This post is for (or about) credo-baptists, or for those who don’t practice infant baptism, and are discussing at what age a person can be baptized. That is, at what age does a person become responsible enough to be baptized?

Traditionally, many baptize at “the age of accountability,” which often means about 12 or so. Or when a child/person professes Christ and seeks baptism and offers a credible witness of personal faith. This leads to regular discussions about whether a child/young person is mature enough to be making his or her decision or whether that decision is the result of parental education, church education, parental pressure or church pressure.

My own theory is this: for credo-baptists, baptism should not happen until a person has individuated — that is, has begun to form his or her own self-identity. This puts me at odds at times with those who will baptize a four or five year old because they have made some kind of expression of faith. This especially puts me at odds with some parents who think I’m questioning the salvation of their child, etc. But here’s the point: if you believe a person should not be baptized until they have made a credible confession of faith, then that shouldn’t happen until that person adequately understands what he or she is getting into. The best expression of credo-baptism in the history of the church was the Anabaptists of the 16th Century, for whom baptism was (deadly) serious.

This post was provoked by a letter from a reader who was responding to a post by Tim Challies.  Here is that letter: [Read more...]

I got this note from a pastor in a denomination that baptizes infants and then proceeds to catechism and confirmation, but this pastor has his doubts.

What wisdom do you have for him and for us? Let me insert another question here: What percentage of those who go through the catechism/confirmation process are turned down? Does the high number (almost 100% I’d say) suggest this is automatic?

I can’t really find any hard evidence [in the NT] for infant baptism and i wanted to make sure i wasn’t missing something.

I can identify with the covenant entrance idea. i was baptized as an infant. it came time for my wife to want to be baptized so I prayed and thought/studied on whether i should too…since i became a christian in college. I really felt like God was calling me to be at peace with the baptism I had…i felt like if i was re-baptized it would have been something that i was doing rather than focusing on something that christ did. not sure if that makes sense.

if you have time, what are your thoughts on the confirmation process?

i don’t really think our process is effective and it doesn’t really serve the purpose it’s supposed to. i was “confirmed” and while it provided me with head knowledge i was not a christian upon being confirmed. i see this with our students now…it’s not all that helpful of a process for them….but yet it’s one of those “untouchables” for change.

what do you think would improve confirmation?… [Read more...]

What was the original heresy? It’s not false teaching with respect to the Trinity, or perhaps it is. It’s not denial of the deity of Christ, or perhaps it is… Rodney Reeves’ new book, Spirituality according to Paul: Imitating the Apostle of Christ, suggests it is connected to baptism and, in particular, what baptism dramatizes and enacts: namely, our burial.

Listen to this one:

“… in every case but one (Rom. 6:1-4), Paul refers to baptism when he is trying to get his converts to learn how to get along with each other (Gal 3:28; 1 Cor 1:13-17; 12:13; 15:29; Eph 4:5; Col 2:12)” (96).

The original heresy is schism in the church, and Reeves points us to Paul’s correspondence with the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:17-19).

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.

There’s so much to say…

Does your church sign advertize oneness in Christ or difference from other churches? How does it do so? Does your church website market your distinctiveness or your union with all churches in Christ? [Read more...]