Come to the Lord's Table

by Claude V. King

This book is a three-week study to help the members of a church prepare themselves to celebrate the Lord's Supper or Communion in a worthy manner and as a sacred assembly of the church. The first week helps members review the meaning of the cross and remember the Lord's death until He comes. Week 2 guides members to examine themselves as preparation to partake in a worthy manner. The lessons after the Lord's Table (Week 3) help Christians focus on the manner of life they should live in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for them. This book will help members return to their first love for Christ. The pastor's guide provides suggestions for an optional pre-communion meeting and a love feast.

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Hello, I’m Claude King and I serve as a discipleship and church health specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources. For over a quarter of a century, I’ve been involved in helping people and churches make disciples. Many godly men have profoundly influenced my own walk with the Lord including Avery Willis, Henry Blackaby, T. W. Hunt, Archie King (my dad) and a host of others.

I thoroughly enjoy getting to help people and churches in the process of making and growing disciples, but I’m limited in how much I can do in person. I’ve begun this blog in order to “download” some of the things I’ve learned and share some messages that have impacted people and groups through the years. I also want to share resources that may be tools you can use to help yourself and others do a better job of being fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

In His Final Command, Jesus gave us a huge assignment: “make disciples of all peoples . . . and teach them to obey everything I’ve commanded.” As impossible as that is with our human abilities and resources, we can obey that command because Jesus promises to be with us. He enables and empowers our fulfillment of this Great Commission. Let’s follow Paul’s model and strive with all His energy that works through us to present everyone perfect and mature in Christ (Col. 1:28-29).

Claude V. King, Nashville, TN

- http://blog.lifeway.com/growingdiscip...

Reviews

[Libby Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some helpful parts in Come to the Lord's Table, but in many ways, I found it strangely lacking in clarity and Biblical depths. Claude King has some interesting... ideas, or ways of putting things, that - though perhaps not intended by the author - might lead to misunderstanding the truth if the reader is unfamiliar with or has a shaky foundation in the Gospel and the Scriptures. I felt, as I read, I got as much out of it as I was willing to put into it; so yes, God did use this book in specific areas to convict me and lead me into knowing him more, and I think the same might be said in certain other cases as well. Don't get me wrong - King makes several solid, Scriptural points that hit the nail on the head. But as a comprehensive theology and preparation for Communion, it lacked clarity and occasionally appeared to stray from Biblical truth.

That's why I'm giving it 2.5 stars.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a bit uneven. At times (usually when relying on Andrew Murray's devotions) the book is strong but at others (usually when Claude King suggests something unusual) it is unhelpful. I appreciate King's update of Andrew Murray's classic devotional book but found his own writing to be so much less doctrinally robust that there was quite a disconnect. This book is recommended by LifeWay Christian Resources for Southern Baptist churches as Spiritual preparation for the Church Transition Process for churches that are between pastors and being led by a Transitional Pastor. Although not a devotional workbook, I would suggest 'Understanding the Lord's Supper' by Bobby Jamieson as an accessible and more Biblical alternative for group study on the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Jamieson's short book is thorough, practical, and without the shortcomings of King's devotional workbook.