Summary: “So, when is my child ready for baptism?” Simply put, a child is ready for baptism when they have made a decision to become a follower of Christ.
First of all, as parents, we all want to do what is best for our children, and when it comes to guiding them in spiritual matters, we definitely want to make sure we are doing the best we can. So, when is my child ready for baptism? Simply put, a child is ready for baptism when they have made a decision to become a follower of Christ.
Since children are usually very literal, it is very important for them to understand that baptism does not save a person; a child needs to understand that baptism comes after they have placed their faith in Christ as their personal Savior. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision, and after baptism, they will become a part of the Christian community and a member of the church.
Begin To Talk About It
So, when a child starts asking questions about baptism, begin conversations about what it means to be a follower of Christ. Consider some of the conversation starters below:
- Ask questions to help them process what Christ did for them and for everyone. Share verses with them such as John 3:16, John 14:6, and Acts 4:12.
- Have discussions about sin. Do they understand what sin is? Do they admit they are a sinner? Do they see their need for a savior? Verses such as Romans 3:23, James 4:17, and 1 John 1:8 can be helpful.
- Use graphics such as the Bridge Diagram or The Three Circles to help them visualize what Christ did for us along with verses such as Romans 6:23 or Romans 5:8.
- Help them to see the need to confess Jesus as Lord of their lives and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Read and discuss Romans 10:9-10 with them.
Look For Evidence of Understanding
Just as we see in Mark 10:14-15, children are very often willing to come to Christ. Typically, children are ready and willing to receive a good gift with open arms and unbridled joy. So, as adults, it is important to be very careful to not “coerce” a child; children are usually pleasers and want to do whatever an adult tells them to do. When it comes to salvation, it is important that the Holy Spirit is leading them to make this decision for themselves.
A child must understand they are a sinner in NEED of a savior. Many times, children can define sin (anything we think, say, or do that breaks God’s commands) and identify what sin is (such as lying, disobeying their parents, being mean to a sibling, etc.), but they may struggle with admitting sin in their own lives. In order for a person to claim Jesus is Lord, a person must see their need for a savior to cover their sin.
Real Life Story
Know you are not alone in these questions and in the process of leading your children through spiritual discussions and decisions. One example I recall is a family of a young girl who were all very active in church. The mom came to me one Sunday and shared that her daughter was asking if she could get baptized. Her daughter had seen others getting baptized, and she heard God’s Word at home and at church on a regular basis. The mom told me she and her husband had been praying for their daughter to accept Christ at a young age from the time they found out they were expecting her. I shared with the mom to continue those prayers and to remember salvation is what she is truly praying for.
I told her to continue having conversations with her daughter about God’s Word, who Jesus is, what sin is, etc. at home and to continue bringing her to kids ministry so she can hear the Good News there as well. I also shared a book with her that she and her husband both read – How To Bring Your Children To Christ and Keep Them There. The mom and dad were both excited to take this next step in their own Christian walk, because, like many new parents, they had never been in this situation before.
Then, many months later, the mom called me on the phone, and the young girl couldn’t wait to talk to me. She was bubbling all over to share with me that she had prayed to accept Christ right there in her own home with her mom and dad! She shared with me her sweet story of realizing her own sin and her own need for Jesus as her Savior while she was quietly drawing pictures at the table alongside her mom who was working in the kitchen. In the mom’s words, “It was very seamless and natural. It was not through the planning of my husband or me, but in God’s perfect timing, we all knew it was her time to accept Christ. She just looked up from her drawing and told me she understood (the Gospel) and she was ready.”
Since the mom and dad had been praying and preparing their own hearts, they were equipped and ready to answer her questions and explain to her how to accept Christ. She was baptized very shortly after she made her decision. Wow. See? The Holy Spirit does the calling for each individual person, even our children. He will reveal to each person when it is his or her time to make a choice to accept the gift of salvation. Our job is to plant the seed, water it, watch it grow, and sometimes get to take part in the harvest!
Continue Praying and Answering Questions With God’s Word
On the other hand, sometimes children may be struggling with believing such a miraculous story that Jesus IS God who lived a perfect life and that He died for humankind and rose again three days later. Even if a child is asking to be baptized, baptism should not happen until a child accepts salvation, which means they fully believe through faith the whole story of Jesus. We live in a world that is inundated with stories of fantasy and mystery, and so a child may be struggling with what is truth. At that point, it is important to just continue to have spiritual discussions with them, read the Bible consistently and often, reminding them that ALL of God’s Word is real and true, share your own salvation story, weave instances of faith into daily conversation, and be ready to answer questions they may have as those arise.
Finally, Acts 8:36-38 helps to answer, “When is my child ready for baptism?” We see here in this passage, after Philip explains the Gospel to the man in the chariot, the man basically asks, can I be baptized? Philip explains, “If you believe with all your heart (in the Gospel of Jesus), you may.” If a child, or any person, can declare and believe that Jesus is Lord and acknowledge their sin and need for a savior, they are ready to accept the free gift of salvation. Then, their next step in growing in their relationship with Christ is to show the world through baptism that they are a new creation, washed clean by the blood of Jesus.
What Does This Process Look Like at Immanuel?
If after considering the above expectations, you believe that your child is ready for baptism, our team is excited to meet with them to help you confirm that decision. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” The IBCKids team is excited to be a part of the “many advisers” for your family as you process that decision. Below are the next steps in that process:
- Assist your child in completing the Baptism Info Form. Once this is submitted, you will be connected with an IBCKids Team Staff Member for a meeting with your child and possibly you, if it will be helpful.
- Ultimately it will be your choice if your child gets baptized. However, a child needs to be able to fulfill the above expectations to be baptized at IBC.
Child Baptism FAQs
How old should my child be to be baptized?
There is no definitive age a child must be in order to be baptized. Salvation is for all people, and each person’s story is different. So, as long as a child has accepted the gift of salvation, they are old enough to be baptized. When you, as a parent, let IBCKids staff know that your child is wanting to be baptized, we will speak with the child to help you decide if he/she is ready. It is vitally important that a child understands that neither baptism nor communion saves him/her, but rather these are steps of obedience and remembrance of what Jesus did for us in providing for our salvation.
How long should my child wait after accepting Christ to be baptized, or should my child be baptized immediately?
In the Bible, we see examples of people being baptized immediately after making a decision to follow Christ. However, in some cases, especially with children, we want to always give time for a person to understand the decision they have made and see the fruit of their salvation in their walk with Christ. As a child matures in his or her faith and it is evident that he or she is truly born again, as a parent, you should be perceptive as to when your child is ready to understand and take the next step of baptism. The spiritual maturity level of one child differs from that of another, even in the same family.
What if my child is hesitant or afraid of baptism?
Remember, baptism IS a next step of obedience, so we do not want to discourage children from baptism as they continue to ask about it. However, if a child is hesitant about baptism, it is important to continue to encourage them and share with them that baptism IS important to be obedient to God. Help them to see that after they have decided to follow Christ, they want to BE like Jesus and obey their Heavenly Father just as He did when He walked the earth (See Luke 2:21-22). An IBCKids Team Staff Member can meet with your child to check out the baptistry area and explain the process ahead of time, if that would be helpful to ease their fears.
