That was one major difference I saw when we moved from a Pentecostal / Arminian-based church to a Presbyterian / Calvinist-Reformed church - the baptismal font in the front of our church was barely big enough to support a good foot-washing, much less a total body submersion!
Our church also encourages infant baptism; which is given as a sign of the covenant relationship with Christ's family - not as a sign of salvation.
When our children, ages 12 and 9, recently expressed their desire to be baptized, it prompted some discussions and further study.
It is one of the things I really like about our church: everything is done in a very intentional way and for an expressed purpose. For Ab, who had just completed an intense semester in a Communicant's class - her baptism was more of a natural progression. It was the next logical step. Great pains had been taken as a part of the class, for her to gain a full understanding of what the step of baptism represented.
AA's decision, on the other hand, posed a bit of a concern. There were questions as to whether he really understood the meaning of baptism or if he was merely following on his older sister's coattails.
That's when our Family Pastor stepped in. Before the event, we met with him as a family, and he asked Ab and AA pointed questions about their relationship with Christ and just why they thought they should be baptized.
R. and I were asked to talked about what we remembered about our own baptism.
For me, I recalled that baptism was the next step after I became a Christian. It was a time in which I - as a child of about seven - wanted to do anything that was expected of a Christian.
I also talked about how one of the most significant memories about my own baptism, was that we rushed back from visiting my brother in college in order to arrive at church in time for the evening service. Keith - the mischievous teen aged son of our preacher - met me at the door of the church and proclaimed that the water in the baptismal pool was over my head!
In that meeting with our Family Pastor, he also took great pains to explain scripture references to baptism and even provided an encouraging illustration on faith for AA. It was an unrushed, special time.
He went on to encourage R. and I as parents, to take pains to memorialize this time in order to fix it in the minds of our children: this step marked their public start for Christ.
The kids would be talking briefly at the ceremony - explaining why they were getting baptized or talking about how they came to believe on Jesus as their Savior. They wrote out their talks.
They chose to be immersed rather than "sprinkled" so the First Baptist church up the street offered the use of their baptismal pool on a Sunday afternoon.
R. went to work inviting family members, Sunday School and school teachers and special friends to the event.
Ab and AA were the only two getting baptized so the audience consisted of our Family Pastor, an Elder from our church (who also happens to be a cousin), our family, teachers and friends and a kind couple from the First Baptist Church that sacrificed their Sunday afternoon to open the church and help with the preparations.
It was a beautiful, deliberate service. Every step was explained. Every step had meaning.
I was very proud of both kids as they gave their talks, each in a brief but sober manner.
There were thoughts from the Pastor and the Elder and I was able to speak with Ab and AA in front of the group.
The atmosphere was warm and tender... Ab's friends from school hovered around her, AA's very special Sunday School teacher offered her support and encouragement, the love from our families was prevalent.
Then came the actual time for the baptismal.
...then as he pulled them up he declared - "ALIVE to Christ!".
Maybe that is commonly done, but it inspired me on that day.
What a perfect demonstration of the meaning of this Sacrament! It is a public declaration of one's new life in Christ. A new step in following Christ - a launching into a life lived publicly for Him!
It also perfectly illustrated how that just as Christ was dead, buried and resurrected - we too die to sin... are buried with Him in baptism ... that we may be raised to new life in Christ.
Alive to Christ!
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