I had a question from a brother who was about to counsel someone for baptism in May 2021. What follows are some notes I sent. Recently, another asked me about this, so I thought it best to post this as a reference. It's a little raw, like an email, but hopefully helpful to the baptism counselor. See the links at the end of this post for more teaching or preaching on baptism.
Question Asked:
Hi Geoffrey. Someone here has asked to be baptized and requested that I do it. I'm willing but have never baptized anyone before. Can you give me a crash course as this may happen as soon as next week. Also, shouldn't there be some sort of counseling prior? A couple others have expressed interest as well.
Quick Response:
Awesome to hear! I'll write more later, but I can share a little now.
Counseling
should be simple enough for the thousands saved at Pentecost to get baptized on the same day with only 120 counselors :)
If you are counseling, you want to check for two things basically:
1. Have they believed?
2. Have they decided to follow?
Believing
Sometimes they may not have believed yet or might not be confident themselves, so I help them with things like having their sins forgiven or assurance of salvation. I might use 1st John 1 for forgiveness and Scriptures such as John 3:16, 1 John 5:13, or other verses in John 5 or 6 for assurance. The counselor needs some spiritual discernment because people can say the correct answers but still need help.
Some you talk with are so obvious that anyone will have the "amen" in their hearts as they talk. Almost 1/3 of those I've spoken with have benefited from some help in being cleansed from sins or confirming that they know they have believed and received His free gift and are children of God (see John 1:11-12).
Deciding to follow Jesus
This is the basic "Jesus is Lord" stance for a believer. It doesn't mean they are mature (of course) or sure they won't return to this or that issue. If they struggle, will they take it to the Lord asking for deliverance? After repenting of their sins, they can say Jesus is Lord if they've handed it over to Him for help. It's not about their abilities or maturity. It's about obeying the command to be baptized. And telling the Lord that you want to follow Him.
Longer Response:
… here's the rest of what I was going to mention, more specifically about the action of baptizing.
Typically we teach and learn about baptism, its meaning, experience, and need - but then it comes time to put someone in the water, and it's nice to think ahead about it.
The first person I baptized was a teenager, and I was still a teenager. I remember the youth pastor at a megachurch spending time with me in waterproof robes to practice the action when no one was around. We would be baptizing her on Sunday in front of thousands, so it was great to have rehearsed just the physical part. Later I picked up a few things from other experiences and searched the Scriptures for any hints. Here are some quick notes I would mention in person while practicing with someone in the water we would be using.
Helps for the Baptizer
Enjoy
and be about the spiritual testimony of it all. Focus on the real thing happening more than the mechanics. If the baptizer is full of the reality of what's happening, so will the baptized and witnesses.
Let the person share their "good confession."
It's not a rule, but it seems like we can find hints of that action of saying out loud in front of others that you believe. They could say something so solid from the Scripture: "I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God" or any other faith type of confessions in the Bible. They can also share in their own words that they've believed and received Christ and now give their lives to Him. It's a stance of discipleship, and it helps to have this ability to confess the Lord before men. This isn't a rule but is great if possible. (They should have already gone through the counseling filter to discern whether or not they have believed and responded to His call of discipleship.)
For those around, it's helpful to at least slightly
explain the baptism act.
It can be as simple as saying, "Baptism is a physical action that shows what's already happened spiritually. ________ has shared with us how he has believed in the Lord Jesus and is responding to His call to follow Him. Through these waters, we can witness his repentance and his new path of following Jesus."
Or, you might share for 5-10 minutes at some time earlier from one of the baptism pictures in the Scripture. It seems best to me that if you have a word to share that everyone be expecting a short word. If everyone is expecting a short sermon (or long), then all is okay. But if they get near the waters expecting to see a baptism but instead need to wait 10 min while you share, you won't have their attention. So whatever the plan is, if it's longer than 1 min (or 3 or 5 min if sharing is intense), it helps to tell the schedule well in advance. Sometimes we share at one place and then make our way to the waters somewhere else. If there has been a word earlier on baptism, it's still worth a few sentences as a reminder of what's happening right at the time of baptism.
