Should a church require its members to take communion?

The Moral Danger of Requiring Communion

Should a church require its members to take communion? No, a church should not require its members to take communion. There might be times in a Christian's life where the person is in sin, and it might be such a significant sin that it would be advisable for him not to take communion.

Let's take, for example, that a person is committing adultery and knows that it is wrong, but is continuing to do so. Such a person should not take communion because he is not in a state of repentance, and he is not struggling against his sin.

Communion Taken in an Unworthy Manner

Furthermore, if the church were to require such a person to take communion, it could potentially be causing the person to do so in an unworthy manner, and helping him to sin. 1 Corinthians 11, verses 26 -29 says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

For he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly. Now, since communion is meant only for true believers who have repented of their sins, and since some churches are so liberal that they are not really Christian, and even encourage some sin, then requiring a person to take communion would essentially amount to contributing to a sinful act.

Churches Should Not Force Participation in the Lord's Supper

So no, churches should not require people to take communion.