What Does a Bread Machine Teach Us About Worship?

I enjoy using my bread machine. There’s something quietly satisfying about pouring in the ingredients, closing the lid, and letting it do its work. A little flour, some water, sugar, a packet of yeast—and before long, the whole loaf begins to change. That small amount of yeast works its way through everything. You don’t see it happening, but there is no way you can miss the results.

That experience has helped me think more carefully about a conversation I had with a friend who said it didn’t really matter whether the bread used in Communion was leavened or not. On one level, I understand the sentiment. God cares about the heart, not the recipe. But Scripture also shows us that God teaches through symbols—and when it comes to leaven, the Bible is remarkably consistent. And—if you’ve ever watched yeast do its work in making bread, that consistency starts to make a lot of sense.

Leaven:  Small, Hidden, Powerful

Anyone who bakes knows this simple truth:  it doesn’t take much yeast. A teaspoon is enough to affect the entire loaf. Once it’s in the dough, there’s no isolating it. It spreads, transforms, and reshapes everything.

That’s exactly why the Bible so often uses leaven as a teaching tool.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:6:  “Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?”

He repeats the same idea in Galatians 5:9, showing that this was a well-understood image in the first-century world. Leaven was a perfect picture of influence—especially the kind that works quietly and thoroughly.

Leaven and the Old Life

When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He gave them a command that seems strange to modern ears:  “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.” - Exodus 12:15

Leaven had to be removed entirely from their homes. Why? Because Egypt represented bondage, sin, and the old life. Leaving leaven behind symbolized leaving that life behind as well.

Moses later explained in Deuteronomy 16:3:  “Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.” In other words, the bread itself told the story.

And in Israel’s worship, leaven was deliberately excluded from certain offerings:  “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord.” - Leviticus 2:11

God was teaching His people that corruption—no matter how small—had no place in sacrifices offered to Him.

Jesus, Leaven, and Influence

Jesus picked up this same image and applied it to spiritual life. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” - Matthew 16:6

At first, the disciples thought He was talking about bread. But Jesus clarified:  “But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” - Matthew 16:11b

False ideas, hypocrisy, and pride spread just like yeast in dough—slowly, subtly, but completely.

To be fair, Jesus also used leaven in a positive sense (Matthew 13:33), where it represents the growth of God’s kingdom. So leaven itself isn’t evil. It’s symbolic. Context matters.

And when it comes to sacrifice, remembrance, and holiness, the Bible overwhelmingly treats leaven as something to be removed.

The Bread on the Table

When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He did so during the Passover:  ”On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?’” - Matthew 26:17

That detail matters. The bread on that table wasn’t leavened—it couldn’t be. And it was that bread Jesus held when 

He said:  “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” - Luke 22:19

Later, Paul draws the connection even tighter:  “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. -      1 Corinthians 5:7–8

Paul doesn’t treat this as accidental symbolism. He treats it as intentional teaching.

Back to the Bread Machine

Here’s where my bread machine comes back into the picture. When I want a light, risen loaf, yeast is essential. But if I want flatbread or unleavened bread, yeast doesn’t just not help—it defeats the whole purpose. The absence of yeast is the point.

That’s what makes unleavened bread such a powerful symbol in Communion. It isn’t just bread without something in it. It’s bread that intentionally lacks corruption, spread, and fermentation.

In the Lord’s Supper, we remember a sinless Savior:  “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” - 1 Peter 2:22. Unleavened bread quietly proclaims that truth.

Does It Make a Difference?

If someone unknowingly uses leavened bread with a sincere heart? Well, we may have to let God’s grace and mercy decide. But if we’re asking whether symbolism matters—whether God’s teaching tools deserve careful attention—the Bible gently urges us to say yes.

Communion is a proclamation:  “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” - 1 Corinthians 11:26. The symbols preach. And the bread Jesus chose tells a story of purity, sacrifice, and a clean break from the old life.

A Gentle Conclusion

This isn’t about legalism. It’s about listening carefully to what God has been saying all along.

Every time I use my bread machine, I’m reminded how powerful yeast is—and how fitting it is that God used something so ordinary to teach something so profound. In the Lord’s Supper, the absence of leaven speaks just as loudly as its presence ever could.

And sometimes, the quietest symbols teach us the most about the holiness of the One we worship.

Why Baptism Is Necessary According to Scripture

Baptism has been a subject of a lot of discussion among sincere believers. Some see it as simply a symbol of faith, while others understand it as being an essential part of responding to the gospel. But have you ever asked, “What does Scripture actually teach?” When we carefully look at God’s Word, we see baptism isn’t just a ceremony or an optional outward expression—it’s an act of obedient faith through which God works to unite us with Christ.