Then go into the waters (confession has been made and explanation already). It's good to remind the person (and yourself) to bring something to wear that can
get wet
without it embarrassing anyone. Jeans are fine to wear, but you may want to change them later. White shirts are not good typically. It doesn't need to all be swimming gear, but it should not be distracting when dry or wet, and they'll want to be able to change (unless they're in Florida or somewhere hot, I guess :). Towels are good to have around.
Get into positions ready to bring that person under the water. This part will depend on culture a little, but the main thing we see with spiritual meaning from the Scriptures is to be immersed.
stand to squat-dunk
Long ago, burials looked different, and some would baptize others by pressing down on their shoulders/head while that person squatted in the water. Then they'd rise out of the water, standing on their feet. I've baptized a few people that way and have seen others do the same. There are no issues with water going up the nose in that case, and no need for muscles or two people to help.
sitting to back-dunk
Typically we see people dunking backward because we think of a coffin and them lying down in a grave. When I was baptized, I was in a cow trough. I was already sitting with my legs and waist under. The person that baptized me only had to ease me back to get my upper body down. And then bring me back up to a sitting position again. I baptized someone like that recently because we had to use a kids' swimming pool (even here in Richmond when the big tub was broken). Doing that in a tub or bathtub (I did this in Israel once) can help to have another person ready to hold the knees down. It will not cancel out the spiritual reality of the baptism if the legs rise out, but it helps with the testimony picture to the witnesses. It's good for them to see the whole body immersed simultaneously if possible. So while you take the person down backward, the other holds the knees or legs to ensure they stay straight and under the water. Otherwise, naturally, they'll bounce up.
standing to back-dunk
If you're in a swimming pool, hot tub, or river, you are in the water standing waist high or so, and so are they. Let them know ahead of time to bend their knees as you take them back into the water.
What about water up the nose?
This, again, is just a practical thing to consider and not something where we have to do it this way or that. It's just being thoughtful of the person going in the water. We need to consider what they will do about water going up their nose. Some use a nose pincher, but that can be distracting. Some just hold their breath and are careful to breathe out of their mouth when they come out of the water. That can work, but they may forget, and it can be tricky.
I usually have them hold their nose by pinching it. They can take their right hand and pinch the nose shut with the thumb and bent pointer finger. Their hand is in a fist and on their nose. Then with their left hand, they grab the wrist of their right arm. That gives them something firm and focused to do with their arms, and it gives them confidence about the water and nose issue. It also gives you a handlebar to use as you take them back into the water. If you are standing on their side, you can put one hand on their back, and the other hand holds on to either of their arms. You'll find it is a solid bar since both arms are connected. You can gradually lean them back in that way.
If someone doesn't want to pinch their nose, it can help to have them cross their arms on their chest. That will give you something to grab as well. You could grab their hand, but it often looks odd since they may move their other hand around like they are falling. They represent a dead person buried in a watery grave, so it's nice to have the arms still.
I baptize you in the name of
Before going back into the water, it is good to state the baptism declaration or the name they are baptized into. That is pretty Scriptural. In Acts, they say baptized in the name of Jesus. At the end of Matthew, we are told to baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Either of those ways of saying it is fine since it is all the same name. The name of Jesus is the one name for the whole Godhead that men are given by which to be saved. Some are concerned if this or that phrase is used, but both are correct. Some people say: "I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus." Once you make your statement, it's time to bring them back into the water for a second and then back up. Woohoo! Then lots of rejoicing.
the moment after baptism
While they are still wet, the believers are rejoicing and want to pray and sing. If you stay in the water, it may be fine. Depending on the weather, though, they may be getting cold or want to get dry. To not have distractions from the spiritual prayers or songs, it's nice to help the person get out and get some towels on. Wet hugs first, of course, but then towels so they can sing without distraction. This is not essential but can be helpful and thoughtful so they can enjoy the experience. Sometimes I've seen everyone want to pray many prayers and sing songs. But the one baptized is shivering or uncomfortable standing there wet. We could do all the same things but just let them get to a comfortable spot.
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