Darron, thanks for the question. I'm going to try to be brief, but also I want to be thorough.
First, I hold that baptism is a church ordinance, not a Christian ordinance. As such, the local church has been given the authority to administer the ordinance and determine whom it will baptize. The Great Commission contains Jesus' command to make disciples and baptize them. That command was given to the eleven, which were the material of the first church, established by Jesus during his earthly ministry.
In Acts 2:41 we see the pattern played out on the day of Pentecost.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and that same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.
Luke recorded that
1. They gladly received his word. That is, saved.
2. They were baptized
3. They were added to the church at Jerusalem.
This pattern is still with us today. Saved, baptized, added to the church.
without exception, every Baptist church member I know confesses Christ as Lord and is baptized. Salvation, baptism and church membership are inseparable.
Further, Paul wrote to the congregation at Corinth to "guard the ordinances." (I Cor 11:2) Paul is expressing a truth here, that the authority to baptize has been given to the church at Corinth--a local congregation.
The greatest area of debate in this area is, who has the authority to baptize? I hold that this question is every bit as important as the subject, the mode and the design. Jesus traveled a long way to be baptized by John, who had been given direct authority by God himself..
If the command to baptize is given to the apostles as individuals, we must remember that the individuals to whom it was given are all dead. I believe it was given to the apostles as the first church, and each succeeding church.
150 years ago, my view was the majority view among Baptists. I suspect it no longer is, but still has a significant number of adherents Even today, the huge majority of Baptist churches (actually any group claiming to be a Christian church) still require all converts to be baptized, and require that its members be baptized believers.
I'll stop here and give time for responses. I know some of you will be away from the BB on Christmas day. May all of you have a blessed day.