(Hat tip to fide-o blog - http://fide-o.blogspot.com/ - )
That’s a great list!
I love baptisms, they’re so fun. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something so powerful and indescribable about it.
18. Make the baptism pool and surrounding area beautiful and inviting and non-threatening.
One of the ways of looking at baptism (per Michael Horton, following probably Meredith Kline) is as a covenant ratification ceremony involving a symbolic ordeal. "As many of you as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death."
That’s a great list. Each and every one of those brings you a little closer to Jesus.
What I would recommend is that you keep a couple people on hand to keep the riff raff out. I know some local churches in my area have had problems with homeless people attending church just so they could get some free bread. Obviously, you don’t want that.
Purpose driven baptism ping.
42. Change the name of Baptism to something like Dunking for Jesus.
“Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” - E. M. Bounds
What ran though my head as I read this was that it is a great list of marketing tips. Years ago, I had marketing company which was linked to a very successful international company where I taught people how to better market themselves, mostly through networking, getting other people from other types of business to bring you business while you do the same for them.
The suggestions here were much like what the things we taught as successful ways to influence other people to do what you want them to do. The reason they work is based on pride. People will do more things for simple recognition than for money. Want to increase your small business from referrals? Don't pay for referrals, but put up a plaque in your waiting room listing the top 5 people who gave you referrals. This works well for professional practices, Dr's, lawyers, etc. Human nature is such that people will jump through lots of hoops for their 10 seconds of fame. For recognition. For pride. It is one of the best motivators.
As I went through the list, it was very easy to spot those things where recognition was the key motivator. Other good marketing or sales techniques to get people to "buy what you are selling" are emotional responses (which include fear of loss) and overcoming their objections. Almost every suggestion in the list fit into one or more of those categories:
Emotional motiviations - #'s; 1, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, and maybe 27 and 33.
Recognition - #'s: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22, 24, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 39.
Overcoming objections - #'s: 3, 18, 25, 30, 40.
Baptism is not a party. It is not an emotional high. Why did he come up with these? I suspect it is because he can boost his baptism numbers (and teach others to do the same). To what real "purpose" - to make Warren look successful. But true baptisms are of God. He doesn't need marketing to "boost" His numbers.
Bottom line - why try to "help out" the Holy Spirit? Especially when it is made into an emotional affair? Why does Gode need help from lowly man in convicting people to be baptized? Why did people flock to John to be baptized? Not because he videotaped them and made things all warm and fuzzy, but because he preached repentance. Quite the opposite of warm and fuzzy and "look at me".
....statistics from the nation's largest Protestant body paint a picture of evangelism in decline. Baptisms in 2006 dropped 1.89 percent, to 364,826, from 2005, according to a church study. Those figures contrast sharply with the goal of 1 million baptisms that was set by the denomination's immediate past president, Bobby Welch. ........"I was surprised that we still fell 7,000 or more short," he said. "Once this thing gets into a nosedive, it's hard to pull it up. That's what we're fighting right now."
#42, Tell people baptisms only last 1 year.
The free gift ought to be the draw!
In my experience, those I have met that have had a true conversion are eager to be baptised in the name of Jesus and have no hang-ups or reservations about it whatsoever...
CC&E
Dog and Pony Show Ping!
Protestants utilize this one of the seven of Christ-instituted sacraments. Mr. Warren: please treat this sacrament with the dignity it deserves.