Liberty University School of Divinity Sharing the Lord’s Supper: Finding Fellowship and Love in a Sacramental, Communal Meal A Thesis Project Report Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Divinity in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry Department of Christian Leadership and Church Ministries by Josh Peterson Lynchburg, Virginia November 30, 2020 November 13, 2020 ii THE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY THESIS PROJECT ABSTRACT Josh Peterson Liberty University School of Divinity, 2020 Mentor: Dr. Samuel Olarewaju This thesis project identifies the biblical practice of celebrating the Lord’s Supper weekly in conjunction with a communal meal. At this project’s Ministry Context, Garden City Bible Fellowship, there is a lack of fellowship and love. This project investigates whether the implementation of the Lord’s Supper and a communal meal on a weekly basis will build fellowship and love in a biblical way. After being approved by the leadership of this church, the topic will be introduced to the congregation via a sermon on the subject, culminating in a question and answer session for anyone who has questions before participating. Research will begin by participants voluntarily and anonymously completing an introductory survey, which will reveal their current views on the Lord’s Supper and the love feast. These participants will then voluntarily participate in the Lord’s Supper and the communal meal weekly for the next five weeks. Subsequently, those who have participated in three or more communal meals will complete the conclusory survey, which will be compared with the introductory survey to discover themes or slippages. iii Contents Chapter 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................1 Ministry Context ............................................................................................................................1 Problem Presented .........................................................................................................................9 Purpose Statement .......................................................................................................................10 Basic Assumptions .......................................................................................................................12 Definitions .....................................................................................................................................13 Limitations ....................................................................................................................................22 Delimitations .................................................................................................................................24 Thesis Statement ..........................................................................................................................25 Chapter 2 Conceptual Framework.............................................................................................27 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................27 Fellowship ..........................................................................................................................28 Origin.. ...............................................................................................................................29 Schedule .............................................................................................................................30 Timing. ...............................................................................................................................31 Frequency ...........................................................................................................................32 Inclusion of a Meal ............................................................................................................35 iv Discovery ...........................................................................................................................36 Theological Foundation ...............................................................................................................37 Acts 2:42-47 .......................................................................................................................42 1 Corinthians 10:16 ............................................................................................................44 Acts 2:42 ............................................................................................................................45 Acts 20:7 ............................................................................................................................51 1 Corinthians 11:20-21 ......................................................................................................53 Jude 12 ...............................................................................................................................58 Synoptic Gospels ...............................................................................................................60 Theoretical Foundation ...............................................................................................................64 Past Research .....................................................................................................................65 Ministries ...........................................................................................................................72 Chapter 3 Methodology ...............................................................................................................74 Intervention Design ......................................................................................................................74 Prerequisite Planning .........................................................................................................74 Introducing the Intervention ..............................................................................................75 Day and Time .....................................................................................................................80 Participants .........................................................................................................................82 Preparation .........................................................................................................................84 Meal......... ..........................................................................................................................87 The Bread and the Cup ......................................................................................................88 Timeframe ..........................................................................................................................89 v Data Collection ..................................................................................................................91 Implementing the Intervention Design ......................................................................................93 Chapter 4 Results .........................................................................................................................99 Introductory Survey Results .....................................................................................................100 Figure 1.1 .........................................................................................................................100 Figure 1.2 .........................................................................................................................101 Figure 1.3 .........................................................................................................................101 Figure 1.4 .........................................................................................................................102 Figure 1.5 .........................................................................................................................102 Figure 1.6 .........................................................................................................................103 Figure 1.7 .........................................................................................................................104 Figure 1.8 .........................................................................................................................104 Figure 1.9 .........................................................................................................................105 Figure 1.10 .......................................................................................................................106 Figure 1.11 .......................................................................................................................106 Figure 1.12 .......................................................................................................................107 Figure 1.13 .......................................................................................................................108 Figure 1.14 .......................................................................................................................109 Figure 1.15 .......................................................................................................................109 Conclusory Survey Results .......................................................................................................110