Baptism

As 2009 ends and we enter 2010, Valerie and I pray this New Year will be filled with joy, peace and love for each of you. You enriched our lives and made 2009 a memorable and blessed year. It is a joy to serve our Lord and Savior with you.

One of my most enjoyable acts of ministry is baptizing a person into Christ’s Holy Church. The one baptized may be an infant, child, youth or adult and my heart overflows with joy and thanksgiving. Baptism celebrates the amazing grace of Jesus Christ through an outward and visible sign that Jesus loves and includes us in his plans for the transformation of the universe before we recognize our own need for love and acceptance. 

Many congregations will incorporate a “Remembering Your Baptism” ritual during one Sunday in January. I strongly urge this practice because it provides an excellent opportunity to recall our own baptism and to teach the United Methodist understanding of baptism. The book, By Water and the Spirit, provides the official United Methodist understanding of baptism and beckons all congregations to commend this understanding. Our United Methodist understanding of baptism presents a different theological perspective from many congregations in our communities. It is important to proclaim accurately and clearly our comprehension of the way God works in and through our human activities.

One of my sons is a United Methodist pastor, and he was preparing his written responses to the Board of Ordained Ministry as he sought ordination as an Elder in the Church. He requested I read his responses and provide feedback. When I read his understanding of baptism, I found it inadequate. He provided an excellent understanding if the Church practiced only adult or believers baptism. However, we practice both infant and adult baptism and his theology was woefully inadequate. I suggested he needed to consider a more comprehensive understanding of baptism and rewrite that section. He did and wrote a thoroughly United Methodist interpretation on the meaning of baptism.

We baptize infants. We do not christen or dedicate children, although I have heard a few pastors claim it was their practice. Those practices belong to other Christian traditions. We baptize infants and children. Baptism is a non-repeatable event. The sacrament communicates God’s action in our lives. God’s unfailing grace comes to us before we ask for it, or even know we need God’s love and grace. Our love fails, but God’s love remains constant. Baptism is primarily a celebration of God’s initiative to transform and redirect our lives. It is a celebration of God’s constancy, love and grace bestowed on us through Jesus Christ. We celebrate the forgiveness and new life Jesus provides as God incorporates us into God’s kingdom.

Confirmation becomes essential as we publicly profess our own faith and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. In confirmation, we profess our faith and make it clear this is no longer just the faith of the church, our family and those we love and respect, this is now our personal faith. Numerous times during our lives, we renew this commitment. In fact, each time a person becomes a member of the congregation, we renew our own vows as we welcome these new members into the congregation.

One of the challenging parts of any Sacrament of Baptism is the commitment made by members of the church. We commit ourselves to teach the faith, support others in their faith journey, and pray for them regularly as they grow in their love and service to Jesus Christ our Lord. We assume spiritual responsibility for the person incorporated into this community of faith.

We practice all three modes of baptism—sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. We know that each of these has a unique theological message that helps us fully understand God’s action in Baptism. We also affirm none of these modes is more meaningful or helpful in our journey of faith. Throughout Christian history, the Christian church has practiced all three modes of baptism. Therefore, we rejoice in whatever mode of baptism is chosen.

I hope, as congregations celebrate the sacrament of baptism in the coming months, the pastors will spend sufficient time to help all members remember and celebrate their own baptism.

Grace & Peace,

Max