Why do churches schedule baptisms for a later date?

Question

Why do churches schedule baptisms for a later date when EVERY example of a conversion in the book of Acts has the convert being baptized immediately?

Baptism is specifically mentioned in all of these conversions, and none of these converts ate, drank, slept, or continued a journey until they were baptized.

For example Saul (Paul), had no food or drink for three days (Acts 9:9). When Annanias instructed him, “be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16), he was baptized before he ate! (Acts 9:18-19) Surely he must have been hungry!

The eunuch was baptized in the middle of a journey! (Acts 8:35-39) The Jailor was baptized about midnight! (Acts 16:25, 33) In Acts 2, about 3000 were all baptized the same day.

Boaterbunny said, "I never really considered it a bad thing to not do it right away though. Do you?"

Well, Jesus commanded baptism and we should put him first in our life. To delay obeying him is to put something else first. Is Jesus Lord of our life if we put something else before him? (convenience, wanting to be seen by family, ceremonies, etc.)

Jesus saves those who obey Him (Heb 5:9). If we delay doing something we know he commanded, we choose to remain in a state of disobedience until that later time. Can we be saved in that state? Can we be saved in our disobedience?

Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."

Answer 1

its nice to see someones paying attention.
discerment is a wonderful thing!

how about the ones who make you take classes?and require you to be a member of the church?and all the other man made rules placed on baptism?
the bible says..."ONE lord,ONE faith,ONE baptism."..it doesnt say by appointment only IF you meet the requirments.

Answer 2

Not all Churches do if for example someone in my church makes a profession of faith in the morning that evening they are baptized, it takes 4 hours to heat the Baptismal pool and 3 to fill it with water.

Answer 3

There is no one answer for this but if you think about it, people find the Lord sometimes far away from the Church. The middle of the night on vacation in a movie theater on a bus an airline you get my drift. There is not always a Church available. I'm not saying this is why it is just some of what could be legitamte reasons. In reality though ,I think it has more to do with a ceremony being planed so everyone we love can be there to wittness our declaration for Christ. He did say if we lift him up before man He will lift us up before his Father who is in Heaven.

Answer 4

Baptism is not essential to Salvation. The thief on the cross beside Jesus wasn't baptized, nor does John 3:16 refer to it as a necessary following to the acceptance of Christ. I do, however, believe it's something we should do for what it symbolizes.

Answer 5

I don't know. My church baptizes you right away if that's what you want. I never really considered it a bad thing to not do it right away though. Do you?

Maybe some churches just like to stick to a schedule, or figure you might want to invite people to see it.

I know a guy who was baptized in his friend's swimming pool because it was the closest body of water :)

Answer 6

Every religion is different...take Morman's EI: LDS....they beleive that when someone is baptized they are washed away of all their sins so therefore it is up to the person to be baptized....if you baptize a baby.....they really have no sins....they can't get baptized again.....a person deserves a choice to be baptized when they know what a baptism is.....Every religion is different....

Answer 7

When churches do baptism, they want the baptism to signify a public transformation. When you do a baptism, you publicly devote your life to Christ.

Most churches usually make it a special ceremony and celebration afterwards, so everyone can come and witness it.

Answer 8

People like to make a big event of it, get family together. That's just how it works now.