AboutWayne Tucker Expertise I will attempt an answer to any question you care to ask about the United Methodist Church, or any other matter of faith.
Experience I am an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. I have been a pastor since January, 1988. I am a member of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. M.Div. Christian Theological Seminary, 1991
Question i was raised in a missionary baptist church as a child, and i never got baptized,but now i am a adult , and a member of a methodist church.and my pastor said he could sprinkle me for my baptism, but i would kike to be immersed. does this make a difference to GOD.
really in need of an answer, if you can help me it would be greatly appreciated.
GOD bless, in the name of jesus for your work,
sincerely wesley chrerrjr
Answer Wesley,
I can't imagine the depth or nature of the water matters to God. In the earliest Church, only three drops of water were needed; one each for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are uncertain of the depth of the Jordan where Jesus was baptized, but it was likely that he knelt and John poured water over him. There were many other religions in that day, with many other rites and rituals, and a wide variety of practices, all referred to as "baptism." Most did not mean immersion. Immersion is a relatively modern development in the history of the Church. Peter makes it clear that the washing of our bodies in unimportant. This would tend to indicate that it is not necessary to wash the whole body. What is important is that there IS water, and there ARE words; that we are faithful to God's word in our actions. But, for us United Methodists, baptism is not about what the preacher does or says, or about what the congregation does or says, or even about that the person being baptized does or says, or even believes - since we can't know that anyway. For us, baptism is about what God does, and keeps doing in that person's life. We trust that God will get it right even if we get it wrong.
I hope this helps some. Feel free to follow up, or ask any other question. Although you could just ask your own preacher. He probably knows.
