The Bible uses the phrase “breaking of bread” in various forms. Acts 2:42-46 depicts the early church breaking bread as part of their fellowship: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” In the upper room, Jesus broke bread with His disciples and established a special way for them to remember Him, and it is important for us to continue to acknowledge His sacrifice. Outside of the walls of the church, how to lead a small group communion begins with prayer and preparation.
- Establish that you will be serving small group communion to anyone who believes in and trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for his or her salvation.
- Communion can be the focal point of your meeting or before/after you complete a message from your group study and discussion time.
- The sacramental bread can be freshly baked, a store-bought loaf or communion wafers. Traditionally, either red wine or grape juice will be served. The elements themselves should not be a distraction. If there is any question of what should be partaken and avoided, please speak with your Pastor.
- Communion ideas for small groups include welcoming people with worship music in the background.
- You can also ask if anyone would like to read aloud a Scripture passage for the benefit of the group. Participation is one of the surest signs that an attendee is moving toward deeper involvement in the life of your church. But there is no pressure for them to do so.
- It’s human nature to feel intimidated about how to lead communion, but pointing to and reading together any of the following scriptures will bring peace to the room: John 6:26-40, Luke 22:7-20, 1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Ephesians 2:1-10, Philippians 2:1-11, 1 John 1:3, or Matthew 26:26-28.
- After the completion of the scripture readings, provide an opportunity for people to privately pray prayers of confession and gratitude based upon self-examination.
- Corporate prayer is integral to this service and should be offered by the small group leader, especially in partaking communion.
- The distribution of the elements would come next. You can have a designated area to partake in turns or carefully serve each other in order to worship together.
- With reverence, conclude this time of communion with music and thanksgiving. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again, Alleluia!
Leading small group communion is about reminding believers. And coming together as the community of Christ in remembrance of what He did for all of us. We should not be quiet about Jesus’ sacrifice but spread and remember the Good News. It should be reverent and intentional, even within a small group setting. The Lord’s Supper is not an afterthought but a reenactment of the Gospel itself. It is a holy meal for the body of Christ, which is performed in the presence of God and under His Word. Communion is about a holy relationship with God through Christ and a holy relationship with His followers.
Big Church Made Small: Make Everyone Feel Known
Being a larger church does create more opportunities, but it also creates more ways for people to get lost. They slip through the cracks of large gatherings, an online presence, or constant activities. Their name gets replaced by a number.
People should feel known at church. Our latest resource, Big Church Made Small: Make Everyone Feel Known shows a path you and your team can follow.
Chris serves as the Vice President of MinistryPlatform, which provides the most powerful and flexible Church Management System for membership, group involvement, check-scanning, contributions, event management, check-in, and public website integration – including online giving and online event registration. He leads the team in finding new ways to help the Church engage with people by using information.
Chris was CEO of Think Ministry / MinistryPlatform before merging with ACS Technologies in April 2021.
