Baptistries

Since it started in rivers, doubt width has much to do with it

Some small churches are using tanks on rollers to save room in the sanctuary and they seem to work well and the pastor doesn't have to get wet.

 

Is the candidate being immersed? If so, then it's perfectly ok. The Bible never says anything about whether or not the one who is baptizing must be in the water (although in the river, it would have obviously happened).

 

If there are scriptural arguments against them (skinny baptistries), I would be interested to hear what they are. I think it has to do more with what we're used to.

 

The idea is that the Pastor stands beside the baptistry to perform the baptism so that He doesn't have to put on leaky waders and risk ruining his suit.

The candidate IS immersed, but the minister isn't in the water with the candidate.

Our new sanctuary uses this, and it took me a little while to get used to it, but honestly - during the ceremony you don't notice it very, and you actually focus more on the canidate.

The Pastor still helps the candidate into the water. He's just standing outside the water. He still wears robes, but he isn't having to change clothing.

 

So, is it unscriptural to wear chest-waders, or must the pastor also get wet? I was called "weak" because I opted for chest waders/robe instead of just getting in.

 

Scripture doesn't give us "minimum dimensions" of a "proper" baptistry. The size of the baptistry is unimportant. One of the first Baptist churches I visited was a small church that had a donated bathtub as a baptistry. The thing could only hold one person. But it served the spiritual purpose.

Remember that, while Baptism is a spiritual sign, it is nonetheless only a sign, and how one practices it is highly subjective. To hink that a baptism might be invalid because of the size of the baptistry is, well, kinda ridiculous.

 

Actually read somewhere years ago that some of the early churches used large pools, and some even had separated pools - men's and women's.

 

I was baptized in a local lake. We later decided to purchase a small baptistry like in the OP and it has served us well.

 

The old baptistry was below the floor surface to the side of the pulpit. There was a baptism one Sunday morning. To gain access to the baptistry a section of the floor had to be removed(it was kind of awkward).
When evening service was about to begin, someone realized the baptristry hadn't been covered. Two of the Deacons were putting the cover on when one of them slipped and they both fell in, nobody was hurt, but it was a
real good laugh.
Hollywood couldn't have done a better job, they make videos of the morning service, but not evening. That would have been good for the archives.

Now there is a new baptistry which is not below the floor.

 

USN - I think the Pastor getting soaked just slows down the sermon.

 

me, too

 

unbiblical skinny baptistries???

roflol.

This would be like the argument of the color of carpet or which side the organ is on.

 

The one getting baptized is simulating the death, burial, and ressurection of Christ. So, unless you think the funeral home director should get in the grave and be buried with the deceased then I think it would be OK for the pastor not to get wet.

 

Good point, Artimaeus!

 

Baptism actually derived from the Jewish ritual of the mikveh, a ritual cleansing bath which was typically done in a pool as you point out. The first Christian churches, being pretty much Messianic Jews, continued to use the mikveh, but used it for baptism.

 

Can you baptize fat folks in one of these?

 

How un-PC. I believe the term is "gravitationally challenged." In which group I'm included...

 

Sorry, but you're not gravitationally challenged. You're just a little short for your weight.