alcoholism is a disease, and those afflicted by it would be excluded from communion you had it your way! Maybe, you do not know what the Holy Communionis all about.

Answer 11

its not that big of a problem. by serving real wine he would be doing the wrong thing. im not saying that drinking is wrong because the bible says getting DRUNK is wrong not drinking. but the bible says causing others to stumble into sin is wrong. imagine this: there is someone at your church who has been dry for 3 years and 2 months, imagine not being able to take communion becauses the pastor served wine not grape juice or even worse imagine that this person went back to drinking because of that? its not that he doesnt trust you or that he believes you will become alcholics its that he doesnt want others to stumble.

13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food[b] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.