May 1, 2024
Baptism: The Healing Plunge into Jesus’ Plea for Unity
I wondered, "What could I do as a local church pastor to exalt Christ, proclaim gospel truths, and heal hardened and hurting hearts?" . . .
Baptism
Baptism explores the biblical teaching and significance of baptism in the life of a disciple and the church. Find Scripture-based articles on baptism’s meaning, its connection to repentance and faith, salvation and new life in Christ, and how churches teach and practice baptism today. You’ll also discover guidance for answering common questions, preparing people for baptism, and celebrating baptism as part of discipleship and spiritual formation. This hub equips believers and leaders to understand baptism clearly and practice it faithfully.
November 1, 2022
Baptism and Thankfulness: 4 Reasons They Are Inextricably Connected
By Dudley Rutherford Ever since I was a small boy, I have lived to honor my earthly father. Even though my dad died in March 2020, I try to honor him daily. God must have put it in my heart to have such love and respect for my earthly father that I wanted to please and honor him every day. I don’t claim to be perfect like Jesus, but our Lord also strove every day to honor and please his Father. When Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River at Bethany in the Judean desert, God said, “This is
March 18, 2021
When You Baptize . . .
There is no sermon so eloquent on the subject of Christian baptism as a properly performed baptism, C.J. Sharp wrote in 1951. The way in which it is performed determines whether its message is made or marred.
May 17, 2020
The Boy with the Odd-Shaped Head
By C. Robert Wetzel Crew cuts were popular among boys in the late 1940s. What distinguished them from today’s short haircuts was that the closely cropped hair of the crew cut had to stand straight up. This necessitated at least two occasions of special care. It took a bit of thick hair gel to achieve vertical status, and a weekly trip to the barber to ensure the perfect shape. Hence all through high school, I made my Saturday visit to Charlie’s Barber Shop in Hugoton, Kansas, to nurture this dubious bit of fashion. I think I must have been about
May 1, 2020
What’s in the Water?
By Michael D. McCann When consumed, it hydrates. When boiled, it disinfects. When we bathe in it, our body is cleansed. This simple combination of hydrogen and oxygen, water truly is a precious, versatile commodity. Similarly, the waters of baptism provide the participant with unimaginable benefits. Baptism floods the spirit with divine blessings. And yet baptism is distinct from our daily uses of water that require no special qualification. Atheist and Christian, male and female, king and servant—we all receive the same benefit when water is consumed. But in baptism, the water produces powerful effects promised only to those who
May 1, 2020
10 Foundation Stones of the Church—No. 1: Baptism
By Jerry Harris An American cultural phenomenon hit late in 2019. Kanye West released a gospel album and simultaneously declared he was dedicating himself to spreading the gospel message. The album, Jesus Is King, debuted at No. 1 and in its first week was streamed more than 200 million times and sold 109,000 copies! People were immediately skeptical, both of the music and the artist. There was no shortage of judgment upon West from the Christian community. The album includes some incredible worship songs, but one stood out, particularly because it addresses a disturbing trend within the church that leaders
January 30, 2020
Of Pageantry, Baptism, and the Catholic Church
A lively editorial page from January 26, 1935, touched on such topics as the activity of the Holy Spirit, the Roosevelts planning to serve wine at the White House (Prohibition had been repealed in 1933), and reaction to a Robert Benchley essay called “The Sunday Menace” (the humor author had suggested outrageous acts “to get rid of the dullness of midafternoon on Sunday”). But the editorial we share today is a measured, almost melancholy observation about how baptism is practiced in the Roman Catholic Church. _ _ _ THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS MISSING SOMETHING Editorial; January 26, 1935; p. 4
July 23, 2019
Help the Fish
By Jon Wren One Sunday in Texas, when legendary General Sam Houston attended a service at a small country church, he decided to place his faith in Christ. After the service, the pastor and congregation walked with Houston to a nearby creek for his baptism. As the pastor led Houston into the water, the church began to sing a hymn to thank God for his mercy. After the song, the pastor took Houston’s confession, then leaned him into the water and back out again, baptizing the general into Christ. As the crowd began to clap and cheer, the pastor proclaimed,
March 21, 2019
The New Birth
We feature today an editorial on baptism from 1866, the inaugural year of Christian Standard, written by founding editor Isaac Errett. This editorial comes by way of a series of articles published throughout 1909, a year we celebrated “One Hundred Years—A Century of Progress in America’s Greatest Christian Union Movement.” The magazine devoted one issue each month to articles that explained our movement, its history, and our beliefs. Carrying that theme forward another 110 years, we are devoting one “Throwback Thursday” each month to items that appeared in those special issues. Today’s article was published—or republished—in March 13, 1909. I
February 27, 2019
A Different Kind of Death, Burial, & Resurrection Story
Two New Chicagoland Churches Planted Where All Seemed Lost By Melissa Wuske Biblical stories are full of surprisesâitâ™s easy to forget that when you become so familiar with them. Seas part, cowards lead, the sick are healed, people with shady pasts are listed in the genealogy of the Son of God. Resurrection is the biggest surprise of them all. Dead things are supposed to stay dead. Sure, a sick person may recover, but whatâ™s dead is dead. God still uses the element of surprise to remind us who he is and what heâ™s capable of, to bring his kingdom on
January 10, 2016
Baptize Your Children Well
