Who is qualified to baptize people in Christian church?

Question

What are the qualifications?

Did Jesus give the command to baptize for all of us?

Answer 1

Any Baptized Christian can baptize a new believer.

Any Baptized Christian can lead Holy Communion.

The command to go make new disciples and to baptize those new disciples was given to all of us.

Even the Roman church agrees that any baptized person can baptize, and they would prefer that if a newborn baby's life was in danger.

Of course sprinkling water on the head of a baby isn't baptism, but that is what the Roman church teaches, that anyone can do it. As long as that person has been baptized themself, even a baptized protestant female!

The last Baptism I attended was a 21 year old soldier about to be deployed to Iraq. At least 4 Pastors where on hand, yet none of the Pastor officiated. The Dad of the soldier officiated. The baptism occurred in a backyard swimming pool.

Since we live in Florida one might ask why not use one of the 7,000 lakes? And the answer is 7,000,000 alligators!

Pastor Art

Answer 2

It depends on the church and the ritual it follows. Each of the answers given reflects the practice of a different church - some churches practice full immersion, others only sprinkle water. Some use blessed water, some bless the font or dedicate the water used on the occasion. Some baptise infants, others only accept adult baptism where a knowledgeable choice is made and some baptise either way but if baptised as a child the process is called confirmation as a youth. Also depending on the church, especially those that practice immersion, there may be specific people other than the minister that enter the water. And in some churches, women are only immersed by women and men by men.

Answer 3

Peter and the apostles baptized large numbers in Acts 2 as they responded to the message about Christ. Later on, Philip, who was at first selected as one to distribute food to widows in the church in Jerusalem, preached the gospel in Samaria and baptized believers there (Acts 6,8). Still later, Paul baptized some of those who trusted in Christ in the course of his missionary work, but apparently also let others do the baptizing instead of him (Acts 16:33; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17.).

The pivotal passage that answers this question indirectly is found in the “Great Commission” passage (Matthew 28:18-20). This passage records Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations and includes baptizing as part of the process of making those disciples. If this commission is given to all Christians (as is commonly held), then it follows that the authority to baptize is also given to all Christians.

The Epistles never discuss who is to baptize. What is discussed is the meaning behind baptism. In both the book of Acts and the Epistles, the proper understanding of how one is saved (Acts 19:1-5) and the symbolism involved in baptism (Romans 6) seems to be more important than who is doing the baptism.

Based on Matthew 28:18-20, as well as on the silence of the remaining portions of Scripture concerning this issue, it would seem that any true believer has authority from God to baptize, even as they have the authority from God to evangelize and teach all that Christ commanded.

Recommended Resource: Believer's Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ by Schriener and Wright.

Answer 4

The Catholic Church teaches that anyone may baptize in case of an emergency. In ordinary circumstances, only a priest or deacon or someone designated may baptize.
The qualifications are to use water and say "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Answer 5

Any person who is already a
Christian, can baptize another
person. Some Christians
say the other person must
have made a confession of
faith beforehand. I don't believe that. Any person wanting to be baptized has
made the confession just
by the act of asking.
John the Baptist
did not baptize only known
Christians, he baptized everyone who wanted to be.

Answer 6

In the Catholic Church anyone, believer or unbeliever, can baptise someone in an emergency provided they do exactly what the Church does (minus the oils) and intend to do exactly what the Church does, even they don't believe it themselves.

In ordinary situations the minister of baptism is a deacon, priest or bishop.

Jesus gave the command to baptise to His Church, but we must bear in mind that the same Jesus gave authority within His Church to the Apostles. It is therefore, the competence of the Apostles and their successors to decide who should carry out the mandate of the Lord to baptise in His name and in the name of His Church.

Answer 7

Typically, a priest, basically to make things in an organized way. Besides, it required a paperwork for future references.

But in case of emergency, anybody can baptize, even a pagan or an atheist

Answer 8

It depends on the church. In the Bible Christ set the example for our baptisms by being completely immersed under the water. He also waited for John the Baptist to perform his baptism because he had authority given by God to baptise. The more interesting question is considering who Jesus was why did he feel the need to be baptised at all? It was to set an example for each of us, as was the rest of his life and ministry.

Answer 9

Baptizing is generally done by someone who is in good standing in the church, an Elder, Pastor, someone who knows exactly what it is they're doing and what it means, and someone who has a walk with the Lord.

Answer 10

Any Christian is qualified to baptise a believer, but most religions have leaders, if only for organisational purposes, so a priest or pastor is more likely to perform this duty than an ordinary member of the congregation.