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.
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.
I agree here. If possible to ease his fears and he goes with the standard immersion, good. If he refuses at the last minute, don’t panic just do a combination.Hope it works out well if you can work it out. Either way it can be a blessing all round. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
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.
That’s a Pentecostal tradition, right there. I see what you just did there!
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________________
I hear way back when, they used to pray for excorcism for people before they baptized him. Maybe the man needs some deliverance first________________
Re: Baptism question
I have never forced anybody to be baptized (immersed). I have also never baptized anyone who didn’t have an understanding of the gospel, evidence of being born again and a basic understanding of what baptism/immersion symbolizes. I would not sprinkle a person and call it baptism/immersion, no matter how unintelligent they might be.
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 have never forced anybody to be baptized (immersed). I have also never baptized anyone who didn’t have an understanding of the gospel, evidence of being born again and a basic understanding of what baptism/immersion symbolizes. I would not sprinkle a person and call it baptism/immersion, no matter how unintelligent they might be. But that’s me. Brother, why the attack? What makes you believe I already had my mind made up in what I was going to do. I don’t need anyone to agree with me, especially on this site.As a matter of fact, it was just this morning I thought about using a sponge. As far as your statement above, I hope and pray anyone who is mentally handicapped would never attend your church, for your words tell me that you believe they are unforgivable and hell bound due to their limited understanding.I’m not looking for an argument, I just wanted to know if anyone else has ever had a situation like this before and what they did. I forgot who I was asking.
Not sure why you asked the question if you knew what you were going to do.If you feel that meets God’s requirements – then why is there a question or thread?I would never force anything on anyone. If he never gets baptized – I expect God understands. I was only trying to help you help him do something he wants to accomplish in life.Buy him a kiddie pool and let him sit in it with one inch of water – lay back and rise back up. Whatever helps him accomplish his goal that he has in obeying God’s commands that you are preaching about.Let hi feel like he accomplished it imo________________
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.
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.
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).
________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
[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?[/quoteI 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________________Proverbs 3:5-6; John 13:34-35; Acts 1:8