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Baptism question

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1050 **8/16/16 9:20 am**

I have a mentally challenged man in my church who wants to be baptize. He is in his 60's, but has the mind of a 8-10 yr old. His sister told me he is afraid of water due to a fear of drowning, she said he won't allow water to flow on his face in the shower. Immersion is out of the question. My father-in-law baptize a lady in a nursing home by having her lay on back across her bed and he poured water over her forehead. I'm not sure if this would work for this person.

How would you baptize him?

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **8/16/16 9:41 am**

If he has watched others being baptized and wants to be baptized, he probably wants to do it the way they have. Get some brawny deacons who are prepared to get wet to be close by in case things get hairy. Make sure you take your time to tell him exactly what and how you will do it.
You may have to convince the sister that if her brother really wants to do it, he will find courage that she doesn't know he has.
Hope everything works out well for all involved.

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **8/16/16 11:15 am**

Sprinkle! Baptism is an outward confession of obedience to Christ. It is symbolism. Just my O.

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **8/16/16 11:46 am**

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/16/16 12:04 pm**

It would be difficult to really consider oneself as having been buried with Him in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life in any way other than immersion.

I'd say try a few practice runs with just you, the sister, and the brother present. Once he's ready to be baptized in front of the congregation, I'd just put him under the water as quickly as possible, and maybe have his sister standing by with a towel to help dry his face off as soon as he comes up. You also might want to have some strong men accompany you into the water to try to control him better.

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3147 **8/16/16 12:38 pm**

My pastor sprinkles folks in hospital beds who want to be baptized all the time. I believe that even the Catholic tradition of sprinkling arose from practical purposes.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **8/16/16 2:29 pm**

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **8/16/16 3:29 pm**

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **8/16/16 3:39 pm**

Let the guy dip down in the water himself - you don't have to lay him back.

I agree - if God spoke to the man to do this - he will give him the courage.

If he backs out while you try to baptize him - try again another time.

There would be a whole lot of symbolism for the whole church to see him overcome his fear just once in Jesus name. I dare say - a revival could break out.
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Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **8/16/16 8:26 pm**

I hear way back when, they used to pray for excorcism for people before they baptized him. Maybe the man needs some deliverance first.
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I guess this was easy to miss from the original post

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1050 **8/17/16 8:10 am**

"I have a mentally challenged man in my church who wants to be baptize. He is in his 60's, but has the mind of a 8-10 yr old. His sister told me he is afraid of water due to a fear of drowning, she said he won't allow water to flow on his face in the shower."

He is in his 60's with the mind of a child and his left leg is half the size of his right leg and a few inches shorter, so he walks with a limp and wears a leg brace. I have a folder of pictures from a coloring book that he has colored for me and some of the pictures look like a 4-5 yr old colored them, but he is so happy when I tell him that he did a great job coloring these pictures.

For the past few weeks I have been preaching on Baptism and last Sunday I baptized several people, but he wasn't there. I was surprise when his sister told me he wanted to be baptized. He and his family sits in the front row every Sunday and he is very attentive during the preaching. He was just told a couple of weeks ago that he has throat cancer and this might be the reason for him asking to be baptized.

I appreciate your comments, but I WILL NOT force this man into a pool of water due to his fear of water. I feel comfortable in placing a sponge in water, laying it on his head and squeezing the water from the sponge to run over his head

Re: Baptism question

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/17/16 8:51 am**

You obviously already had your mind made up, and were just looking for someone to agree with you. In any case, I was just answering your question:

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **8/17/16 9:59 am**

Ernie, believe it or not, I read what you said. I would rather hold my own nose and dunk myself than have someone pour water over my face. If water is pouring, you don't know when it will stop and when you will be able to breathe.
I'm coming at this from not so much a theological issue as to how a person with a child-like mind would look at it. I'm pretty good with understanding kids.
Have you asked the man what he understands baptism to be like?? If he does have the mind of an 8 year old, he can tell you what he understands it to be (the physical part) and if that is what he wants to do.
Now, before you hadn't mentioned his legs. I don't know if you are doing this in a river, a lake, or a baptistery. All those factors are considerations. If it would work better to bend forward, that's something that could be considered. If he wants to be immersed and you don't think you can handle it physically, I don't see why another Christian man couldn't be the one to handle (with you standing next to him) it if that is acceptable to the person being baptized. Or if he is able to squat down into water himself and have spotters standing next to him, that is a possibility.
But I really think you need to have a conversation with the man who wants to be baptized before you make your final decision.
If it's an issue of not being able to walk down the steps of the baptistery, maybe a lake would work. Or maybe you want to just sprinkle a few drops on his head.
I certainly agree that you shouldn't FORCE him to do anything. I hope that was never a question.
I'm helping you brainstorm.

Re: Baptism question

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1050 **8/17/16 11:35 am**

Re: I guess this was easy to miss from the original post

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **8/17/16 11:38 am**

The best baptismal service I experienced...

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **8/17/16 11:45 am**

Was me pouring water over a disabled young ladies head. Before it was over, 7 more people came forward, some weeping. God was in it.

Baptism is only a symbol. You don't have to "go all the way under" any more than you have to "play dead" when they baptize you. True sincerity is what makes it spiritual. You can be dunked all day and come up with no change in heaven or earth.

John Wesley was baptized by having water poured on him. I believe it is called affusion.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/17/16 1:19 pm**

Ernie,

No attack, just an observation that you already had made up your mind not to baptize/immerse the man before you posted the question.

As to your accusation that I think retarded people are hellbound, all I can say is that is as ridiculous an idea as I have ever heard. Number one, I hold to the view that God holds such people as you describe as in fact innocent, just as He does small children, and number 2, I don't believe baptism is necessary for salvation to begin with.

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **8/17/16 4:22 pm**

I didn't take the original post as Ernie looking for people to agree with him. I think he was looking for some affirmation or similar experience(s) that others have had. The consensus here is that this man is saved regardless, because the saving grace of God would be efficacious in this instance, much like a small child under the "age of accountability" (another thread for another time).

Under ideal circumstances, baptism by immersion is the way to go. Sometimes it isn't feasible. People are bedridden in hospitals, dying at the scene of an accident, or have some other circumstance that prevents them getting into a pool of water. This man has faith and wants to make a public profession of faith. I say go for it! Sprinkle him real good in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!!

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **8/17/16 11:25 pm**

Re: Baptism question

Acts-celerater Posts: 571 **8/18/16 11:14 am**

[quote="Ernie Long"]I have a mentally challenged man in my church who wants to be baptize. He is in his 60's, but has the mind of a 8-10 yr old. His sister told me he is afraid of water due to a fear of drowning, she said he won't allow water to flow on his face in the shower. Immersion is out of the question. My father-in-law baptize a lady in a nursing home by having her lay on back across her bed and he poured water over her forehead. I'm not sure if this would work for this person.

How would you baptize him?[/quote

I have baptized one infant/toddler and I did so because:

The child was born with multiple health issues that were going to and did lead to the child not living very long (less than four years).

I believe Baptism to be a command of the Lord but symbolic in nature. The symbolism was most important to the grieving young mother and grandmother. I believe the child to be still without "the age/understanding of accountability."

I consulted church history, including our own, as well as conversations with both COG pastors as well as friends pastoring in the Episcopal and Lutheran churches.

My resolution was to have the mom and the hospice nurses to hold the child while I gently washed his face using a cloth and basinet.

Much like a baby dedication, it meant a lot to his family. Something they cherished when it came time for his funeral. I view it as an act of compassion. Jesus will decide if he was truly saved or not.
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