How do I know if my child / teen is ready for Baptism?
“Mom, Dad! I want to get baptized!”
How powerful it is to hear this from your kid! This is a big moment and it’s normal to feel varying emotions as the parent/guardian at this time. One of the greatest joys can be hearing kids not only want to follow Jesus but want to let everyone know. But it can also be nerve-wracking, uncharted territory. So, how do you know if your child is actually ready for something so important?
1. ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS (AND LISTEN)
Asking open-ended questions is the best way to help your child express their feelings and thoughts. If you’ve never done this before, it can be challenging not to lead the conversation. A first step can be to ask questions to find out what your child knows about baptism and what they think it means. Here are some suggestions:
“If a person is baptized, what does that mean?”
“How long have you wanted to be baptized?”
“Why do you love Jesus?”
“What does it mean to trust Jesus and tell others you want to live for Him?”
“What does it mean to turn away from sin?”
2. BRING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Your kid might ask you about baptism because they trust you, and that’s awesome! If they have other trusted adults in their life, encourage them to talk with others, too. Maybe it’s a grandparent, a family friend, or even an OC Kids staff member or volunteer. You and your child can stop by our Next Steps corner or one of our NextGen spaces in the lobby or OC Kids hallway where we can come alongside you in asking open-ended questions, getting set up for baptism, or providing other resources such as RightNow Media.
When in doubt, seek others out. The more your child can talk about baptism with people they trust, the easier it is to determine if they’re ready for that step. If they struggle to share with others, they might not be ready for baptism yet. Some kids are ready to follow Jesus, but might not be ready to publicly announce it. Helping them talk about their faith with others is a great next step.
3. IT’S OKAY IF THE ANSWER IS “NOT YET”
As a follower of Jesus, we should only be baptized after repenting, believing, and choosing to receive Jesus’ rescue. If your kid can’t remember a time when they’ve asked God for forgiveness or started to believe, they’re just not ready for baptism yet. And that’s ok! We’ve got resources to help you figure out the next steps. Sometimes after talking with your kid, it’s clear they don’t understand yet what baptism means and why it’s important. Maybe your kid gets swept up in the moment or wants to do something because they see someone else doing it. Baptism is not always the next step for your kid to take.
Encourage your child to keep seeking and understanding what it means to follow Jesus. Say, “I can tell you are really curious to know who Jesus is and how to follow him, what are some questions you still have about Jesus?” or “How can you spend time learning more about Jesus?” Whatever you decide, know that baptism is a choice that only your kid can make. We think your main job as a parent is toprocess with them, not convince them. In doing so, you’re trusting God to do what only he can do. This makes it even more amazing and sweet when our kid decides to get baptized, and you know it’s their choice.
