HAVE I BEEN BAPTIZING PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY?

I am sure that most people will be thinking about modes of baptism when they read the title to this article, but I am not speaking about modes of baptism at all, nor the connection between forgiveness of sin and baptism. I am thinking about discipleship and parenting. I am thinking about the role of spiritual parents and physical ones. As I have been processing the things we do in church and the role of discipleship I have seen a gap between form and function. Often times what we do, and the things we teach don't line up; Not in a hypocritical way. I mean we accidentally un-teach everything we just taught. I think one of the ways we do that is through church culture.

In the American church (and probably most western churches) we have those who have been ordained to do most of our baptisms. I have regularly told people that it is not required but I have not resisted the preference for ordained clergy either. Then it occurred to me one day, am I inadvertently teaching people to rely too much on me? Am I inadvertently teaching people to trust in the ability of the ordained more than learning to obey God for themselves?

I am not saying that pastors should stop baptizing people, but if I want parents to be responsible for their children's spiritual formation rather than depending on youth group to save their children, shouldn't I ask them to baptize their children, by getting in the baptismal tub with me, and doing the actual dunking? When someone in our church leads their friend to Christ wouldn't it be sweeter to have them in the baptismal too, physically participating?

Nothing in the Bible requires the person doing the baptism to be ordained clergy, so rather than just saying everyone gets to play, why don't we let everyone play? I want more people making more disciples.

Would you like to baptize your child? Would you like to baptize the friend you led to Christ? Are you nervous? Can I help? I can say the words for you if that will help, but will you do the baptizing?

I think I am going to start asking some new questions.