Children Baptism Interviews

PREP BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

“Until a child - or any other individual for that matter - has made the truth as it is in Jesus his own, so that he can confess what he believes back to us without us putting words in his mouth, or without us asking him questions that are so leading that they could not possibly be missed…then no - we cannot seriously talk about baptizing that child” (Gunderson, Your Child’s Profession of Faith, 65).

What You Are Looking For

1. Sound Profession of Faith in Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Their testimony must include a personal belief in this truth because Romans 10:9-10 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

“Jesus died for my sins and rose again. I trust Him alone for salvation and forgiveness.”

“There is no salvation without this confession” (Gunderson, Your Child’s Profession of Faith, 71).

If they can’t make a profession of faith, how will they be able to proclaim the Lord’s death, the gospel, in the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:26).

2. An Affectionate Love for Christ

Jonathan Edwards: “True religion, in great part, consists in holy affections.” (Gunderson, Your Child’s Profession of Faith, 72).

1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.

Do they show an evident love for Christ?

A hunger to know God and worship Him. When God saves us he makes us worshipers.

Joy in Jesus.

Hunger for the Word - 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.

3. Rejection of Sin

Do they confess they are a sinner on their own accord and that’s why the need Jesus?

“If any person, the youngest child included, knows what sort of Savior he is coming to in the Lord Jesus Christ, he will of his own initiative admit his sinfulness…If some awareness of the forgiveness of sin, a need of God’s grace, a decision to repent and become a servant to righteousness does not flow freely and unprompted from their lips, there is little reason to believe they have been converted” (Gunderson, Your Child’s Profession of Faith, 76-77).

What sins have they given up and are trying to put to death?

4. Determination to Obediently Follow Christ

Is Jesus the King of their life?

Are they determined to follow him no matter the cost?

FOR THE INTERVIEW

What is the gospel?

You want to hear in the Child’s own words:

The work of God’s grace in their life

What the death of Christ means to them.

Potential clarifying questions

Is Jesus the eternal Son of God?

What does it mean that he lived a sinless life? Why was that important?

What happened after Jesus died? Where is he today?

What does it mean that Jesus saved you or that your sins are forgiven?

General Clarifying Questions

Definition of a Disciple

Luke 14:26-27 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Discipleship means we will follow Jesus even if everyone else isn’t.

It also means we live in such a way that it looks like we hate our own life. Where we deny ourselves, our wants, our desires, and follow Jesus.

We live according to his will. Not ours.

Discipleship is a life-long, all or nothing commitment.

If your parents told you that Jesus wasn’t true and that they weren’t going to follow him anymore, what would you do?

What if all your friends? Everyone else?

What do you do when you really want to do something but you know its wrong?

What do you do after if you give in and sin?

Critical Questions

If a friend asked you how they could have eternal life or be sure they were going to heaven, what would you say?

What’s your favorite Bible story? Why?

What do you enjoy most when you read the Bible?

Do you find it easy or hard to pray? What do you pray for?

Ask the parents about their prayer life. Has their prayer life changed since making a profession of faith? What are their prayers like? Do they talk to God like they are near and in fellowship with him?

What are your strongest temptations to sin?

What do you do when tempted to sin?

Do you renounce all of your sins and desire to put them to death?

What do you like most about church?

Do you like singing to Jesus? What are some of your favorite songs? Why?

Is there anything new the Lord has begun to teach you since you have been saved? What do you think is the biggest difference in your life?

Other Helpful Questions

When we take the Lord’s Supper, what are you usually thinking about?

What do you want to do with your life for the Lord?

Which of your friends are Christians? What makes them a Christian?

Seek to find out why the child thinks those persons are Christians; this gives him an opening to speak as an observer of the evidence of conversion from the outside, so that you can learn what he considers to be the marks of a believer.

Have there been times where you have felt especially close to the Lord?

Seek to find out when these were, and why.

Two Essential Questions to be asked at the End

Are you now trusting in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins, and for the fulfillment of all His promises to you, even eternal life?

Do you intend, with God’s help, to obey Jesus’ teachings and to follow Him as the Lord of your life?

Adapted from Gunderson, Your Child’s Profession of Faith, 95-97.

If the Child is Ready for Baptism

Teach them about Baptism

Romans 6:1-11 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Buried with Christ in Baptism

All our sin has been forgiven.

We have turned from our old life of sin. That person that lived for myself has died.

Raised to walk in the Newness of life.

We no longer live for sin. We’ve been set free and now we live for Christ.

Obedience.

The body of sin has been brought to nothing because the Holy Spirit made you alive and now lives in you with great power to help you put sin to death and obey Christ.

Teach them about Church Membership

Acts 2:36-41 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Baptism makes you part of the body.

Its a declaration from the church that you belong to the people of God.

Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Being a part of the church means:

Worshiping God

Learning, loving, and following God’s Word

Love God’s people, serve others, and help other people follow Christ

Sharing the gospel with others so they might be saved

Teach them about the Lord’s Supper

Baptism is where we make our commitment to follow Christ no matter what. The Lord’s Supper is where we renew that commitment.

Importance of repentance and not eating/drinking judgment on ourselves.

If the Child is Not Ready for Baptism

Answering Parent’s Objection

“You are expecting far too much of a child? How can you expect them to express their faith as clearly as an adult?”

Exactly! If they cannot make a clear confession of their own like an adult and its too much to expect that, why do we think we can expect them to make a life long discipleship commitment to Jesus in baptism?

It cuts both ways. Either they are able and ready to make a profession of their faith and life-long commitment or they aren’t.

And if they aren’t, we can’t baptize them.

We are only permitted to baptize people we we believe to be Christians. Not who we think might be or probably are.

And this requires a clear, credible confession.

Romans 10:9-10 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Its not just believing the right things. Its confessing it too.

Encouraging the Child

Point out how you see God working in their life and that it looks like God is drawing them to Himself.

Don’t worry about voicing any concerns they may not be saved, instead:

Celebrate that their words and commitment are such great news that bring great joy because they are what we and their parents have been longing to hear.

Say, “Today has been such great news. Its so wonderful to hear you talk about your love for Christ and desire to follow Him. Its what we and your parents have been praying so hard for! We hope with all our heart that you do know Christ and have put all of your faith in him.

And if you have It will be more and more obvious as you grow in grace. We are praying for you and want to help you follow Jesus as much as we can and when you’re ready we are going to be so excited to baptize you!

Until then, keep following Jesus. Keep studying the Bible, praying, singing songs, obeying your parents and the Holy Spirit will make it obvious in your life that you are ready to be baptized.”

If they ask why they can’t be baptized:

Explain that the only reason we want to wait is because true conversion, true faith in Christ, can be very hard to recognize in any person, and we want them to be sure the rest of their life that their baptism meant they were a follower of Christ.

All they need to worry about is pursuing Christ with all of their heart.