Here are some more excerpts from Russell Moore’s book, Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches.
Dr. Moore points out that to foster an adoption culture, a church needs to create “a vision of the church as a household.” (p. 175) His point is that when we go to church we should see brothers and sisters. We should see spiritual fathers and mothers. In a sense, these are all ‘adopted’ family members. A church that views itself in this way will naturally have an inclination towards furthering adoption.
In developing these thoughts Dr. Moore shares some interesting ideas about how the church should observe the ordinance of communion.
“Our concept of the church as household necessarily entails a recovery of the meaning of the Lord’s Table in many of our churches. The Supper that Jesus gave us is itself a living sign of adoption. Table fellowship, after all, is a familial activity. This is why Jesus was so revolutionary when he announced, “Many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 8:11). Why do our Lord’s Supper services so often look like the clinical, communal rinse-and-spit of fluoride at an elementary school than like a loving family gathered around a feast table?Often I’ll preach in churches about the Lord’s Supper and will call on congregations to go back to using a common loaf and a common cup, with the bread being torn, not daintily picked up in pre-fabricated bits, and with each person drinking the wine and passing the cup along. I don’t mind folks disagreeing with me on this. I’m just stunned by the reason they most often give for dismissing this ancient Christian practice: germs. The common cup is, well, gross to many Christians because they don’t like the idea of drinking after strangers. That’s just the point, though. You’re not drinking after strangers. You’re drinking after your own flesh and blood, your family.” (p. 178)
Other Posts from the Adopted for Life series:
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