Baptism

[LiberatedChick]

I know the SA doesn't do baptisms but I've felt for a long while now that I should get baptised and my move to an SA church hasn't changed that.

When I attended my local CofE church I asked about baptism. Though being nervous around people (social anxiety) I emailed instead of speaking directly to the rector. My hope was that he'd then start a conversation with me about it instead of me having to start one with him. Anyway, the secretary received it and emailed me back to say she'd pass it on to him once he was back from a trip away. I've no idea if she did or not but I never got any kind of reply either in person or otherwise. So I didn't try again after that...too nervous to ask him about it in person and my email idea hadn't worked so I guess I just gave up.

I still feel a desire to be baptised though and I can't ignore it but the whole idea makes me nervous. It's the people thing again. Talking to a pastor of a church I don't even attend and the fact that family members will likely come along...it's making me anxious.

And now I've written this, I don't know why I've written it I think I was going to ask a question but it's turned into a vent. Oh well.

 

[elm0]

Hey Starelda, I wouldn't say that the SA don't do baptisms, more that we don't see it as necessary, but I think that's what you meant anyway. Our corps have had a few 'baptism days' where people who had mentioned a desire to be baptised all went to someone's house and they used the pool. Just a few people that each person wants there, so not a huge crowd, I only know about them because I've heard them mentioned afterwards. Some of the young adults got baptised at the beach.

If you feel the desire, then I encourage you to follow it through. I know kind of how you feel, I felt pretty nervous when I was baptised, but I felt that God wanted me to do it, so I did. It helped that I had to take my glasses of, so I couldn't really see anyone.

 

[LiberatedChick]

It helped that I had to take my glasses of, so I couldn't really see anyone.

lol....I hadn't thought about that. Everyone will look like fuzzy blobs to me without my glasses on.

And yes, I've have heard of some corps doing baptisms. It'd be pretty difficult for something like you've described to happen at mine...no back garden pools and the nearest beach is 100 miles away. We do have a river right behind the hall which John Bunyan was baptised in many years ago...but anyone going into that nowadays is likely to either get tangled in a shopping trolley or be attacked by the geese!

I shall approach another nearby church and see what they say. I've ignored God for a great chunk of my life already and I'm not going to do that again so I will shove the nerves to one side and follow this through.

 

[elm0]

lol....I hadn't thought about that. Everyone will look like fuzzy blobs to me without my glasses on.

There have to be some advantages to wearing glasses.

I've ignored God for a great chunk of my life already and I'm not going to do that again so I will shove the nerves to one side and follow this through.

Good to hear I ignored Him for quite a while too, but He let me learn from that time, so it's kool.

 

[something from the fridge]

i know of one officer doing baptisms. but it is all kept so secretive, which i think is kinda stupid, and is going to have a negative effect in the long run as it creates division.

i thought the whole idea of baptism was that it is a public expression of your faith. hiding it away kinda defeats the purpose i reckon.

 

[tadpole29]

Most officers will do a baptism if someone that attends the church would like to be baptised, sometimes another church will allow the officer to use the baptismal (I think thats the right word) to do it in. Pray about it and then approach your officer, he will be open to it.

 

[tadpole29]

i know of one officer doing baptisms. but it is all kept so secretive, which i think is kinda stupid, and is going to have a negative effect in the long run as it creates division.

i thought the whole idea of baptism was that it is a public expression of your faith. hiding it away kinda defeats the purpose i reckon.

I don't agree completely with that statement. Being baptised is a symbolic act. If it was merely for a public display of faith, wouldn't the uniform alone suffice?

 

[Abiel]

Most officers will do a baptism if someone that attends the church would like to be baptised, sometimes another church will allow the officer to use the baptismal (I think thats the right word) to do it in. Pray about it and then approach your officer, he will be open to it.

I think you will find that in the UK you wont get an officer any where near to performing a water baptism. I have heard it described as a sackable offence. They might help you to get baptised though, as they generally know the local ministers.

 

[sgeneralgrievous]

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (John 3:8).

 

[This_Beautiful_Grace]

Starelda, I've more recently had a desire to be baptized also but attending a SA church, it's not really an option. Can someone please tell me why SA churches don't baptize? I know that they don't, I just don't know why. Any information would be much appreciated!

 

[Abiel]

There's a link up in the sticky thread, but I would recommend you chat about it to your officer, or one of your locals. That way you can ask questions and get better answers than you will get over the net.