A Conversation with Jonathan Smith about Baptisms (Mark Clifton)

Mark welcomes Jonathan Smith, Director of Church Health and Growth for Texas Baptists.
Here are some highlights:
• Empty seats in churches are not a bad thing, that means that there’s room for new people!
• With the resurrected Christ, there is always hope for every church!
• Put on display the church that you want to become.
Some principles for increasing baptisms in your church:
• Preach on baptism twice a year.
• Only baptize one person per week, unless they are family members.
• Don’t baptize at the very beginning of the worship service.
o A significant portion of your congregation will miss the baptism if it’s at the very beginning of the service.
• A 3-week baptism plan:
o Week 1 - Announce that there will be a baptism next week and provide invitations for the baptism candidate to invite friends and families.
o Week 2 - Shoot a video of the baptism candidate answering two questions: 1) How did you come to faith in Christ? 2) How did this church help you come to faith in Christ? Show this video before the baptism.
o Week 3 - Show a video of the testimony and the baptism.
Resources mentioned on this podcast:
Texas Baptists PAVE process: txb.org/pave

[@timtremaine8430]

There is no way to make disciples vicariously.

[@timtremaine8430]

I just posted this on FB. Everyone should post this podcast on their social media. Absolute gold.

[@timtremaine8430]

I was a Texas Baptist for 65 years and never heard that statement about radical disobedience of the GC once. It's about time, praise, God!