The Lost Supper - Recovering The Love Feast

Should you inquire of a modern Christian about the nature of early Christian gatherings during the apostolic age, you're likely to receive a variety of responses. An evangelical might suggest these meetings were primarily focused on preaching and hymn singing. A charismatic believer could emphasize worship, praise, and the manifestation of spiritual gifts. An Anglican might consider them chiefly as observances of the Eucharist. Indeed, all these elements hold some truth.

This practice among early Christians was known as the agape feast. Even beyond the era of the apostles, the Church before the Council of Nicaea maintained the tradition of the agape, or love feast. Nevertheless, roughly a century following Emperor Constantine's conversion, this vital component of apostolic worship vanished completely.

 Now, a remarkable phenomenon is unfolding across the globe. At the heart of this transformation is a renewed emphasis on Communion - a central practice of Christian life, now experiencing a renaissance as the focal point of a profound Communion Revival. This movement, spurred by a deeper understanding and appreciation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, is emerging as an explosive force for unity, healing, and spiritual awakening.

St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–107 AD), a student of the Apostle John,"They abstain from communion and from prayer because they do not confess that communion is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ".