Getting Baptized

jturpin4

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Hi all. My wife and I have started attending a Baptist church but have been in evangelical churches all our lives. I was wondering if it is basically a requirement to get baptized at church in front of others or could one get baptized anywhere they pleased as long as the one baptizing you is baptized themselves? I have a pretty big social anxiety in regards to doing this in front of a whole church so was just curious. Membership only says that you must be a baptized believer so was just wondering.

Thanks!
 

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jturpin4 said:
Hi all. My wife and I have started attending a Baptist church but have been in evangelical churches all our lives. I was wondering if it is basically a requirement to get baptized at church in front of others or could one get baptized anywhere they pleased as long as the one baptizing you is baptized themselves? I have a pretty big social anxiety in regards to doing this in front of a whole church so was just curious. Membership only says that you must be a baptized believer so was just wondering.

Thanks!

I am not sure what baptists require of members. There is no actual requirement in the Bible. Anything else would be extra-Biblical.
 
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Shane R

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From this now learn a proper understanding of the subject, and how to answer the question what Baptism is, namely thus, that it is not mere ordinary water, but water comprehended in God's Word and command, and sanctified thereby, so that it is nothing else than a divine water; not that the water in itself is nobler than other water, but that God's Word and command are added.
For to be baptized in the name of God is to be baptized not by men, but by God Himself. Therefore, although it is performed by human hands, it is nevertheless truly God's own work. (Large Catechism of Martin Luther)

When baptism is defined and understood this way one can see that the place and time that the sacrament is administered are open to differences in custom. Baptists seldom have this understanding of the subject. However, having anxiety over a public baptism is not the strongest sign that one is ready to confess the faith.

 
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ltwin

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Hi all. My wife and I have started attending a Baptist church but have been in evangelical churches all our lives. I was wondering if it is basically a requirement to get baptized at church in front of others or could one get baptized anywhere they pleased as long as the one baptizing you is baptized themselves? I have a pretty big social anxiety in regards to doing this in front of a whole church so was just curious. Membership only says that you must be a baptized believer so was just wondering.

Thanks!

Considering that baptism is a God-ordained expression of faith, a "burial of the old man," and a "rising to life in Christ," it may be a bad sign that you are not really willing to do this publicly.

You don't have to be baptized in public. My great uncle (who is a pastor) had brought a women to the Lord but did not have anywhere to baptize her, so my mom let them use our swimming pool.

That being said, baptism is part of becoming a disciple of Christ and it would seem fitting where possible to do this among other disciples of Christ.
 
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FundamentalistJohn

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I'm not sure that any Baptist Church requires public baptism. As a minister I usually desire for baptism to be a communal celebration but sometimes there are issues that make that impractical such as anxiety, mobility issues, work responsibilities etc.
 
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actionsub

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Hi all. My wife and I have started attending a Baptist church but have been in evangelical churches all our lives. I was wondering if it is basically a requirement to get baptized at church in front of others or could one get baptized anywhere they pleased as long as the one baptizing you is baptized themselves? I have a pretty big social anxiety in regards to doing this in front of a whole church so was just curious. Membership only says that you must be a baptized believer so was just wondering.

Thanks!

Because Baptists have traditionally seen immersion as a confession to others of your faith, they have held that it should (read "must") be done in the context of a church service. As such, they do tie membership to baptism; so much so that they generally will not accept even immersion baptism from a non-Baptist church. Example: my daughter was immersed in the United Methodist church at our insistence after a profession of faith. When we later wanted to join a Baptist church, they insisted our daughter be immersed again because the UMC was not of "like faith and order".

Some Baptist groups, like the American Baptist denomination, are fairly accepting of baptism outside their circles. Others, like the Southern Baptists, are much stricter on this particular matter.
 
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bbbbbbb

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Because Baptists have traditionally seen immersion as a confession to others of your faith, they have held that it should (read "must") be done in the context of a church service. As such, they do tie membership to baptism; so much so that they generally will not accept even immersion baptism from a non-Baptist church. Example: my daughter was immersed in the United Methodist church at our insistence after a profession of faith. When we later wanted to join a Baptist church, they insisted our daughter be immersed again because the UMC was not of "like faith and order".

Some Baptist groups, like the American Baptist denomination, are fairly accepting of baptism outside their circles. Others, like the Southern Baptists, are much stricter on this particular matter.

This varies widely among various Baptist associations. The Landmark Baptists believe that baptism is into the local church and, therefore, require baptism of any individual in order for that person to join the church. This includes people transferring from other Landmark Baptist churches.
 
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HighCherub

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Because Baptists have traditionally seen immersion as a confession to others of your faith, they have held that it should (read "must") be done in the context of a church service. As such, they do tie membership to baptism; so much so that they generally will not accept even immersion baptism from a non-Baptist church. Example: my daughter was immersed in the United Methodist church at our insistence after a profession of faith. When we later wanted to join a Baptist church, they insisted our daughter be immersed again because the UMC was not of "like faith and order".