Let’s start with what baptism is. The word itself comes from the Greek term baptízō, meaning to immerse, to dip, to submerge. It was used in everyday Greek to describe plunging something completely under water—like a cloth being dipped into dye. That’s why, in Scripture, baptism is always described as an immersion, not a sprinkling or mere symbolic act. Paul explains that baptism represents a burial and resurrection: “We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead... even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). So, baptism, then, is not only a picture of the gospel—it’s where we participate in it.

Why It Matters

Jesus Himself made baptism a command—not a suggestion. In the Great Commission, He told His apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...” (Matthew 28:19). In Mark’s account, Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Notice the order:  belief and baptism go hand in hand. The early church took this seriously. On the day of Pentecost, when the crowd asked Peter what they must do, he replied, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). That’s about as clear as Scripture can get.

Baptism is also where we put on Christ. Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” It’s the moment of transition from being in sin to being in Christ. Peter, too, draws the connection plainly:  “Baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but the appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). Baptism isn’t about physical water—it’s about a spiritual transaction between the believer and God.

Common Misunderstandings

Some very well-meaning people argue that baptism can’t be necessary because salvation is “by faith alone.” And that’s true—salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). But genuine faith is always active—it responds in obedience. Just as Noah’s faith led him to build the ark (Hebrews 11:7) and Abraham’s faith led him to obey God’s command (James 2:21–24), saving faith leads us to obey Christ’s command to be baptized. Baptism doesn’t earn salvation—it’s how faith submits to the grace God offers.

Others say the thief on the cross proves baptism isn’t necessary. But that man lived and died before Jesus’ death and resurrection, under the old covenant. The gospel’s baptism (into Christ’s death and resurrection) hadn’t yet been established. After the resurrection, though, every conversion in recorded in Acts includes baptism—and it is never as an afterthought, but as the expected, immediate response to the gospel (see Acts 8:35–38; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:31–33; 22:16).

The Heart of It All

Ultimately, baptism is about surrender. It’s where faith meets grace. It’s not just going through water—it’s being united with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. To minimize baptism is to misunderstand how God has chosen to apply His saving work to our lives.

When Priscilla and Aquila found Apollos preaching accurately about Jesus but knowing “only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:25–26), they lovingly explained “the way of God more accurately.” Many believers today, like Apollos, are sincere and passionate but may not have been taught the full picture. The good news is that God’s Word makes it beautifully clear:  baptism is not a ritual—it’s a moment of obedient faith where we die to sin and rise to new life in Christ.

But Wait . . . What About the Sinner’s Prayer?

Many sincere people today have been taught to “pray Jesus into their heart” or to “say the sinner’s prayer” to be saved. While this practice is common in modern evangelical culture, it does not appear in Scripture—not even once. There is no command to pray a salvation prayer, no example of anyone doing so, and no passage that teaches salvation comes by praying a specific prayer. 

What we do see in Scripture is a consistent pattern of how people responded to the gospel:  

• They heard the message (Romans 10:17). They believed it (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12).

• They repented (Acts 2:38; 17:30).

• They confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9–10; Acts 8:37).

• They were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; 8:36–38; 22:16; Galatians 3:27).

This is the pattern repeated over and over in the book of Acts. Not once do we see an apostle telling someone, “Repeat after me” or “Invite Jesus into your heart.”

Where Did the Idea Come From?

The sinner’s prayer arose in the last few centuries as part of revival movements. Well-intentioned preachers wanted a simple, immediate way for people to respond emotionally to a sermon. Over time, the prayer became seen by many as the way to receive salvation—despite having no biblical foundation.

But Doesn't Romans 10:9–13 Teach a Salvation Prayer?

Some point to Romans 10:9–13, especially “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,” as support for the sinner’s prayer. But in Scripture, “calling on the Lord’s name” is not praying a formula—it means appealing to God in faithful obedience. That’s exactly how Ananias explained it to Saul:  “And now why do you wait? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” (Acts 22:16)

Paul called on the Lord’s name by submitting to baptism—not by saying a prayer.

What Does the Bible Actually Teach About Becoming a Christian?

Every conversion in Acts includes baptism at the moment a person’s sins are forgiven. The early Christians took Jesus’ words seriously:  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16)  

The sinner’s prayer, by contrast, is never mentioned.

A Kind and Honest Conclusion

Many people who have said a sinner’s prayer were acting out of sincere hearts, wanting desperately to follow Jesus. Their sincerity should be honored, not attacked. But like Apollos in Acts 18, many believers simply haven’t been taught “the way of God more accurately.”

The Scripture’s message is simple, beautiful, and consistent:  We are saved by God’s grace through obedient faith—not by reciting a prayer.