- Fill a baptistry with warm water 20-30 minutes ahead of time. Instruct the person to wear dark, form-fitting clothing to avoid exposing themselves.
- Once you’re both in the water, have them repeat a confession of faith after you. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
- Guide the person into the water with one hand on their back. Hold them under for no more than a second or two, then raise them back up.
Starting the Baptism
Fill the baptistry with warm water ahead of time. You’ll need to fill the baptistry early enough that it has time to fill, which could take 20-30 minutes. At the same time, don’t fill it so early that the water gets cold, unless the baptistry is equipped with a heater. Ignore this part if you are not using a baptistry. Baptisms can be performed in any standing body of water such as the ocean, a pool, or a river.
Make sure the person wears appropriate clothing. Before you perform the baptism, check over the person’s clothes. Make sure white clothing is thick enough that it won’t become see through. If they are wearing anything loose, make sure it won’t float up and accidentally reveal something. Shorts are better to wear than pants, so they don’t retain as much water. Dark, tight-fitting clothing is often the best. Some churches have robes specifically designated for baptisms.
Tell the person to keep calm and avoid struggling. Since the feeling of falling backwards may cause the person to tense up or fight against you, warn them of this possibility ahead of time. Tell them to relax as much as possible and remember that you will be supporting them. This is a good time to tell them about how you’ll lower them and then raise them back up. Tell them that you’ll need them to work with you as you raise them up out of the water.
Walk into the water. Get into the water first, and have the person who is being baptized follow you. Most of the time, you will stand facing the audience and the person being baptized will face sideways. Position yourself so your chest is next to their shoulder. Expert Answer Q When asked, "Can a lay person baptize someone?" Zachary Rainey Zachary Rainey Ordained Minister Rev. Zachary B. Rainey is an ordained minister with over 40 years of ministry and pastoral practice, including over 10 years as a hospice chaplain. He is a graduate of Northpoint Bible College and a member of the General Council of the Assemblies of God. Zachary Rainey EXPERT ADVICE Answer from Zachary Rainey: Zachary Rainey, ordained minister, responded: "Any believer can baptize another believer. No other credentials are required beyond faith in Jesus Christ." In some situations, the person being baptized may face the audience. You should still stand at their side, so you can properly support them.
Saying the Confession of Faith
Ask them to repeat after you as you say the confession. The confession varies depending on the church and the people involved, but it’s typically a few sentences either way. Break the confession into small phrases, which the person being baptized will repeat after you say them.
Speak slowly and enunciate each word. The person may be nervous if they are in front of a crowd, so it is important that they clearly hear what you want them to say. Speak each word fully so they can understand it. Use a slow, calm voice to fit the seriousness of the situation.
Say the confession in phrases. When the person is ready to repeat after you, start by saying, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ,” then pause and let them repeat the phrase. Then say, “The son of the living God,” and let them repeat. Continue, “And I accept Him as my Lord and Savior.” Other versions of this confession ask questions rather than having the person repeat after you. Examples of questions to ask are: Do you believe that Jesus is the son of God? Do you believe that He died and was raised to life? Do you accept Him as your Lord and Savior? After each question, the person says, “Yes,” or “I do.” Talk to the pastor of your church, or another local church, for other versions of this confession of faith.
Give them the benediction before you immerse them in the water. After they have repeated their confession of faith, say a blessing over them to make their baptism official. Say, “Ellis, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of your sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Performing the Baptism
Tell the person to plug their nose. After the confession has been repeated, encourage the person to plug their nose to avoid getting water in it when they submerge. It is not mandatory that they plug their nose, but most people prefer to. If they don’t wish to plug their nose, tell them to cross their arms over their chest.
Place one hand on their back and one on their front. As you get ready to dunk them, place one arm around behind them. Either place your hand on the small of their back, or place your arm around their shoulders. Your other hand will either hold onto the arm they are plugging their nose with or be placed onto their crossed arms.
Guide the person backwards into the water. By it’s earliest definition, to be baptized means to be submerged under water. Gently lower the person backwards into the water until their body is all the way under. If the person is small, their feet may come up off of the ground when they are fully submerged. If it is easier for both of you, let the person bend their knees. In some traditions, you dunk the person underwater three times, once each for the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. This is up to you, your church, and the person, but make sure they know if you are putting them under three times.
Raise the person up out of the water. You may hold the person under the water for one or two seconds, then lift them up with your lower hand. You’ll need their help, in most cases, so the person should try to stand up as you lift them. If they seem to be stuck in the water, place both of your hands under their arms to lift them up. To show them the love of Christ and illustrate their new status as part of God’s family, give the person a hug before you leave the water.
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