You used to have disposable income, now you have disposable nappies.
You used to have sleep, now you have coffee.
You used to have a sports car, now you have a moving container for stray sultanas and broken biscuits.
You used to hate The Wiggles, now you sing along... and know all the actions.
You used to have a career, now you have a job to pay the bills.
You used to be you, and maybe her with you. Now you are 'us'.
You didn't think about death, now you worry about your kids dying.
All of these things make people ask big questions they've never asked before. Questions about life and death, the universe and particularly, making sure you and your kids can make it to whatever comes after death.
Which is where I often come in.
Lots of people come to me, as a pastor, asking about Christening... or as we call it, "Baptism". The question I usually get is, "how can I get my kid done?"
So, having had this discussion about a ZILLION times, I figured writing something up might help us all. I say this because "Baptism" continues to be the most misunderstood ceremony both inside and outside the church.
I've met a stack of church pastors who don't seem to understand it, so don't feel bad if it sounds vague and confusing.
What is "Baptism"?
Baptism is a simple ceremony where people celebrate turning to follow Jesus as their King and Savior. It's also symbol of joining God's family. It involves water. Sometimes just a splash on the head, other times it's actually going fully under water and coming back up. That's it.
The complication is what it means. Baptism is saying, "I'll live as a Christian from now as a committed member of this church".
What does Baptism mean in practice?
1. Jesus is the King of my life every day for the rest of my life.
2. I accept the forgiveness paid for by Jesus death on the cross.
3. I commit to church every week for the rest of my life.
4. I desire to pray and read the bible every day for the rest of my life.
5. I choose to leave behind all the bad behavior and attitude that God calls "sin".
6. I choose to love and obey God to the best of my ability for the rest of my life because I am forgiven.
This is heavy stuff. So "Baptism" for an adult is a big decision. It's a serious commitment. It's part of the idea of being "Born again". Bringing your child to a church to be "Baptized" then adds significant further commitments to that list...
7. I am committed to the family this child is growing up in as a husband/father or wife/mother. Ie. married.
8. I commit to raising my child with Jesus as their King.
9. I commit to bringing my child to church every week until they grow up and come for themselves.
10. I commit to bring up my child praying and reading the bible with them each day.
11. I choose to teach them each day to love and obey God for the rest of their lives.
12. I commit to praying for them each day.
When you bring your child to a church asking for "Baptism" you are in effect saying to the pastor, your family, the church and most importantly, to God...
"I am promising all of these things and I want to be held accountable for them."
Scary eh?
I certainly think so. We take baptism really seriously. The guy who first did it, John the Baptist, also took it seriously. God takes these promises seriously.
That being the case, if the pastor you talk to declines your request, give him a break. He's actually trying to look after your relationship with God. He's also gently trying to get you to take God seriously and turn back to him.
You might say something like, "but I just want to get my child done so they're ok".
What "Baptism" isn't
There are some oldschool branches of Christianity that teach really unhelpful things about baptism. The most seriously wrong of these ideas is...
"Baptism is your child's ticket to heaven".
It's not true. Baptism is of no use to anyone without a life committed to Jesus. It's an empty symbol. Worse still, to stand up and promise things you don't mean is, well, lying. We hate it when politicians don't keep campaign promises. How do you think God feels about it?
So what are your options?
You have two basic options at this point;
1. Investigate what being a Christian is all about.
I know any number of church pastors who love to have people come and ask what Christianity is all about. They can show you how to read the bible and get answers to your questions. I guarantee that you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you find. God loves you and just wants you to come back to him.
2. A naming or dedication ceremony.
Most churches offer "naming" or "dedication" ceremonies for children of people not ready to make the promises that baptism involves. We thank God for the child, pray for them and for your family. It's nice and a good way of getting to grips of what a church is like. If at a later date you decide you want to commit to the promises of baptism you can still do that too.
Other things to consider...
"Family" Churches
Often families might have a "family church". That is, a church where a number of relatives have been married or had funerals. In many cases people are not regular members there. This can be nice for memories, but in fact it's of no use to you if you live more than 10 minutes drive from the church. Finding a local church that will help with baptism or dedication is a good resource into the future for any number of reasons. I specifically send people to other churches nearer them.
Times, dates and arrangements
When contacting a church about baptism or dedication, it's considered bad manners to state a specific date and time. This might seem odd, but churches are not there primarily to fulfill ceremonial needs. Don't get me wrong, our church is set up for people unused to church and Jesus, but it's not a business, it's a family.
Contacting churches
The best way to contact the church and talk to the pastor is by going to a church meeting on a Sunday. You'll be welcomed and get a better idea of what the church is like. Some one from the church should meet up with you afterwards and help you to figure out the next step.
Anyhow, hope that helps. Gotta go, it's bath time...
No comments:
Post a Comment