Performing a Baptism?

[PastorBH]

not neccessarily, but often times, the scriptural offices and ordinaces are taken for granted. A church where ever it meets, must first of all be an assembly of believers. I say that because a lot of Christians just want to stay at home and not assemble with other believers for worship and fellowship. Second, a church must have elders and eventually deacons. Jesus specifically gave the church officers as gifts to the church in Eph. 4:11. Therefore the church must have Scriptually qualified men who meet the 1 Tim.3 standards for the office of a bishop.
This is in no way in conflict with the "Preisthood of All Believers". I believe that too. BUT priesthood is one thing (inclusive to all Christian believers) and church office is another thing (exclusive to God called men).
A little off the topic, but thats how the cookie crumbles.

 

[EdmundBlackadderTheThird]

Our church actually practices baptism by the person who led the person to Christ. For instance I baptized my wife and will baptize my children. I was going to baptize my friend Dave and he was going to turn around and baptize his wife but I was deathly ill on Easter so my pastor baptized him and then he baptized his wife. We have one old lady that doesn't like it and leaves the sanctuary every time it happens but the rest of the congregation is pretty stoked about it and rejoices when someone is led to the Lord. The elders based this on the simple fact that whoever led someone to Christ in scripture did the baptism so that's how we do it. I can tell you it is a humbling experience to baptize someone and an experience I reccomend very highly!

 

[JimfromOhio]

My brother in law and I were discussing baptism the other day and he posed a question I thought I would post here and see what opinions you have on it. Can a baptism be performed by any spirit filled christian who himself has already been baptised or should this be done strictly by the ordained?

I am a spirit-filled christian and have been baptised. My lovely wife wants ME to baptize her when she is ready. I am not sure so I did very little research.

The element of baptism is the Spirit. The baptizer is Christ. Just as John was the baptizer baptizing people into water, so Christ is the baptizer baptizing us into the Spirit of God, the act which places us in the body.

I am pretty sure I can baptize my wife without a problem. But I will be consulting my Pastor and see what he thinks.