Does Your Church have Age Requirement for baptism?

I don't think so. If we do, I know it's much younger than 12. We had one baptized 2 or 3 weeks ago whom the baptizer said was 6. It's only my opinion, but I think it's quite likely that anyone baptized very young like that will have one of those periods in which he will start to think he "didn't really know what he was doing," and go in for 'counseling,' and may be baptized again. But it's grace through faith that saves-- which is why I, who professed faith and was baptized at 10, have never had an urge to have it done again, in spite of my learning so much more years later.

 

No, and I would not belong to a church that did. If my church wanted to adopt it, I would oppose it. If they adopted it anyway, I would move my membership. If a person is old enough to make a public profession of faith he is old enough to be baptized. My wife was baptized at age 4 and never looked back or had any second thoughts.

 

Obviously your church can do whatever it wants, but the practice is not biblical.

If someone is old enough to be saved, they are old enough to be baptized.

 

Amen!

Withholding a church ordinance on the randomly selected criteria of age is wrong.

Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

This is a hot button issue. Baptists say padeo baptists are wrong...but the first time one of their children says Jesus...they look to baptize.
Do you really think the real little ones really know and understand the issue?
God saves people when he saves them...for sure. It seems however that sometimes it is the parents emotions getting the best of them. they want to "know" that their child is saved......but is it reflected in the childs life.Some of my children were very compliant when they were young...but as they got older......

Does a 4 yr old who gets baptized vote on the church budget...or help determine church policies along with the other members?

Do we allow 6,or 7 yr olds to drive cars? What is the rush?

 

==No. What is the Biblical basis for the policy at your church? Just asking.

 

Obviously there needs to be a Q&A session between the pastor and the child to determine if there is understanding.

What is with Calvinists and their wariness of believing someone is actually saved?

<Sigh> Non-sequiturs.

 

Why tie this in? Why in the world is this relevant?

Ever hear of asking the child if they understand why they want to be baptized? You seem to be saying that no one under 12 years old can be saved or understand salvation.

 

We have no age requirement, but the child who makes a profession of faith must first talk to the SS teacher, then the head of our children's ministry, then we talk to the parents to see what they think, then the child comes to me. The child needs to be able to understand what sin is, who Jesus is and what they need to do to be saved ("believe"). The questions we ask try to have the child describe for her/him self what happened. We don't coach them. We want the child to verbalize on their own what salvation is.

If at any point the teacher, dep't head, parent or myself think the child doesn't understand what they did or why they did it, we can ask for a postponement in their baptism until they really understand.

Have we postponed a baptism? yes, several times. We'd rather wait and be sure than have a child think they are saved because they walked an aisle and got wet.

 

Yes! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

Well you don't follow the Bible way, as in:

Acts 8:36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”


Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

The practice as described in Acts isn't good enough? As far as I know there is no mention of the timing of baptism after salvation except in the book of Acts.

Besides, now you are changing your question from an age limitation on baptism to how quickly after salvation one should be baptized. There is another thread dealing with this topic here:

http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=76058

 

Here is the ruling handed down from the the Elders of Capitol Hill Baptist Church (home base of Mark Dever's "9Marks" Calvinist faction):

http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/we-equip/children/baptism-of-children/

 

It seems delayed baptism is a hallmark of these hard-shell Baptists:

Pilgrims of Paradox: Calvinism and Experience among the Primitive Baptists of the Blue Ridge:

Encyclopedia of Religion in the South: