Since 2007, Allan J. McNicol's book Preparing for Baptism: Becoming Part of the Story of the People of God has been an indispensable resource for ministers and others who are guiding people in Christian faith toward baptism. Today's entry on the Center for Christian Studies blog is a guest post written by Allan Stanglin, senior minister at the Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland, Texas.
Preparing for Baptism
I know exactly what to say every single time a parent asks me, “How should I talk to my child about baptism?” Regardless of the age of the child, the spiritual maturity of the parent, or my own relational proximity to the situation, I always answer, “Let me give you a great little book.”
Allan McNicol’s book, Preparing for Baptism, has been an invaluable partner for me during my 17 years of congregational ministry. I keep a stack of them in my study, ready to be distributed the moment anyone brings up the topic of baptism. My wife and I gave this book to each of our three daughters, and it served as a truly beneficial aid in our conversations about baptism and discipleship to Jesus. I wholeheartedly recommend it to you as you train your children or as you minister to those God has placed around you.
The book is simply written, with easy-to-understand language and an easy-to-follow structure. It’s laid out in six chapters with a dozen helpful discussion questions at the end of each one. And it rightly places baptism at the center of our stories as they intersect with the Story of God. This is not a treatise on baptism as a symbolic ritual that marks the culmination of one’s obedience to the Gospel. Baptism is not the last rung on some ladder to salvation. It’s the initiation into an eternal life with Christ and with his people that begins the moment one rises from the water.
McNicol gives us the whole story, from God’s launching of his mission of salvation with the call of Abraham, through the raising up of Israel as a people called by God to bless the whole world, to the coming of Jesus, to the establishment of the Church, and to Christ’s return on that coming day of glory, McNicol outlines what we need to know before we are baptized and how we faithfully grow into our new lives in Christ after baptism.
When I am asked to provide guidance for parents who are discussing baptism with their children, I always give them two copies of the book, one for the parent(s) and one for the child. I generally recommend that they work through the book together over six weeks, one chapter per week. This can be done in a variety of ways—some of this depends on the age of the child—but I suggest setting aside one evening per week for these conversations. We asked our own children to read each chapter and answer each discussion question ahead of our weekly meetings, making certain that we did the same, which resulted in well-prepared participants in our spiritual chats. You might decide to read the chapters and answer the questions together with your child in the same setting, again, depending on his or her age.
I tell parents that the discussion questions are not nearly as important as the conversations those questions will prompt. Don’t worry about your child getting all the right answers to every question in the correct order. Pay attention to the conversation. You might identify only three or four of the questions to review with your child, but still be prepared to talk about the others if he or she wants.
Lastly, I have found Preparing for Baptism to be helpful when parents believe their child is too young to be baptized. You don’t want to tell your child “No.” You don’t want to discourage baptism or paint it in negative terms. Experiencing this book together can act as a delay tactic, a way to say “Yes” to baptism and begin a process of moving toward that “Yes” together. Yes, you can and should be baptized. Yes, let’s do this. There are things we need to learn and know, there are things we should talk through and pray about together first. In this situation, you might plan to read and discuss one chapter per month instead of one per week. It’s a purposeful way to train your child in the foundations of the faith, but at a slower and more deliberate pace.
Sincere and thoughtful parents can stress out when their young child asks to be baptized. They can feel inadequate to answer serious questions or incapable of teaching their child all he or she needs to know. I have found Preparing for Baptism to be an excellent tool and a welcome source of relief and confidence.
I commend this book as an effective way to teach our children the basics of the Christian faith and the beauty of a Christian life.
We are grateful to Allan Stanglin for his input on this important book. You can order your copy of Preparing for Baptism from the CCS store. Bulk discounts are available.
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