We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
- Romans 6:4 -
In the last three weeks, we've been from the border of Canada to the tip of Florida, back to Petoskey and then down to Pigeon Forge, TN! We're back for a bit, but during all these adventures we had so many amazing conversations with faithful parents discipling their kids in the truth of God's Word. One of the questions that often comes up in these conversations is, “How do I know my child is ready to be baptized?”
The church tradition you're in (or grew up in) greatly affects how this question is answered. Some churches have a strict catechesis process to help kids fully understand what baptism is, even encouraging them to wait until they can publicly profess their testimony fully. Other churches baptized immediately without catechesis, claiming the example in Acts 2 as a model for this type of baptism. Yet other churches practice infant baptism, with confirmation/first communion occurring sometime around the age of 12.
Every Woman a Theologian is supportive of the multiple views on baptism, but Josh and I in particular are “credobaptist”, which means we attend churches that baptize professing, catechized believers – those who fully understand and can confess the “creed” of Christianity before baptism. Because of this, preparing our kids for baptism is something we're thinking about a lot!
Below are three tips for preparing your kids for baptism and an exciting new resource that's coming soon.
Quick Note: I missed this week's Monday Newsletter due to our travels, so this Wednesday's email will include some of the newsletter elements I missed!
Help children understand what salvation really is. Child development plays a big role in how much a child can comprehend about sin, salvation, and the Christian life. While many four year olds can intellectually or even emotionally “believe”, they don't fully understand the shift of allegiance that happens when we choose to follow Christ. There may be the beginnings of comprehension, but there is a lot more discipleship and development yet to come! It is helpful to discuss what salvation is, what happened on the Cross, and how Christ changes our lives. I recommend reading this article on why we don't tell our kids to “ask Jesus into their hearts” and for a regular discipleship resource, ourTeach Me the Gospel cards.
Talk through the purpose and symbolism of baptism. Some children (and traditions) come to baptism urgently because they believe baptism actually saves them. While there is room in Christendom for this interpretation, but we should do our best to alleviate anxiety and fear around baptism. Baptism in the New Testament was not a new practice; it was a Jewish practice imbued with new meaning and fulfillment through Christ. In Jewish tradition, a new convert would submerge in the “mikvah” to represent his new life as a Jewish believer. In Christian tradition, a new believer submerges in water to represent his new life in Christ. This is why many pastors will say “buried in the likeness of His death, raised in the likeness of His resurrection” as they submerge the believer. Baptism is meant to visibly represent the death of our OLD life and our resurrection into the NEW. For kids, there isn't much “old life” lived, so they need extra instruction on the purpose of baptism as a public testimony of faith and commitment to the local Body of Christ.
Make a plan to support them after baptism is complete. Your church may have a great youth or children's program, but you are the primary disciple-maker of your kids! You are the person they trust the most. You are the person they depend on for spiritual formation. Find a sustainable, realistic way to continue discipling them after baptism – this is not a “one and done” spiritual walk. Baptism is just the beginning!
Coming this summer: Gospel Ready: Conversations to Prepare Your Child for Baptism by Jonathan Whitcomb is a brand-new resource for parents to prepare their kids for baptism using Scripture and intentional questions! We are thrilled to provide this interactive resource for you to use with your kids. Stay tuned to the newsletter and social media for the announcement!
Only a few weeks until we find out if Baby M is a boy or a girl!! Many of you have asked if we are going to find out the gender… and we are! The kids are so excited. We hope to do a little gender reveal party with our closest friends and family in June and will be sure to share the news.
Join Us in Lansing, MI This Weekend!
We got back from Pigeon Forge on Monday evening after a lovely conference meeting so many of you in person! Thank you for stopping by, shopping our products and telling us your story. It was a delight!
We are headed BACK south to Lansing, MI for the annual INCH conference. I will be there Thursday-Saturday – come to all the amazing sessions from Karen Ehman, Ginny Yurich, myself and many others!
