Your opinions on baptizing at home.

[grower]

is it something anyone with a heart for the Lord can do?

Yes.
My first two kids were baptized in a lake by our pastor, assisted by other men of the congregation (around 1993). Around 1997, daughter and three neighbors were baptized in a creek by my husband. Around 2001, youngest son was baptized by my husband in an ice-cold "brook" in Vermont, when we were up there helping with tent revivals in a ministry that we were part of. We've also baptized a girl in a borrowed baptistry at a church that hosted our street ministry in New Orleans, and we baptized a neighborhood girl we led to the Lord in our bathtub.

The important things about baptism are:

• The person has professed Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Savior
• He/she understands the significance of baptism, that it is an outward testimony to others of an inward act: dying to your old life and being born anew in Christ
• It is performed by a born-again, Bible-believing follower of the Lord Jesus Christ
• It is done in front of "others". I believe if you do it at home, you should invite other believers to participate, or else do it in a public place where people will witness it -- like in a swimming hole, lake, creek, etc.

[Snowbandit]

• It is performed by a born-again, Bible-believing follower of the Lord Jesus Christ

What if you find out later that the person who baptized you wasn't a Christian? Worse, what if you never found out? Would the baptism be invalid?

[Bethshaya]

What if you find out later that the person who baptized you wasn't a Christian? Worse, what if you never found out? Would the baptism be invalid?

Baptism has nothing to do with an incantation, holy water, words said by another, garments, trinkets or any other worldly person or item other then he person being baptised and God himself. The exchange doesn't take place human to human, but God to human, so it doesn't matter if the person turns out to not be Christian. You are, and that is the point of the baptism.

The symbolism of being water baptised has nothing to do with the water you are sitting in or even the vessel it is in. It has to do with the commitment being shown and the condition of the heart and the new relationship between Father and child of God.

Baptism is a reflection of the condition of the heart and soul.

[Snowbandit]

Baptism has nothing to do with an incantation, holy water, words said by another, garments, trinkets or any other worldly person or item other then he person being baptised and God himself. The exchange doesn't take place human to human, but God to human, so it doesn't matter if the person turns out to not be Christian. You are, and that is the point of the baptism.

The symbolism of being water baptised has nothing to do with the water you are sitting in or even the vessel it is in. It has to do with the commitment being shown and the condition of the heart and the new relationship between Father and child of God.

Baptism is a reflection of the condition of the heart and soul.

So, as to the point made by Grower that, "It (baptism must be) performed by a born-again, Bible-believing follower of the Lord Jesus Christ", you and I are in agreement that this is in error?

[grower]

Not in error, just not significant compared to the state-of-heart of the person being baptized. There are people saved every day in churches where the preacher doesn't know the Lord. God spoke through Balaam's ass.

[19K]

Thank you for the wonderful support on this. Sometimes I worry that by not going to church I am depriving the kids. At other times, I am confident it is best for our family. Even though I had prayed about it, the matter of baptism is one of those things I was a bit worried about.

I know the perfect place to baptize them once it warms up a bit. It is a small clean clear lake with a swimming hole that has a sandy shore and bottom that stays shallow for quite a distance out. I feel much better about doing it myself, now. Thank you all!

[grower]

Thank you for the wonderful support on this. Sometimes I worry that by not going to church I am depriving the kids. At other times, I am confident it is best for our family.

We have been outside of the "church structure" for several years, and the sense of liberty is wonderful. There is so much in the American church -- by and large -- that is not of God, not even biblical. And there is a great burden of guilt that is imposed by that structure on anyone who ventures outside the walls. It is just like the synagogue in Jesus' day. (Remember all the times Paul started in the synagogue and ended up in the streets?)

God has called us to peace and liberty in Jesus Christ. Those of you still laboring under the burden of churchianity, come outside the walls of the city, where Jesus is. The air is clean out here.

[MarkB]

We have been outside of the "church structure" for several years, and the sense of liberty is wonderful. There is so much in the American church -- by and large -- that is not of God, not even biblical. And there is a great burden of guilt that is imposed by that structure on anyone who ventures outside the walls. It is just like the synagogue in Jesus' day. (Remember all the times Paul started in the synagogue and ended up in the streets?)

God has called us to peace and liberty in Jesus Christ. Those of you still laboring under the burden of churchianity, come outside the walls of the city, where Jesus is. The air is clean out here.

+1

Couldn't have said it better. Praise God for those who have found solid Bible believing churches to be a part of, just didn't work for us, and God knows we tried.

[Meemur]

+1

Couldn't have said it better. Praise God for those who have found solid Bible believing churches to be a part of, just didn't work for us, and God knows we tried.

Ditto for me, too. I've ventured out a bit during this Holy Week, attending a number of services, and the garbage I'm seeing -- including teens texting during a service -- has been unreal!

And I'll leave it at that so as not to derail this thread. But -- trust me -- 19K, Grower, etc., you're not alone.

[Garryowen]

Thank you for the wonderful support on this. Sometimes I worry that by not going to church I am depriving the kids. At other times, I am confident it is best for our family. Even though I had prayed about it, the matter of baptism is one of those things I was a bit worried about.

I know the perfect place to baptize them once it warms up a bit. It is a small clean clear lake with a swimming hole that has a sandy shore and bottom that stays shallow for quite a distance out. I feel much better about doing it myself, now. Thank you all!

I would suggest that in more cases than we might suspect baptismal records have helped people who needed documentation of their identity. Church records are generally considered to be reliable sources of information. So I would recommend a couple of things.

First, as has already been stated, have some other believers present to witness the baptisms and celebrate with you. Baptisms are a good cause for celebration, and need to be shared.

Also, make sure you produce a written record of the baptisms, and make out a certificate for each candidate. Yes, I know God is the only One who really matters, but such things can be helpful in the future, and a precious testimony to future generations. Somewhere among my siblings we have our grandparents' certificates of several such things, and we treasure them and realize that we are the recipients of the blessings of their faith.

Now as far as whether the person performing the baptism should be a Christian or not, of course to knowingly have an unbeliever perform such a thing would be a mockery. But if the person professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ, performs a baptism, and later turns out to be a fake, well the baptism ought to be considered valid. The candidate confessed his faith and submitted to baptism in good faith, and ought not to be distressed if he discoveres the baptizer wasn't what he professed to be.

I have a desire to see more house churches, but not single family ones, unless it is impossible to find other believers. We need to be connected more closely to each other, and we will have greater need in the near future. Of that I am certain.

May your baptismal service be blessed!

Garryowen