How do contributions work if I miss a Sunday?  Say I am visiting another congregation, so I am unable to contribute at my home congregation.  Should I contribute at the congregation I am visiting or should I just double up on my contributions the next week at my home congregation?

Sincerely, Collecting My Thoughts

Dear Collecting My Thoughts,

It is left entirely to your discretion.  The command to take up a collection on the first day of the week is a congregational command (1 Cor 16:1).  The congregation has the responsibility to take up the collection each week from its members.  That is their responsibility.

Your responsibility as an individual is to give cheerfully, purposefully, and voluntarily (2 Cor 9:7).  The intent of 1 Cor 16:2 seems to be that the individual would be preparing to give their contribution to their own ‘home’ congregation, but we would hesitate to be too dogmatic on that point.  It isn’t a sin for an individual to ‘double-up’ a contribution the next week after visiting elsewhere, nor is it a sin to contribute to the work of another faithful congregation.  In matters of freedom, pray for wisdom (Jas 1:5) and do what seems best.  There is no wrong answer.

Is it okay to read a prayer, like a script, instead of it all coming from your heart at the moment you pray?

Eloquently,
Memorized

Dear Memorized,

Every prayer should come from your heart - but not necessarily off the top of your head.  We have all sorts of examples of prayers in the Bible.  Nehemiah prayed silently in his head as he stood before the king (Neh 2:4).  On the other hand, David wrote many, many prayers down in the Psalms.  Some prayers are spontaneous; some prayers are meticulously written down.  In either case, if it is sincere, it is valid (Eph 6:24).  If you write it down beforehand, it still came from your mind just as much as if you'd thought it up on the spot.

I have been to many different congregations, and they all do things a little differently when they take up the collection. Some congregations sing a song while passing the plate, others pray and give thanks before the collection, and many do both those things. What elements are important?

Sincerely, Collecting My Thoughts

Dear Collecting My Thoughts,

The New Testament teaches that a collection should be taken on the first day of the week when the church gathers together (1 Cor 16:2). The only requirement for the congregation is that a collection be taken at that time. Technically, a congregation could put out a basket on Sunday, inform the congregation of its purpose, and leave it at that.

Having said that, most congregations try and use that time to count their blessings and remind each other of how God has blessed them. Using songs and prayers are ways to do that. It is up to the discretion of every individual congregation to best assess how to take up a collection from among the saints.

I am a Christian and recently visited a local congregation where I noticed they were using different unleavened bread than is used at my home congregation.It was sort of homemade-looking, flaky and crusty, more like pie crust, and not the normal saltine-type of crackers. Is there some reason that they would use this other bread versus the crackers? Is it more like the original unleavened bread used by Christ and the apostles than the cracker style?

Sincerely, Store Bought

Dear Store Bought,

The only thing that matters is that the bread is unleavened.See this post for why the bread must be unleavened.The saltine-type crackers that you are used to are a mass produced, manufactured type of unleavened bread.The pie crust type was probably baked by a member of that congregation.It is doubtful that they baked it themselves for doctrinal reasons.Someone probably made it to be kind or frugal.Since Jesus didn’t have a Safeway or Costco to shop at, I’m sure the homemade type is closer to what He ate, but it really doesn’t matter.The only qualification is that the bread be without yeast.

     I saw your post today, "Daily Bread", and it brought a question to mind.  I have a friend who mentioned that while her and her husband are on vacation, they do the Lord's Supper by themselves wherever they may be. They go to the store and buy crackers and grape juice, then scope out a tranquil spot (like the beach or a park), he says the prayers, and then they partake.  I was under the assumption that this is wrong, that we need to be gathered as a congregation to do the Lord's Supper.  Now, this couple portrays themselves as being very righteous, but this seems off to me.  What's your take?

Sincerely,
All Or Nothing

Dear All Or Nothing,

You are right that partaking of the Lord’s Supper is a congregational activity, but this couple isn’t alone in their habit of partaking of it together while away from home.  Jesus says that where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is amongst them (Matt 18:20).  Since it only takes two people to make a worship service, many folks think of these vacation gatherings as a temporary congregation and, therefore, feel at peace about taking the Lord’s Supper this way.  Though not ideal, in their opinion, it is better than not partaking at all.

Good brethren are divided on this issue, and there is decent logic on both sides.  It is best to leave such decisions to the conscience of each Christian (Rom 14:4-6).