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The question seems to imply a requirement for them to be a member in order to baptize. Is there a Biblical requirement for that? I would think the issue is whether they have accepted Jesus. Does the Church have a higher standard than Jesus? If Jesus saved them, how could a person not baptize? I'm sorry I am upset with your question, I guess it goes back to my COGOP history where the advice to members seemed to take precedent over what the Bible said. As I recall, the Bible didn't say anything about men wearing shorts, but the COGOP (at that time) certainly took that as a sure sign of sin. It just sticks in my craw when Churches have extra Biblical requirements of holiness, or whatever the requirement may be.

Great answers

Methocostal stated:I'm sorry I am upset with your question, I guess it goes back to my COGOP history where the advice to members seemed to take precedent over what the Bible said. As I recall, the Bible didn't say anything about men wearing shorts, but the COGOP (at that time) certainly took that as a sure sign of sin. It just sticks in my craw when Churches have extra Biblical requirements of holiness, or whatever the requirement may be.

Do they confess Jesus as Lord and Savior?If yes, baptize.If no, preach again

Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

Any time anyone ever asks me to baptize them, whether they attend my church or not, I have a talk with them about what baptism means, what sin, repentance, discipleship and salvation is, etc. I also ask them if they have a church home and, if so, why they don't want to be baptized by their pastor. I always do my best to impress upon them that baptism requires a wholehearted commitment to obey the Lord Jesus in all things, and that without a genuine experience of conversion first, baptism is just an empty ritual with no power whatsoever. All the above generally helps weed out any who are not really serious about following the Lord in water baptism. I do not require that one wanting baptism first be a member of my church. To my mind that is totally backwards; anyone wanting to become a member needs to have been truly born again and baptized prior to joining a local church, as I see it. Edited your post 2 times and still couldn't work faith or grace in there somewhere? Well, as long as they understand sin... I'm not saved because I'm good. I'm saved because He's good!My website: www.bradfreeman.comMy blog: bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/

I edited my post for spelling errors. I fully support what Pastor Tony did. These folks fully understood what it was to be saved by grace and faith in Jesus Christ. I was simply asking what others here thought, trying to understand why anyone would refuse to baptize these two people. It wasn't reported as to which other churches were contacted but I'm sure that they have seen the report in the news that Pastor Tony did baptize them and just how much it meant to them. I'm very happy to see the responses here because it gives me hope in a denomination that I have seen, in the past, be more inward focused than outward. My intent was never to start an argument but to get others point of view. Had someone said that they agreed with not baptizing them then I would have asked for scriptural support of that decision.

That is fantastic. Obviously, I misunderstood the intent of your question. It sounded like you were thinking one had to be a member or regular attender. I think you were being more hypothetical.

Preach it bro

You did get my blood boiling on my initial read, especially when I thought you were a pastor and wouldn't baptize someone. My bad!At least I partly succeeded in being somewhat diplomatic when I thought you were a legalistic narrow minded preacher! I guess I may be growing in grace after all.