Church, Baptism and Communion

What Christians mean by “Church”

The word church can refer to a building, a local congregation or the worldwide community of Christians. Its deepest meaning, however, is not a building but a people.

Christians believe the Church is the community of those whom God has brought into relationship with himself through Jesus Christ. They belong to one another because they belong to him.

Christians do not become part of the Church because they are morally superior or have earned God’s approval. They are united by their shared dependence on God’s grace.

The New Testament also describes the Church as the body of Christ. This expresses the belief that Christians are joined to Jesus and are called to serve one another as different parts of one body.

Why Christians gather

Christians gather to worship God, hear the Bible read and explained, pray, receive encouragement and learn how to follow Jesus in daily life.

They also gather to support one another, care for people in need, celebrate, mourn and serve their wider communities.

Church life reminds Christians that faith is not merely an individual opinion or private experience. Following Jesus involves learning to love, forgive and practise patience alongside other imperfect people.

What happens in a church service

Services differ between churches, but many include Bible readings, prayers, music, a sermon or talk and a blessing.

Some services follow a formal pattern of prayers and responses, while others are more informal. Some use ancient hymns and liturgy; others use contemporary music and spontaneous prayer.

Christian worship commonly praises the Father, remembers the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and asks for the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.

Visitors are free to observe and to join in only where they feel comfortable. They are not expected to know the words, understand every part of the service or pretend to believe something they are still exploring.

Baptism

Baptism is a central Christian practice commanded by Jesus. It uses water as a sign of cleansing, forgiveness, new life and belonging to Jesus and his Church.

Baptism points to being united with Jesus in his death and resurrection. It represents the old life being left behind and a new life with God beginning.

Children and adults can get baptised. When baptising babies and children, parents and godparents make promises on their behalf.

Baptism may involve pouring or sprinkling water over the person, or immersing them fully in water. Christians differ over these practices and over exactly how baptism relates to receiving grace, faith and membership of the Church.

Despite these differences, Christians generally understand baptism as a foundational act connected with entering Christian life.

Communion

Communion is the shared Christian meal of bread and wine. It is also called the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. In Catholic churches, the service in which the Eucharist is celebrated is called the Mass. Some churches use non-alcoholic grape juice instead of wine.

Communion comes from Jesus’s final meal, his last supper, with his disciples before his crucifixion. Jesus gave them bread and wine and connected them with his body given and his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins.

In Communion, Christians remember and proclaim Jesus’s death, receive the assurance of his grace and express their unity with him and with one another.

Communion also looks forward. It expresses the Christian hope that the risen Jesus will return and that his people will share eternal life with God in a renewed creation.

Christian traditions differ over how Jesus is present in Communion. Some understand his presence in a particular sacramental way, others speak of a real spiritual presence, and others place greater emphasis on remembrance.

Churches also have different rules about who may receive Communion. Some welcome all baptised Christians, while others restrict it to members of their own tradition or to people who have completed particular preparation.

Different Christian traditions

Christianity includes Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal and many other traditions.

These traditions differ in their patterns of worship, leadership, interpretation of some teachings and understanding of baptism and Communion.

They nevertheless share the central Christian confession that there is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; that Jesus is God the Son; and that salvation comes through his death and resurrection.

A beginner does not need to understand every difference before attending a church. It is reasonable to visit more than one congregation and ask questions about what each church believes and practises, or to simply visit many different churches to see which one they prefer.

If you visit a church

You do not need to be a Christian or a member of the congregation to attend a church service. You can enter, sit wherever appropriate and observe quietly.

Churches vary in their customs, but visitors are not expected to bring a Bible, dress formally, sing, pray aloud or give money.

If Communion is offered and you are unsure whether you should receive it, you may remain seated. In some churches you may go forward for a blessing instead. Instructions are often given during the service, and it is always acceptable to ask beforehand.

You may choose to speak to someone after the service, but you should not be pressured to disclose personal information, make a commitment or join immediately.

How often Christians attend church

Christians have traditionally gathered for worship on Sundays, the day associated with Jesus’s resurrection. Many Christians therefore attend a church service once each week.

Patterns of attendance vary. Some Christians attend more than once a week for additional services, prayer meetings, Bible study or other church activities. Others attend less often because of work, health, family responsibilities, travel or personal circumstances.

It is common for Christians to have a main church and to worship regularly with the same congregation. This can help people form relationships, receive support and take part in the life of the community.

However, not every Christian follows the same pattern. Some attend different churches at different times, perhaps because they value more than one style of worship, divide their time between different places or are still deciding where they feel most at home.

Regular participation in a Christian community is generally encouraged, but Christianity does not require every person’s pattern of attendance to look exactly the same.

An imperfect community

Churches are made up of imperfect people and can sometimes fail badly. Christians may behave hypocritically, misuse authority or fail to show the grace and love they proclaim.

Some people have experienced serious harm within churches. Such harm should not be denied, minimised or excused in the name of loyalty, forgiveness or protecting the reputation of a church.

A healthy church should be centred on Jesus rather than on the personality or power of a leader. It should welcome questions, practise accountability and take safeguarding, honesty and care for vulnerable people seriously.

Its leaders should not use fear, shame, spiritual claims or social pressure to control people. Concerns and allegations of harm should be heard properly and referred to the appropriate safeguarding or civil authorities when necessary.

No church will be perfect, but its life should increasingly display humility, grace, truth, love, justice and willingness to admit and correct wrongdoing.