Troubling Waters of Baptism

Southern Baptists are wading through troubled waters according to a recent Home Mission Board study. Last year the research department and evangelism division surveyed 1350 adults (18 years and older) who had been baptized in Southern Baptist churches. What they discovered ought to make all who love the souls of men and women stop and reflect on our practice of baptism and evangelism.
According to an April 13, 1995, Baptist Press report, the 1350 newly baptized participants in the survey were asked to tell why they had been baptized.

When given multiple choices with which to answer, only 40.5% of those surveyed said that they had been baptized because they had been converted. "Rededication" was the answer selected by 40.4%. According to BP reporter, Sarah Zimmerman, "If the survey results represent the 150,000 adults baptized in 1993, then only 60,000 baptisms represented conversions of the lost to Christ." What a commentary!

These figures become even more alarming when two other facts are taken into consideration. First, the question was asked only of adults who had been baptized. It is safe to assume that they would be in a better position to understand the point and purpose of baptism than are the young people and children who were baptized that year (including more than 3000 who were 5 years old or younger).
Secondly, the 840 churches who participated in the survey admitted that they had lost complete contact with more than one-third of those whom they had baptized the previous year. These people were baptized into oblivion. They have been relegated to the denominational black hole known of inactive and non-resident church membership.

Thomas Ascol, “Troubling Waters of Baptism,” The Founders Journal, Issue 22 Fall 1995