OVERSEER COURSE LESSON NINTY-THREE

TOOL BOX FOR THE GENERAL OVERSEER AND

HIS MINISTERS
MODULE EIGHT

How to give Baptism

Henry Epps
founder
HARVEST LIFE
GLOBAL NETWORK
Overseer Course Lesson 93
 Lesson Ninety-Three

How to give baptism

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

How to Baptize
Baptism should be a beautiful and meaningful experience for both the one baptized and the entire
congregation. Here are a few tips to help make the baptismal service a memorable worship
experience.
Always be intentional and worshipful in your approach to this ordinance.— Make it special.
Always give baptismal candidates an opportunity to share their new birth experience with you
before you baptize them.— In a comfortable setting, away from the pressure or nervousness of a
public testimony, allow them to tell their pastor about inviting Jesus to be Lord and Master. It is a
tragedy when persons make an insincere profession and go through years with a false sense of
confidence because they have been baptized. If the testimony is unclear, take the opportunity to
lead them through a clear profession right then. Explain that you love them and want them to have
complete confidence, in the years to come, that their decision was valid. Most will appreciate the
opportunity to nail down this life-changing decision.
Invite family and friends of baptismal candidates to the baptismal service.— The baptismal service
presents a wonderful opportunity for testimony. Prepare a special letter from the pastor inviting
friends of the person to be baptized. Ask the candidate to provide names of family and friends to
be invited.

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In a prebaptism session, explain the beautiful symbolism of baptism.— Most people think baptism
only pictures the washing away of sins. Remind them that it is also a picture of the death, burial,
and resurrection of Christ. Explain that when they go under the water the end of the old life is
pictured and as they come up out of the water it is a picture of the beginning of new life in Christ.
Ask them to focus their thoughts on these beautiful pictures during the baptism itself.
During the prebaptism session, explain the mechanics of the baptismal
service.— Many new believers have never seen a person baptized. Show them the baptismal pool.
Explain how and where they should stand and how they should position their hands. Some pastors
prefer that the candidate fold his or her hands together at about chest height. Others ask the
candidate to grasp the wrist of the pastor.
As the person to be baptized stands in the water with the pastor, ask those who are family and
friends of the person to stand.— Then invite others in the congregation to stand with the person.
As these are standing, lead a special prayer for this person. Invite the congregation to be seated.
Place your left hand on the back or shoulder of the person to be baptized.— Ask the person to
grasp the wrist of your right hand.
Ask the person to bend bis or her knees as you lower the person into the water.— Pause for a
second (literally) just as the person's back is floating on the surface of the water. Just before the
person is immersed, gently close their nostrils with your fingers (some prefer a clean handkerchief
covering the mouth and nose). Lower the person just until the face is under the water. Then gently
raise the person out of the water.
Some pastors quote an appropriate Scripture as the person is immersed and raised.— For example,
you might say, "Buried with Him by baptism unto death," as you lower the person, and, "Raised
to walk in newness of life," as you raise the person from the water.
Rick White, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Franklin, Tennessee, gives each person a lighted
candle before they leave the baptistry. He touches his finger to a bowl of salt, then to the lips of
the one just baptized. As they leave the baptistery, he says, "You are the light of the world; you
are the salt of the earth."