Expert: Bruce Gourley - 4/18/2005

Question
1. Is Southern Baptist baptism full (body) immersion or is the type of baptism left up to the pastor or the person to be baptized (or their parent or guardian)?

2. For persons born and raised Southern Baptist (as opposed to converts), at what age do Southern Baptists baptize their members?  

Answer
Hello Michael,

The traditional Southern Baptist mode of baptism is by immersion (full body).  Some Southern Baptist churches (a minority) allow Christians who have been baptized as believers (but not via immersion) to join based on a profession of faith.

As to the baptism age of "native" Southern Baptists, there is no mandatory of even recommended age.  However, generally speaking, Baptist children are not baptized prior to age 4.  The operative concept is that a believer has to profess faith in Christ before receiving baptism.

I hope this helps,

-- Bruce Gourley
  www.brucegourley.com