Some Baptist groups, like the American Baptist denomination, are fairly accepting of baptism outside their circles. Others, like the Southern Baptists, are much stricter on this particular matter.

There are a few churches in nearly every type of core belief who will try to wing something like that- it's whoever is running the said church, you see.
Over zealous men bent on being adversarial to other churches.

In traditional churches, the rite of baptism is universal- it doesn't require a priest or otherwise a representative of said church to authorize it.
Even in the Catholic Church, you are not required to be baptized a second time in the event of one's conversion.

Let the over-zealous drink their own kool aid :)
 
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actionsub

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This varies widely among various Baptist associations. The Landmark Baptists believe that baptism is into the local church and, therefore, require baptism of any individual in order for that person to join the church. This includes people transferring from other Landmark Baptist churches.
The Southern Baptist approach is a modified version of Landmark Baptist baptismal policy. I didn't know the Landmarkers required it every time a congregational move was made by an individual, though.
 
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thecolorsblend

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Some Baptist groups, like the American Baptist denomination, are fairly accepting of baptism outside their circles. Others, like the Southern Baptists, are much stricter on this particular matter.
The Southern Baptist congregation of which I am technically still a member (because they won't cancel my membership even though I've asked them to) took my word for it when I told them I was baptized at age 16, even though I didn't have a certificate to prove it.

Then again, those might be special circumstances since they'd known me for years by then.

My view now is that baptism is the normative means of salvation. Yes, exceptions can be made at times. But those exceptions prove the rule.

For Christians, there's no reason not to be baptized and every possible reason to be baptized.
 
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JoeP222w

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Hi all. My wife and I have started attending a Baptist church but have been in evangelical churches all our lives. I was wondering if it is basically a requirement to get baptized at church in front of others or could one get baptized anywhere they pleased as long as the one baptizing you is baptized themselves? I have a pretty big social anxiety in regards to doing this in front of a whole church so was just curious. Membership only says that you must be a baptized believer so was just wondering.

Thanks!

One of the major points of Baptism is public profession of your faith in Jesus Christ. Public profession means you do so in front of your church (church is not a building, by the way). No one who is a follower of Jesus Christ and walking in obedience to Him will mock you in any way for being baptized.

Baptism is also done that your fellow church brethren can hold you accountable to your walk with Christ.

Do you think that the Holy Spirit is not able to help you overcome you social anxiety?
 
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JoeP222w

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I am not sure what baptists require of members. There is no actual requirement in the Bible. Anything else would be extra-Biblical.

Matthew 28:18-19 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


Baptism is not required for salvation, no. But why would you not be baptized if given the opportunity?
 
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JoeP222w

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Baptists seldom have this understanding of the subject.

As grateful as I am that God used Martin Luther with a very important role in the Reformation, Martin Luther and/or his Catechism is not the inerrant word of God. Martin Luther did hold to some errors, as all humans do.
 
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actionsub

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The Southern Baptist congregation of which I am technically still a member (because they won't cancel my membership even though I've asked them to) took my word for it when I told them I was baptized at age 16, even though I didn't have a certificate to prove it.

Same here. My membership has been at a Methodist church for years. However, if I was to report for membership at a Southern Baptist congregation, they'd take my word on having been baptized by First Baptist Church here where I was baptized. I couldn't tell you where my baptismal certificate was either. I do, however, have a ministerial license I can produce that did prove I was a member of a church in the denomination at one point!
 
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Tangible

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Martin Luther and/or his Catechism is not the inerrant word of God.
Obviously not. But the doctrines outlined in the Large Catechism do faithfully reflect the doctrines taught by the inerrant word of God.
 
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JoeP222w

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Obviously not. But the doctrines outlined in the Large Catechism do faithfully reflect the doctrines taught by the inerrant word of God.

Although it may certainly have truth in it, the Large Catechism is not scripture, since the Catechism is derived from scripture, it is subject to scripture, not equal to scripture or greater than scripture.
 
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Tangible

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Although it may certainly have truth in it, the Large Catechism is not scripture, since the Catechism is derived from scripture, it is subject to scripture, not equal to scripture or greater than scripture.
Isn't that what I said? The Catechism is reliable and authoritative because it is a true reflection of Scripture and a correct reiteration of Scriptural doctrines.
 
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Ron Gurley

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Immersion of believers anywhere = Biblical.

Spiritual baptism:

1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB)
13 For by one (God the Holy) Spirit we (believers) were all baptized into one body, (of Jesus the Christ)
whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free,
and we were all made to drink of one (unified) Spirit.
 
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bbbbbbb

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"He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned."
-- St Mark Chap. XVI.

Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Do you believe?
 
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