The SBC Plodder always has good ideas. Is every idea he has a good one, though? Well, check out this one and then you make the call!
OK, OK. Baptisms are down, back to the level of the 1950s. We’re all chagrined, embarassed, and upset about it.
How about we stop the hand wringing and finger pointing and do something about it.
The photo is an actual church sign near me.
That’s it. Have a rebaptism service. Think of the possibilities.
- You would have a new target audience, everyone in your church who has already been baptized.
- We are already experienced at doing rebaptisms and know some of the ins and outs to it.
- All those who were baptized as 4 year olds will be able to acquire a baptismal experience they will actually remember.
- Plug the increased baptism numbers in the Annual Church Profile. No one will dispute them. A baptism is a baptism is a baptism.
- You could lead your association in baptisms and turbo your SBC trajectory to new heights, larger churches, denominational positions.
Actually, the sign should have said “Reaffirmation of Baptism Service” what I am told is a Methodist liturgy, sort of a recommitment service.
But giving SBCers ideas about boosting baptisms is dangerous. I wouldn’t put it past some of the brethren. We already baptize near infants and, to be honest, a good chunk of our baptisms are already of folks who have been baptized previously, some more than once…we just wouldn’t dare call it “rebaptism.”