When Should Children Start Taking Communion?
Parenting
Audio By Carbonatix
5:10 AM on Tuesday, June 2
By Amanda Idleman, Parenting
Communion is a Christian sacrament that commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, sometimes referred to as the Eucharist. Communion is a moment of thanksgiving, reflection, and worship. We come before Jesus, accepting his gift of life with him as we take the bread and the wine. Jesus instructed his followers to take communion to remember him and his forthcoming death and resurrection at the Last Supper that he held with his disciples (1 Corinthians 11:24).
Matthew 26:26-29 says, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
This is the account in which Jesus instructed us to take part in communion and explained its purpose. Communion is a chance to remember the loving sacrifice Jesus made on the cross and the gift of salvation we have been given. Communion was often paired with a celebratory meal shared by believers. It was both a time of quiet reflection and a joyful community that enhanced the faith of Christ followers.
Today, communion is taken in many different ways depending on your church. Still, the purpose behind the practice remains consistent: to remember Jesus and honor the gift of the cross.
There Is No Specific Age Requirement for Communion in the Bible
The Bible does not specify the age requirement for taking communion. The Last Supper account does not indicate children were at this dinner, but they may have been around. Surely, as the new church was born, children enjoyed communion and shared meals as a way of remembering Jesus. Our kids should be included in this holy tradition. Some faith traditions establish parameters for when and how to take communion, which can provide guidance on what to consider when approaching communion as a family.
Open Communion vs. Closed Communion
Some churches subscribe to open communion, which adheres to the idea that all Christians, regardless of their denomination or specific qualification (such as baptism by immersion), are welcome to participate in communion.
If you are a part of this church tradition, once your child is a professing Christian, they are open to communion with others in your faith community. Most of my kids were old enough to express their belief in Jesus at a young age, some as young as 4 or 5, but every person is different. They were baptized a little older, ages 6, 8, and 10.
Closed communion emphasizes and limits the serving of the elements of Holy Communion to only those in good standing in a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation. This practice emphasizes the importance of church discipline and adherence to specific beliefs and practices of a certain church tradition.
In these churches, your child may need to demonstrate knowledge or maturity or have other outward signs of their faith before being invited to participate in communion. Your family should honor the structures in place at the church you are a part of; teach these guidelines to your child so they can grow to engage with the tradition you are raising them in.
Considerations for Your Child as They Take Communion
Taking communion is a great time to talk to your child about what their faith means and the sacrament of communion. Invite them to reflect and remember that Jesus loves them so much that he gave his life for them. Prompt them to consider their beliefs, invite them to reverently gather the elements, and take them in to honor the God they have decided to follow.
The sweetest thing about communion is that it’s a tangible way to engage with God. For our kids, that can be one of the best ways to remind them of Jesus’ love and their decision to follow him. Kids love bread and juice, so enjoying these elements will likely bring them joy. Growing up, I know I always looked forward to taking part in this group practice of remembering his body broken and his blood given for us with those little crackers and cute juice cups. Communion is something your child will likely not forget.
Ways to Prepare Your Child for Communion
If you are taking communion at church, you may not have a lot of time to discuss and prepare your child for the elements. Preparing your child for communion before church can help add extra meaning and value to this practice.
Emphasize to them that communion is about remembering. Jesus asks us to repeat this practice to remember him and his sacrifice on the cross. Invite them to ask about communion and why it matters in our faith walk.
Pause together and reflect on the significance of taking communion. This practice is reserved for professing Christ followers. You can discuss with your kids what that means and how they can live out their faith daily.
Emphasize to them the reverence we are to have towards Jesus and the honor we must show him when participating in communion. Communion is a holy sacrament. We are invited to give thanks, humble our hearts, and consider God’s great gift. When we receive the bread and the juice, we should approach this with quiet bodies ready to hear and follow the instructions given at church. We should prepare our kids by outlining the expectations that go along with participating in communion.
After communion, recall as a family the feelings you each had as you took the bread representing Jesus’ broken body and drank the juice that reminds us of his blood shed for us. How does the practice of communion help us know and love Jesus better?
1 Corinthians 11:28 says, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
Communion is a time of holy reflection that we can model for our children. The practice, the discussion, and the reflection are all part of our taking time to examine ourselves as we approach Jesus. It’s so important that we do not overlook the value of these important sacraments of our faith.
It’s a privilege as a parent to lead our children closer and closer to Jesus. Engaging in the timeless practices that draw us closer to Jesus as a family only deepens our connection to God and each other. Jesus commands us to participate in communion, so don’t skip out on this holy and powerful practice. You can start by taking communion at home, maybe before Sunday dinner. Read the words of Jesus, pray, and quietly take the elements together. This is a way to prepare your kids for what it might mean to participate in a church.
Engage your children in this hands-on way of honoring God and taking time to remember all he has done for us.
Photo Credit: Image created using DALL.E 2024 AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is encouraging others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for Your Nightly Prayer, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, Your Daily Prayer, and more. She has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, and Christianity.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas, alongside her husband’s companion devotional, Shepherd. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.
