[rwfromkansas]

I will submit one major problem with Protestant worship is the fear of weekly Communion.

I used to have it myself, but I now believe it is essential.

My Reformed Presbyterian pastor is really pushing for weekly Communion, and so far has got us up to about once a month from something on the order of 4 times a year. But, some people are still scared they will get bored of Communion if it happens all the time.

Well, you know what, it is meant to be done every week.

I am pleased with the transformation in my church's worship over the past couple years.

It used to be a typical sing, read scripture, sing, sermon, offerings, sing, pray, close service.

Now, this is how it goes:

1) Coming before God with praise
2) Confessing sin
3) assurance of pardon
4) praise
4) reading of the law (sometimes NT, not just the Ten Commandments only)
5) Scripture reading
6) Sermon
7) Communion when we have it
8) Tithes/offerings
9) praise
10) Apostle's Creed
11) Benediction
12) closing praise

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

I will submit one major problem with Protestant worship is the fear of weekly Communion. I used to have it myself, but I now believe it is essential. My Reformed Presbyterian pastor is really pushing for weekly Communion, and so far has got us up to about once a month from something on the order of 4 times a year.... Well, you know what, it is meant to be done every week.

See my #6... John Calvin, who wrote the Genevan Liturgy, intended that the Sacrament be administered weekly.

Unfortunately, he was over-ruled on this aspect by the Geneva Town Council, Anti-Predestinarians and Libertines and the whole lot of them. They mandated a Quarterly Observance instead.

Frickin' politicians. (sigh)

[Gamecock]

***4) reading of the law***

IMHO, churches like Osteen's do a very nice job of reading the law.

The problem is, they package it as good advice: instead of Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and spirit and love your neighbor as yourself you hear "Be nice to your wife." And each week the attendees reply "All this we will do." Every week one more piece of the law is added disguised as "advice." Eventually the law crushes them because they hear the law and because Christ is not preached they crumble under the weight of the law.

Ironically, the Osteen/Warren/Myer/Schuller preachers of the world think they are lifting people up. Instead they are condemning them just like the stereotypical fire and brimstone preacher they ridicule.

[fzx12345]

I don't see the logic of those people who restrict communion to a few times a year, saying it is more "special" and "meaningful".

Under such thinking, then the people who get the most out of church-going are those who attend on Christmas and Easter only.