By T.R. Robertson How do we determine that a young child is ready to be baptized? There are many answers, and several of them are explained in this article. “It”s almost like I”m talking them out of it, because I really want to see if their decision is real.” Trent Schake, senior minister at Blue Ridge Christian Church in Columbia, Missouri, is one of several ministers who talked with me about their experiences shepherding parents and children through the decision to be baptized. “I don”t want to put someone in the baptistery if they”re not really ready,” Schake continues, “but
July 8, 2015
God Tastes Like Fire
By Jim Tune German Anabaptist teacher Hans Hut endured the heat of persecution when he refused to have his child baptized. He was arrested in 1527 during a meeting with other Anabaptist leaders in Augsburg, Germany. Hut was tortured horribly, and died of asphyxiation during a fire that consumed the Augsburg prison on December 6, 1527. The next day, the authorities sentenced his dead body to death and burned him. A man of deep convictions and reverence for God, Hut described the holiness of God: “God tastes like fire.” God appears as flame frequently in Scripture, consuming at one moment,
April 10, 2015
Remember Your Baptism
By Robert F. Hull Jr. Sometimes we do not see the wealth of our own church practices until we worship with people whose practices differ from ours. From Easter to Pentecost you will hear in many churches, especially those in the Anglican, Lutheran, and Catholic traditions, the words “remember your baptism.” If you were to worship in some of these churches, you would even see a large vessel of water brought in as a visual reminder of baptism. It is especially during the season when we focus on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that the baptistery and the table
March 1, 2014
Five Questions to Ask if Your Child Wants to Be Baptized
By Brian Jennings 1. Has your child studied intently? Encouraging your child to study on her own (along with learning in special classes or church settings) is a great step. You should be studying too, but allow her the responsibility to study some on her own. 2. Does your child feel guilt from sin and love of God? Motives matter. A child may want to be baptized because he saw a friend receive attention, he desires to please his parents, or maybe he really just wants to take Communion. Obviously, these are not the best motives. My experience teaches me
July 26, 2012
What Our Websites Say about Baptism
By Daniel Overdorf I baptized my younger son on New Year”s Day. On a day of new beginnings, we celebrated his new birth. My voice cracked when I asked him to confess what he believes about Jesus. He responded, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” These words rang sweeter in my ears than the first words he spoke as a toddler. My tears mixed with the baptismal water when I lowered him into the burial of his old self, and raised him as a new creation in Jesus. I experienced the same joy
July 26, 2012
What Are They Saying about Baptism? (Samples from Church Websites We Visited)
By Daniel Overdorf An extended discussion that presents a solid biblical argument with a positive tone: “¢ Hazelwood Christian Church, Clayton, Indiana; See downloadable three-page document about the church”s view of baptism at www.hazelwoodchristian.org/hcc/about_us. An exemplary medium-length discussion: “¢ Westerfield (Ohio) Christian Church; www.westerville-christian.org/about-us/what-we-believe.aspx In the New Testament church, once people believed in Jesus were willing to turn from sin (repentance) and publicly confess Christ as Lord, they were then baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 41; 22:16). In the original Greek language, baptize meant to dip, plunge,
August 11, 2010
Remember Your Baptism, Teach About Baptism
By Mark A. Taylor More than a year ago, Bruce Shields encouraged readers, “Remember Your Baptism” (March 1, 2009). His wonderful essay sheds light on our discussion of children and baptism published last week and finished in this issue. A few lines from the conclusion of his piece: When life seems to be too hard for you to remain true to what you know is right, remember your baptism. When friends urge you to loosen up and go the way of the world, remember your baptism. When memories of guilt assail you in the night, remember your baptism. When the
August 11, 2010
Children and Baptism: In Search of a New Model (Part 2)
By Teresa D. Welch (Click here to read Part 1) I was in the church office when I received a somewhat frantic phone call from the parents of a 6-year-old. Anna had returned from attending Vacation Bible School with her neighbor and announced to her parents that she had “prayed Jesus into her heart.” Her parents knew this was not the practice of our church and were concerned that this indicated Anna was now accountable and needed to be baptized immediately. After discussing the situation, the parents realized their young daughter had not acted on her own volition. Instead, Anna had
August 8, 2010
Children and Baptism: In Search of a New Model (Part 1)
By Teresa D. Welch Susan and Kevin approached me after church and asked a series of questions I had heard before. “Could you talk to our son, Nathan, for us? He told us he wants to be baptized, and we don”t know if he is ready. What do you think?” Hearing questions about children and baptism was not uncommon in my role as a children”s minister, I regularly was asked by parents of elementary-aged children about matters of their child”s faith and readiness for baptism. However, the longer I served as a children”s minister, the more these questions concerned me.
August 8, 2010
Were You Old Enough to Be Baptized?
By Mark A. Taylor A discussion of baptism in Christian Standard usually stimulates spirited response, and that will probably happen after readers digest this issue, too. As always, we welcome your letters and e-mails, but we hope readers will keep two things in mind as they write us: Remember that a fourth article, Part 2 of Theresa Welch”s “search for a new model,” will appear next week. She offers a balanced, careful approach, one that does not reject current understandings, but only serves to enrich them. You may want to read the next issue before writing us about this one.
