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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.