Heidelcast For October 12, 2025: Nourish And Sustain (22): A Case for Weekly Communion

Dr Clark continues the series on the Lord’s Supper, Nourish and Sustain. This series explores what the Supper is, why it was instituted, how it has been understood in the history of the church, what Scripture says, how we should understand it, and practice it.

The Lord’s Supper is one of the two sacraments instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ. A sacrament is a sign and seal of Holy Spirit-given benefits. Where baptism is the sign and seal of initiation into Christ-confessing covenant community, the Lord’s Supper is the sign and seal of renewal and personal appropriation of the benefits promised in the covenant of grace. Tragically, since the mid-ninth century at least, holy communion, which is intended to bring Christ’s people together, has often been a source of division. Perhaps worse, however, for much of the last one hundred fifty years, the Supper has been much neglected among evangelicals.

In this episode, Dr. Clark concludes the series Nourish and Sustain by sketching out a biblical and historical case for weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper.

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2 comments

  1. Dr Clark,

    Thank you for this series. Very informative! I was already convinced of weekly Communion so this just helps me shore up my understanding. One thing: a professor of mine in seminary (and others) have argued that Calvin originally called for weekly Communion, but later—after talking to Bullinger—he was convinced it should be less frequent. Have you heard this claim? I couldn’t find any evidence of it but maybe you would know.

    • Jared,

      Calvin called for communion every time the church met throughout his career. It’s in the 1559 Institutes, as I documented in the series and in Recovering the Reformed Confession.

      I’m unaware of any such evidence. If it exists, I should very much like to see it.

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