Baby and Believers Baptism vs. our community

[Tertul]

Look at the Jews today, they have a very strong community, even though they have an untenable religion that leads most Jew into theological liberalism and even atheism. I suspect that infant circumcision is part of the reason for their strong community. Children are raised as Jews, full members of the household of God (from the Jewish perspective). All Jews always think of themselves as Jews (until they convert to another religion). This is a very powerful frame of mind that empowers the whole community. I think Believers Baptism (for anyone other than converts) weakens the Christian community and pushes Christian to think of themselves as adherents to a religion rather than citizens of the household of God.

This point of this topic isn't really for you to offer your speculation on what the Bible teaches about baby or believers baptism, but to offer your speculation on if it would help or hurt the Christian community if more churches practiced infant baptism? Do you think the rise in the popularity of Believers Baptism has slowed or instead promoted the corresponding undeniable decline of the Christian church in our country?

 

[Tessa]

I personally don't think babies being baptized makes any difference to the closeness of the community.
I know many people who go to church for a few weeks just so that the church will agree to the baptism. Like they do for a few weeks before getting married.
They have no or little intention to stay there.They must habe some belief though to want the baby baptised.
What did they hear at the services? Was Jesus about? How were they greeted and treated by the members? Did they make any friends?
It is up to the church to build the community. The pastor, elders and members. We should be following the examples in the NT
I think ĺove has a lot to do with it.

 

[Tertul]

I know many people who go to church for a few weeks just so that the church will agree to the baptism.

Do these people you know, do they go a few weeks to baptize themselves or to baptize their infant?

 

[Tessa]

Do these people you know, do they go a few weeks to baptize themselves or to baptize their infant?

To baptise their infant. Here in UK somr churches will not agree to it unless the parents attend that church.

 

[Tertul]

To baptise their infant. Here in UK somr churches will not agree to it unless the parents attend that church.

Going for their infant gave the church the opportunity to engage the parents and a chance to get them to stay. Do you think the parents going to church for a few weeks, just for baptism, will or won't influence the baby to do the same with his kids?

Do you think the child, as he grows, is more likely, or not, to identify as Christian because of his baptism? He'll always have in his head that he has received Christian baptism. Do you think it'll hurt his chances to identify as a Christian later in life?

There are innumerable elements that go into the success of a church and the health of a Christian community. Baptism may be small thing, but it's not a nothing.

I looked up some UK stats. In the Church of England, in 1992, 20% of baptisms were of non-infants. By 2011, the percent of people baptized as non-infants doubled to 40%. In that time, increasingly fewer people were being baptized and fewer people were attending church. The church of England is only half the picture. Believer-baptism churches have been an increasingly large percentage of churches. Yet, the UK has grown more hostile to Christianity and overall the number of people identifying as Christian has fallen. On the face of it, this is predicted by my hypothesis that non-infant baptism is not as healthy for the church as is infant baptism.

Another article says, "The Church of England is facing a generational catastrophe with only 2% of young adults identifying with it, while seven out of 10 under-24s say they have no religion, research reveals [2016]..."

 

[Tessa]

Yes the church has the opportunity of engaging with the parents but my point was did they act on that opportunity, or was it simply tradition. We're there cliques in the church that shut them out?
As regards generation in the church it is true of all denominations here. Very few youngsters. I don't think baptism has anything to do with that.
God will give every person the chance to answer His call.
We need outreach which seems yo be dying. Whether people received baptism or not will make no difference as to loving Christ or not. Revival is what is needed.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

I think Believers Baptism (for anyone other than converts) weakens the Christian community and pushes Christian to think of themselves as adherents to a religion rather than citizens of the household of God.

Baptism is very important because it starts faith and is like making those wedding vows.