Baptizing Minors...

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by TreyKerux

Do you have a form letter to the parents after the young person has expressed interest in baptism and a permission slip...even if the parent it going to be present at the baptism(just for liability sake... some nuts out there will lie their tales off if they think they can get some money)? Care to share said letters/slips? lol


Also what type of things would you say when you goto the parents and talk to them about their young person wanting to get baptized?

I ask all of this because a young person in my group wants to get baptized and Pastor told me to "follow proper protocols" and when asked to clarify he just mentioned a slip and a letter and taking a trip to the parents house....

I'm excited about the first person in my youth group to get baptized....and I wanna make sure everything is kosher as we dunk her in Jesus Name

Trey, I would think that getting parents to sign a permission slip would immediately make them a little nervous. It's like you're having to sign a waiver of liability in case the kid drowns in the baptistry or something. Especially if you send the note home with the child without a personal visit. But if your pastor has a "slip" and a "letter" that is proper protocol for minors with unsaved parents, then I suggest you get a copy as soon as possible. Is it to include them? Or for insurance purposes? Just curious....

I think the best thing to do is to call and ask if there is a convenient time you can drop by, and then let the parents know that their child has expressed a desire to be baptized, that you are happy to comply, but you didn't want to proceed without them, since its such an important event. (Something along those lines.) Other than that, I think the child needs to express his or her own desire to be baptized to his parents. If you speak too much, it will look like you're strong arming the child. If kids really want to do something, they can usually talk their parents into it.