In the course of my day-to-day research I listen to a lot of sermons. I listen to sermons from well known mega-church pastors as well as pastors that few, if any, have ever heard of. Recently, I noticed an interesting trend among the seeker-sensitive, purpose-driven church pastors that I listen to.
1. They almost all insist that baptisms be done by immersion. Pardon the pun, but they are very religious about dunking people. It is nearly impossible to find a “sprinkler” in the bunch. In fact, they all give practically the exact same reasons and scripture verses to support baptism by immersion AND they passionately defend this practice.2. Strangely enough, practically every single one of these pastors are ‘sprinklers’ when it comes to preaching. Their sermons all fall into the same Biblically watered-down, self-help, 3 point life application type lessons with 3 or 4 “out of context” verses “sprinkled” in for good measure.
How Odd.
The Bible does NOT give a clear command that says that baptism must be by immersion and must have a minimum number of gallons of water in order for it to be valid. Yet, these pastors passionately defend dunking as if it did.
YET, the Bible DOES give VERY clear instruction to pastors and teachers in the church that they are to Preach the Word (2 Tim 4:1-5), preach what is in accord with sound doctrine (Tit 2:1), and preach Christ Crucified for sinners (1 Cor 1:22-25). In other words, the Bible doesn’t allow for ‘verse sprinklers’ when it comes to preaching and teaching in the church. Despite this fact, the seeker-sensitive, purpose-driven type pastors openly refuse to preach expository or expositional sermons. They say it is because the unchurched don’t like them or find them irrelevant.
Hmmmm...
Christ told the church to go and make disciples. Here are His words from the Great Commission:
Matt 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Verse 20 makes it clear that a crucial part of making disciples is teaching people to observe ALL that Jesus commanded. These commands can ONLY be found in God’s word. In fact, here is how Jesus defines a disciple...
John 8:31- 32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
By Jesus’ own definition, His disciples are those who “Abide in His Word”.
There are no two ways about it, Abiding Requires Immersion. Sprinkling just won’t do.
This is why the Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit gives this charge to young pastor Timothy.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.
This verse makes it clear that pastors are to Preach God's Word.
Sadly, we live in a time when preaching God’s Word is ‘out of season’. Today, it isn’t fashionable, relevant, practical or seeker-sensitive to actually preach God’s word. But, God the Holy Spirit knew that there would be seasons like this and He made it mandatory for pastors to Preach the Word regardless of the season. In this passage, God the Holy Spirit charges pastors to immerse the sheep in their care in God’s Word. They are to discharge this duty Sunday after Sunday. In other words, verse Sprinkling is out of the question for all Christian Pastors.
Question: Is your pastor a sprinkler or a dunker when it comes to God’s Word?
Something that I have observed is that many pastors who insist that baptism MUST be by immersion also have replaced wine with grape juice for Holy Communion. So much for claiming to be consistant.
Also, many pastors who insist on immersion also deny what Scripture teaches about baptism and communion. Again, so much for being consistant.
This inconsistancy is something I have noticed long ago while I was still in the SBC, which is the church body I was raised in.
Posted by: Steve Newell | August 22, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Mine's a dunker. Wouldn't be there otherwise.
Two Sundays ago, the Vicar was preaching on Christ's admonishment to not worry, and while I was ushering my older son to the bathroom, I just caught the Vicar saying, "The Bible doesn't preach a gospel of prosperity like Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen seem to do." I couldn't help but pump my fist in the air and shout "YES!" (No one outside the empty stairwell heard me, though.)
Posted by: Truman | August 22, 2007 at 01:08 PM
Our pastor is new to the congregation, but he seems like a dunker.
Like your first commenter... they'll go to the mat over the exact method of baptism, but then laugh or condemn you out of the church if you say it is a sacrament. My whole question, if it offers you nothing, why bother?
