The Promises We Make in Baptism
Do you ever wonder why baptisms happen during the worship service? I get this question sometimes, and I think it is a good one. After all, there are some traditions that will have private baptism services or hold their baptisms at a different time.
Presbyterians are part of the “Reformed” faith tradition. Reformed theology strives to be very thoughtful about what we do, and when and where we do it. In our theological tradition, sacraments are given to the whole community by Christ, and we strive to make the partaking of sacraments to be public rather than private. For instance, Communion is always done in open settings where anyone can partake.
Similarly, baptisms are acts of faithfulness, not just by the one being baptized (or their parents). It is an act of faithfulness by the whole faith community. Yes, baptisms are symbolic of the cleansing of sin and life dedicated to discipleship of Jesus. Also, baptism is an act of adoption into the body of Christ. In every baptism we gain a brother or sister in Christ. (Isn’t that beautiful?!) Therefore, baptism is not a private act, but a communal one.
As part of baptism, questions are not only posed to the one being baptized about their faith commitments, but also to the whole faith community:
Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ,
promise to guide and nurture ________ by word and deed,
with love and prayer? We do.
Will you encourage _______________ to know and follow Christ
and to be faithful members of his church? We will.
So, not only do we participate in the adoption of those baptized, but we also make promises to aid them in their faith journey. This is why we do not charge for VBS. We budget (and raise) funds alongside our kids and families for mission trips and spiritually enriching retreats such as Montreat. We do not let money be the reason someone cannot participate. Our vows we take together at baptism are why we ask members to participate and support our children’s and youth programs, even if they do not have a child in the programs themselves. We have made promises, together.
FPC has a long history of supporting children and youth in special ways and making the ministry to (and with) young people a priority. If you would like to increase your support of our children and youth, please do not hesitate to reach out to leaders and express your desire. Right now, you can help by going to fpcgreenville.org/vbs and sign up to be a volunteer. You can make sure that the children and youth in our congregation know that you love them and support them with your words and by attendings services and events that encourage their growth. and, of course, for the children and young people in your life, remember that your support of them and their discipleship journey is vital to their growth in the faith.
Grace and Peace,
Rob
For more information on Presbyterians and Baptism, please visit pcusa.org and search for “Baptism” or you can follow this link.
For more information about what Presbyterians believe on a variety of topics, you can visit the "Our Beliefs" page here.
