general questions concerning baptism

[RJHarmony84]

I was baptised into a Mennonite church, and the way my church went about it really hurt me...I left them 'cause I couldn't stay where I felt so cheated. Now I'm wondering if there's something wrong with me, 'cause it seems like a lot of people are baptised in the Mennonite way and like it just fine.
I guess my main questions are, 1. Why do they insist on a long mentorship before baptism, ('cause it seems like they wait so long that you wind up losing faith in what you're getting baptised into) and 2. Why does it have to be such a public affair, when it seems like it's supposed to be such a personal & spiritual experience?

 

[bleechers]

I'm not a Mennonite, so read with that understanding (although I have read Menno and I lived near a Mennonite community in NC at one time).

The Ethiopian to whom Philip led to the Lord was baptized immediately upon Philip's assurance that he "understood" the gospel. If you have an understanding of salvation in Christ and have accepted his work on your behalf, then baptism is in order. Maybe they just want you to be sure that you understand.

Now, there are those called mid-Acts dispensationalists that would not recognize the baptism of Acts 8, but that is another matter. I do not fall into that category.

It is a public affair because it is a public declaration of faith. I don't believe that there is a scriptural mandate that it must be public (some in Acts were baptized in their homes), but it would seem odd not to want to declare your identification (baptizmo) with Christ is His death, burial, and resurrection publicly.

Again, I'm sure that there are some Mennonites with some better answers.

Of course, I'd invite you to visit a sound Baptist church. No offense!

 

[sunshinejennii]

can you clarify about what you mean by the mennonite baptism? ive been brought up in a general baptist church so the differences confuse me. thank-you

 

[theseed]

1. I don't know, but JVAC in the Lutheran forum goes to or went to a Minnonite college

2. Everybody Christ called, he called publically. And he also said he would be ashamed of us before his Father if we were ashamed of him before men.



Luke 9:26
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.


Mark 8:38
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

 

[Crazy Liz]

I started to answer this post twice yesterday, but the computer I was using crashed each time before I hit "post."

To Mennonites, baptism is an act of obedience by which a Christian is initiated into the church. That is why, unlike Baptists, Mennonites never baptize anyone without immediately receiving them into church membership. Church membership entails a lifelong commitment to the church's discipline and to giving and receiving counsel. Therefore, it is customary to take great pains to assure that teh candidate for baptism understands and is prepared to make this commitment.

Sometimes a particular congregation might make a rule or develop a procedure to make sure this commitment is not taken lightly. As with other rules and procedures, this can go overboard. I'm sorry you were hurt by all the red tape.

The reason Mennonite baptisms are always public is that it is considered an act of the church, not a private action. It therefore involves the whole congregation, who generally will be ask to give some audible or visible affirmation (such as standing or answering "we do") that they accept this person's confession of faith, receive the person into church fellowship, and commit themselves to give and receive counsel to and from this person.

I guess you can see that Mennonites are a whole lot more group-oriented than most Baptists, who tend to be highly individualistic. You will find this difference prominent in Mennonite spirituality and ecclesiology.

Again, I'm sorry you were hurt. I hope this explanation sheds some light. It distresses me to think that some Mennonite churches put baptismal candidates through a long process, and still may baptize people who do not yet understand these things. I encourage you to speak with your pastor, your moderator or a deacon about these things. Ask them if what I said is what yor church teaches and practices. They will want to know the mistakes they made in the process of your preparation for baptism so they can make things right with you and also avoid making the same mistakes again.

 

[RJHarmony84]

My church had a confusing policy of seperation of church & fellowship/community, and I was opting not to joing the church until a later time--so I don't understand why they still wanted me to go through a 6 month-long ordeal. Know the passege about the Etheopian who has read the scripture & wants to be baptised, and says "here is water--what is keeping me from being baptised?" I was like that Etheopian. I asked if I could be baptised then & there, because I felt the spirit calling me, and instead of helping me to follow, they succeeded in teaching me to so completly block out that calling that I don't even consider myself a Christian anymore. I feel callused...
Also, I can understand that it is a public statement, but I didn't want to invite about 30 people who I didn't even know to something that was supposed to be so important to me. However, I didn't have a choice!
My church had Elders...the Elder who was appointed to be my mentor used to be a friend of mine--now I can't stand her. Of all the classes I had with her, not once did she forget to mention how her personal past of child abuse had made the inner child in her have emotional problems, something that not only didn't help me in the least, but over time made me realise that she needed the classes more than I did, for the companionship! She was using me like a psychiatrist, someone to spill her troubles to, instead of teaching me what I could expect from the church. When the time came to schedule an actual date for the baptism, I didn't even care anymore--all I wanted was to get out, not in!

 

[Crazy Liz]

My church had a confusing policy of seperation of church & fellowship/community, and I was opting not to joing the church until a later time--so I don't understand why they still wanted me to go through a 6 month-long ordeal.

I'm sorry. Your church is not following the usual Mennonite practice, so I can't explain.

Know the passege about the Etheopian who has read the scripture & wants to be baptised, and says "here is water--what is keeping me from being baptised?" I was like that Etheopian. I asked if I could be baptised then & there, because I felt the spirit calling me, and instead of helping me to follow, they succeeded in teaching me to so completly block out that calling that I don't even consider myself a Christian anymore. I feel callused...
Also, I can understand that it is a public statement, but I didn't want to invite about 30 people who I didn't even know to something that was supposed to be so important to me. However, I didn't have a choice!
My church had Elders...the Elder who was appointed to be my mentor used to be a friend of mine--now I can't stand her. Of all the classes I had with her, not once did she forget to mention how her personal past of child abuse had made the inner child in her have emotional problems, something that not only didn't help me in the least, but over time made me realise that she needed the classes more than I did, for the companionship! She was using me like a psychiatrist, someone to spill her troubles to, instead of teaching me what I could expect from the church. When the time came to schedule an actual date for the baptism, I didn't even care anymore--all I wanted was to get out, not in!

It sounds like it would have been wiser for you to go somewhere else to be baptized, but nobody would expect you to figure that out on your own. Again, I'm sorry they traumatized you. It sounds like they did a lot more wrong to you than just delay your baptism.

 

[sunshinejennii]

poor you

In my church we're expected to show sufficient understanding of what baptism means, especially for those of us who are younger, our minister is very reluctant to baptise those under about 16 (with good reason - its a looooooooong story). Church membership usually occurs with baptism but not always. It sounds as if in your church all the protecting rules and guidelines got out of hand and you weren't cared for and loved the way you ought to have been.