Posted by: PHW | August 22, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Chris, The jewish leaders of Jesus' time didn't know Him, though the prophets writings they read every Saturday spoke of Him with the prescion only God can attain.They chose to not see. So it amazes me how, right under today's pastor's noses, they cannot see the words that warn them to preach ALL that Jesus commanded. Paul rebuked those pastors of his own time, who preached just to seem important or attain power over the congregation. But even my being " amazed" of what THEY aren't seeing, I have to question myself over what I'M not seeing. They that are called to preach are held to a stricter standard. I think it takes so much courage to take on the responsibility to pastor. Though I know some are wicked using the office for their own desire, I know it must be a struggle daily for the real pastors to stay on the narrow path, when the world wants easy, liberal answers to salvation. Today everything is marketing, commerical, disposable,convenient, packaged pleasing to the eye and sold with cute little catch phrases. The more that churches and their pastors try to reach the world by being like the world, then the world becomes the head of the church, replacing Jesus, who is the only head of any true church. There are many false churches. I pray for those who are misguided as I hope my brothers and sisters pray for, point out and help me recover from my own errors. Those who knowingly go against God, their fate has already been written of, that we can take heed from.
Posted by: lc | August 22, 2007 at 05:22 PM
Well ya can't put TOO much salt (i.e. Word) on their wounds ya know... it hurts! ;-)
Posted by: Paula | August 22, 2007 at 05:29 PM
A few verses for you... I'll probably be accused of sprinkling, but this will be the last time a come to the site, so say what will...
Eph 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
I John 2:9-11
Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him [2] there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Gal 6:1
6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Gal 5:13-15
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Chris I really enjoyed your site initially, but it has become a mean spirited tirade that does not seek reform, only to ridicule and injure.
I hope you someday come to see that what may have initially started as a labor of love that might have actually cause Christian pastors to change their ways is now something completely different.
Blessings to you, and you are in my prayers...
Posted by: Mike Toole | August 22, 2007 at 07:43 PM
I resonant with some of what mike stated. How can we help each other to build up the body of Christ? Most of what i have seen in the last several months hasn't been building up but only tearing down. What would it look like if you concentrated your energies to helping pastors and the people of God understand what it means to do the things you attack churches for not doing?
Posted by: jared | August 22, 2007 at 11:02 PM
Mike, I am sorry to see you go and pray you don't. You and Jared are correct in verse and context. But how you apply it to Chris' post I think may be reactive(?) to the truth we see in today's churches. We don't know why another errs. Sometimes I'm not sure why I err. Is it the evil in my heart that is the flesh against the spirit that is the race of faith I run in some way daily? Or being ignorant, thinking that I'm doing the best I can by my brothers and sisters? I can only trust the Word of God to discern that. And 90% of the time, biblically what someone else has pointed out or I find in my own reading of the Word, convicts my heart. I would find only death in my efforts to please God, if not for the correction that is real hard truths to swallow. There is always a right way to say anything. And Mike you quoted it. And there is a right way to be angry. A righteous anger. The truth must always be told for the edification of the church. It reminds me of Paul in his speech to the "foolish Galatians". He loved them and held nothing back to show them their error. By today's standards it would've been a harsh speech. I agree that at times there have been some harsh comments on this blog. Some are, us sinning in our selfish, gotta be right, sin nature. But most of what appears to be harsh is a plea to not stray from our only salvation. Jesus' command to abide in His word. There just isn't a "nice sounding" way to convey the truth sometimes. I do agree wholeheartedly that we must study our own thoughts, words and deeds daily, to be sure our own actions are in the spirit of God and not self righteousness. My prayers are with you Mike,if you go, you'll be missed.
Posted by: lc | August 23, 2007 at 01:15 AM
Some of us are "dunkers" in both senses of the word. We believe the Bible does teach baptism by immersion AND we believe in expositional preaching. We do our best with the minds that God has given us to exegete Scripture from its original language and consequently, we believe that baptizo means to dunk or immerse.
Posted by: clearly | August 23, 2007 at 09:47 AM