Question:
This is a question that has been plaguing me for some time:
I've been going to church for a while and haven't been baptized. At my church, you need to be baptized before you can serve and help out at events. I've been a christian for a really long time..since I was a teenager although I haven't been attending regularly. I had stopped attending while in University and recently went back about five years ago.
The problem is that everyone seems to think I am baptized and I am too shy to get up at the front. Also, since I've been moving around churches a bit, I haven't really set up a home base. I'm too shy to tell anyone, and also since I tend to be a quiet person, it's difficult to open up to anyone. I've chickened out of baptism several times, because first: my story is really uninteresting second: I haven't felt comfortable being at that church to do it third: don't like to get up in front of everybody
I really really really want to serve, since I had served alot when I was younger, and I feel God's calling.
My question: I am thinking of asking a minister to baptize me privately. Does it matter which type of minister will baptize me? I.e. going to ask a non-denominational minister to baptize me, when I am part of a denominiation? I also saw in the classified ads a reverend who performs private weddings/baptisms, although he is catholic (I am protestant). This guy was also listed under the gay/lesbians listing to perform baptisms/etc..so I'm not sure if this is a good idea to ask him to baptize me?? I am protestant christian.
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I'm moving this to Advice, where you will get more replies.
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the general Protestant idea of baptism is that it is a public profession of faith.
that being said, in your situation I would either talk to your pastor in private about his opinion on it (and thus get what is most likely the church's opinion), or consider waiting until you are in a church where you feel called to attend. It sounds like right now you're really in a state of trying to find a home church.
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Originally Posted by wondergirl_227 My question: I am thinking of asking a minister to baptize me privately. Does it matter which type of minister will baptize me?
Well, does it matter to you that it be a minister who performs the baptism? I don't believe there's any Biblical requirement for a special person to perform a baptism. What _does_ matter, though, is that baptism should be a community thing, not a private thing.
Several of my Christian friends were baptized in a hot tub at a place we used to go to for retreats - baptized not by some random minister who didn't know them, but by their friends. If you've got some Christian friends in the area, maybe you could ask them to baptize you.
Really, whoever constitutes your Christian community right now should be the people involved in your baptism. That may be your church, or it may be friends of yours who attend other churches.
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Originally Posted by Blindman Well, does it matter to you that it be a minister who performs the baptism? I don't believe there's any Biblical requirement for a special person to perform a baptism.
It does seem rather odd, however, that "special people" (at least one) became known for baptizings.
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Originally Posted by thesteve the general Protestant idea of baptism is that it is a public profession of faith.
that being said, in your situation I would either talk to your pastor in private about his opinion on it (and thus get what is most likely the church's opinion), or consider waiting until you are in a church where you feel called to attend. It sounds like right now you're really in a state of trying to find a home church. depending on one's theology though - baptism is also a part of salvation depending on a Christian's doctrine and serves as an important step in spiritual maturity.
My advice is not to feel like it's something emberessing you have to get out of the way in order to do the service you want to, but to see it as a step in your walk with God and an important part of your faith. If you have a will to develop and grow in God, your willingness and desire to be baptized will come first and above any feelings you might have of what others think.
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Originally Posted by Nathanael depending on one's theology though - baptism is also a part of salvation depending on a Christian's doctrine and serves as an important step in spiritual maturity. Indeed, though I believe in either line of theology, public presentation is stressed. My advice is not to feel like it's something emberessing you have to get out of the way in order to do the service you want to, but to see it as a step in your walk with God and an important part of your faith. If you have a will to develop and grow in God, your willingness and desire to be baptized will come first and above any feelings you might have of what others think. Great piece of advice Nathanael.
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Baptism is supposed to be your public profession of Faith. It is not intended to be a "private ceremony" because it defeats the purpose of why God made it a part of our practices.
The best thing for you to do is find the church that you want to be a part of and come to them as a believer in Christ ready for baptism.
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Originally Posted by Jc Baptism is supposed to be your public profession of Faith. It is not intended to be a "private ceremony" because it defeats the purpose of why God made it a part of our practices.
I think of Philip and the Ethiopian... as far as we can tell, there were no witnesses.
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But why was the Ethiopian baptized so quickly and without any known witnesses?
Was it because he didn't want people to know that he had never been baptized as a believer or because he was so ready to be a complete follower of Christ that he couldn't wait?
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I don't see how motive really matters all that much.
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Originally Posted by Nate I think of Philip and the Ethiopian... as far as we can tell, there were no witnesses. Acts 8:27-28: "And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all of her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet"
Now, you're right Nate, there's nothing explicit in the story that says there were any witnesses, however this man is described as a very important person in his kingdom and . From this I don't feel it unreasonable to conclude that he would be traveling on a well traveled road, which means there very well could have been people passing by, and that because of his position in the Queen's court, he would have been sent with escort who would have witnessed the baptism.
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Why would we want to read inferences into a passage?
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I believe motive has everything to do with it when it comes to obedience to God's commands.
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I don't.
Oh well.