Baptists and Baptism

I always feel sorry for the Southern Baptists this time of year. It's annual convention time and typically all their debates over lessor issues spill into the papers. Of course I know a little of how they feel. Writing about disagreements over baptisms or music just makes for more interesting reading. The main issue (in either fellowship) is Christ, but it's hard to pull a news story out of "today all the Christians agreed that Jesus is Lord."

Anyway, I ran across a story yesterday in the Tennessean about the six pastors who are vying to become the next president of the convention. It said they were unified on the need to increase baptisms but split on this issue..."The International Mission Board insists new missionary candidates must be baptized in a Southern Baptist Church or a church holding Southern Baptist views."

I assume that means baptized believers from other fellowships would not be welcome until they are rebaptized. I disagree with that position. I believe that baptism is "into Christ" (Gal 3:26-29) and not into one particular fellowship or denomination. The name on the building is not what's important, it's the heart of the believer. If someone is sincerely repenting of their sins and confessing Jesus as Lord than where the baptism occurs is of little importance.

Of course before I go too far in my criticism, I need to admit that my fellowship has adhered to similar policies. We just didn't put it in writing. We've also insisted that missionary candidates be baptized in one of our churches. So there's something we share in common. I actually met a couple recently who were looking for a church home. He was raised Baptist. She was raised Church of Christ. Both were faithful Christians and baptized believers. They tried her church for a while until they told him that to become a member he had to get rebaptized. So they tried his church for a while until they told her that to become a member she had to get rebaptized. Whew!

Hopefully all that's beginning to change. At Maury Hills we do expect our members to be baptized, but we don't require rebaptism. If someone is baptized "into Christ" than we accept them as fellow Christians, regardless of where that baptism occurred. It looks like the Southern Baptist Convention is heading that way too. The newly elected president disagrees with their current position and wants to reverse the decision. I hope he does. Then we can all put the emphasis back where it belongs...on Christ.