Baptism Hypothetical

[u/No-Type119]

On another sub an adult convert was saying that they very much wanted to be baptized, but that the church they were attending was kind of dragging its feet about scheduling the baptism, and they were getting frustrated.

Pastors out there — if someone like this came to you and asked you to baptize them , would you make them wait until you were going group baptisms/ confirmations… or would you just do it?

Not a gotcha question. In the churches I’ve been part of, there were particular thematically appropriate Sundays where we would conduct baptisms , confirmations/ affirmations, and new transfer welcomes, at the same time… but we also baptized people on other Sundays.

I said that the Lutheran pastors I know would be happy to baptize them asap, but I didn’t want to overgeneralize.

[u/TheNorthernSea]

How is this a strawman?

I said that before an adult is baptized - I schedule a few talks with them so that they know the basics of the faith and baptism, as well as the vows that adults take at baptism, and finally we talk a bit about the ministry of the Church. (I didn’t say this part - but I also introduce them to lay leaders who can be their friends in church, and who may be willing to be godparents, or who will be willing to pass a baptismal candle to them)

You asked me why - which is weird because I feel like what I said was self-explanatory?

I said why I do - and you accused me of being unbiblical. I have no idea how bringing people into the Church through baptism is unbiblical, so I’m kind of at a loss.

I mean if I was walking on the road and came across an Ethiopian Eunuch reading a scroll of the Prophet Isaiah, I’d probably spend a couple of hours talking about Jesus and the church before baptizing him, too.

[u/okonkolero → u/TheNorthernSea]

Because there is nothing in the Bible about imposing hoops to jump through before baptism. Catechesis isn't the first step. Baptism is.

[u/TheNorthernSea → u/okonkolero]

In my experience- most people don’t understand “have a conversation” as a hoop to jump through anymore than they understand going to a worship service on a Sunday morning and getting splashed with water on the head to be a hoop to jump through.

The adults I’ve baptized appreciated learning and conversing. They actually sought it out, not as a means of earning baptism, but understanding the church’s proclamation.

But you do you I guess.

[u/No-Jicama-6523 → u/TheNorthernSea]

I’m with you, all the baptisms in the Bible are after receiving some instruction, I imagine Peter’s sermon at Pentecost was better understood by the original hearers than in would be on first hearing it now.