The evangelical baptism: procedure and ceremonies

With baptism, the person being baptized enters the community of Christians. Although baptism is a sacrament of Christian unity, there is no such thing as ecumenical baptism. One is always introduced to a particular church. Therefore, it is not surprising that the baptismal ceremonies in the Protestant and the Catholic Church do not completely cover the same process.

Peculiarities of evangelical baptism

The most fundamental difference between the Catholic baptismal service and that in the Protestant church is that in the latter fewer signs and symbols are generally used. The Protestant faith assumes that the words and actions are meaningful enough in themselves and do not have to be additionally symbolically underpinned, as is the case in the Catholic Church, for example, with the explanatory rites at the end of the baptismal act.

Similarities in both denominations

However, there are also similarities. These are essentially three core elements of the baptismal service, which are an integral part of both denominations. This involves the actual baptism with water, the reading of Jesus Christ’s baptismal command and the joint speaking of the apostles’ creed. Around this core there are some options in both denominations to personalize the service. You should therefore discuss with the pastor before the baptism what options there are for this. Here you can find out beforehand how a baptismal service could take place, for example.

The evangelical baptism: opening and invocation

At the beginning of the service, all those present are officially informed of the reason for the meeting and the service is thus initiated. Also becomes the concern of the community. In this case, the child’s acceptance into the Christian community through baptism, brought before God. This can be done, for example, through the following steps:

• First song: With a first song that you have chosen yourself, you can make the special meaning of this day accessible to each of the guests in a simple way. A song, the lyrics of which are suitable for the baptism, prepares those present for the coming event. It is also possible to use the first song to strengthen the sense of community among those present. In order to achieve this, so-called We-songs, which emphasize the affiliation to the Christian community, are particularly suitable. I’m sure your pastor can give you some nice suggestions here.
• Greeting with baptism announcement: The pastor welcomes the congregation and once again clearly explains why they came together on this day, namely to baptize your child. This explains not only to the other members of the congregation, but also to God that baptism is performed out of conviction.
• Liturgical salutation: The liturgical salutation is also used at the beginning of the service in the Protestant Church. It consists of part of Jesus’ baptismal command, by which he instructed his disciples to baptize mankind “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” With this formulaic greeting, not only does the minister express his blessing to the congregation (“The Lord be with you”), but in return he is also blessed by the congregational members (“And with your spirit”). In this way, the connection of all those present to one another and to God is emphatically emphasized.
• Prayer: The joint prayer should serve to strengthen the community of those present and to address their wishes as well as their fears and worries. The congregation asks for God’s help in difficult life situations as well as for his participation in all the beautiful moments.
• Song: At the end of the introductory phase of the baptismal service, a song can be sung again. If you choose the same song here as at the beginning and simply sing different verses, you can frame the first part of the ceremony to a certain extent.

Annunciation at evangelical baptism

In the second phase of the service, the focus should be on the word. Both biblical and non-biblical texts can be recited, which underline the special occasion and express the hopes you place in baptism and the wishes you have for the future of your child.

• Reading: The readings during the Protestant baptismal service can be designed relatively freely and give you as parents or godparents the opportunity to express your personal thoughts and wishes. In addition to passages from the Bible, non-biblical texts that have a special meaning for you and your child’s life can also be presented. The question of whether your lecture should be held before or after the sermon can be clarified in the preliminary talk with the clergyman.
• Sermon: The design of the sermon in the Protestant Church depends very much on the rhetorical skills of the pastor and on your personal wishes. In many communities, the sermon is used to focus attention on the baptismal motto, which is the motto of your child’s baptism. The minister interprets the baptismal verse in relation to the life of the person being baptized and everyone else present to make its deep meaning very clear.

However, the sermon at the evangelical baptism can also be different. For example, the pastor can also recite a Bible text that fits the baptismal verse, if you have not already done so yourself. Especially when many children are present at the service, it is also possible to retell a text from the Bible to facilitate access to the topic. In any case, the priest will take your wishes into account and adapt his own ideas to the situation.

donation of the sacrament

In the third part of the baptismal service, the actual baptism takes place. In addition to the specific act of baptism, a number of other points also belong to this in the Protestant Church.

• Reading of the baptismal command: As in the Catholic Church, the biblical baptismal command from the Gospel of Matthew is an integral part of the baptismal service. It makes it clear that baptism is administered in the direct commission of Jesus Christ. Parents and godparents are once again made aware of their responsibility towards the person being baptized and towards God through the baptismal command.
• Short baptism speech: At this point you, as parents, have the opportunity to address a few words to the congregation. In this way you can give the festival a personal touch and demonstrate your active participation in the events.
• Creed: The creed that is spoken together not only expresses your own faith. You also say it on behalf of your child, who is not yet able to profess faith in God. Since in the Christian Church no one is baptized against their express will, this declaration on behalf of your child is an absolute prerequisite for it to be baptized.
• Baptism question: Before or after the confession of faith, the pastor asks you and the godparents what is known as the baptism question. The official text reads as follows:

Pastor: “Dear parents and godparents, you have heard what God gives in baptism and what this gift means for all the baptized. So I ask you: If you want your child to be baptized, answer: Yes.”

Parents and godparents: “Yes.”

Pastor: “Do you want to accept your child as a gift from God? If you want to help your child to find strength for life by believing in God, then answer: Yes, with God’s help.”

Parents and godparents: “Yes, with God’s help.”

In addition to this official formulation, you now also have the opportunity to state in your own words why the baptism of your child is important to you.

Other points of evangelical baptism

• Baptism: During the actual baptism, the head of the person to be baptized is poured over the baptismal font three times with water. At the same time, after naming the child, the priest speaks the following text: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
• Lighting the baptismal candle: Although the Protestant Church largely refrains from using symbols, it is common in many parishes to light the baptismal candle after water baptism. It stands for the light of God, which from now on is to accompany the baptized on all his paths.
• Blessing of the parents and godparents: The blessing of the parents and godparents is usually an integral part of the evangelical ceremony. It is meant to give hope and strength that will help the blessed to meet their future responsibilities.
• Baptism prayer: By praying together, everyone present can give the baptized child their good wishes.
• Baptismal song: A song of thanksgiving or blessing is often chosen to conclude the act of baptism.

Mission and blessing in evangelical baptism

Before the service ends, parishioners join the pastor in asking for God’s blessings on themselves and others.

• Intercessions: The intercessions offer a nice opportunity to involve relatives or friends in the organization of the ceremony. You can distribute them to your guests at an early stage so that they can then be presented by several people in turn. The intercessions usually include not only the family of the baptized and other close people, but also ask God’s blessings for those in need.

You can consider saying the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the service. It once again emphasizes the togetherness of the individual parishioners, which now also includes your newly baptized child. If you decide against it, the blessing of the minister for the assembled congregation forms the sole conclusion of the baptismal service.

There are many ways to organize your child’s baptism . There are also often different regulations within different regional churches. Therefore, before the day of the baptism, discuss the exact procedure with your pastor. They already have some experience from previous baptismal services and will certainly be happy to advise you.