Students take in communion

Liberty University students celebrated Christ’s sacrifice by taking part in communion during the weekly Campus Church service Wednesday, March 20.

Worship Pastor Justin Kintzel and the Campus Praise Band led thousands of students in worship throughout the night. Afterwards, Johnnie Moore taught from the Book of Mark and discussed the significance of the Last Supper and the impact of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for all.

Moore also instructed students to remember the ordinance of baptism as instructed in the Bible.

“Why do you think God gave us instructions to take communion? So we will remember the sacrifices of Christ,” Moore said. “Communion allows us an opportunity to assess our lives in light of the cross. It’s a time of unity for the body of Christ and a time to remember that Jesus has freed us of sin and given us a new and better life. Communion presses the pause button on lesser things, so that we have the space to look inside our hearts again and remember how we’ve been loved and changed by Jesus.”

Clips from the History Channel’s mini-series “The Bible,” including un-aired scenes, were shown after Moore spoke to help illustrate points in his sermon.

“Showing the clips from ‘The Bible’ mini-series was a great visual rendition of Christ’s sacrifice for us, and it added a lot to the visual emphasis of the communion ceremony,” Liberty graduate student Colby Tallafuss said.

According to Liberty junior Devan Mello, this is the third year he has attended communion at the university.

“I think that communion is one of the most important parts of your relationship with God,” Mello said. “At home, I don’t usually go to church because of work, so this is one of the only times all year I get to take communion, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to do so.”

Kintzel also stressed the importance of communion in a Christian’s life.

“We are commanded as a body to take communion, and as a Christian university, Campus Church is when we come together as a body and be a community of believers. Christ is what we center our lives around, and if we don’t take the time to remember, then what are we doing?” Kintzel said.

According to Kintzel, members of student leadership and students seeking Christian service hours helped set up the cross-shaped table that held communion. Other students were involved in the service as ushers or technical production helpers.

Moore ended his sermon by urging students to examine themselves before taking communion and to honor Jesus by remembering his broken body and sacrifice.