25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

A Few Alarming Facts About SBC Churches: A Few Alarming Facts About SBC Churches:  3 out of 4 are plateaued or declining.  North America is the only continent where Christianity is NOT growing.  The average church baptizes only 7 people.  It takes 44 members to reach 1 new believer.

It is a sin to be GOOD, When God has called us to be GREAT! -- Dr. Thom Rainer, President Lifeway -- Dr. Thom Rainer, President Lifeway

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms 1. Set a Baptism Goal Let your leaders help set the goal. Let your leaders help set the goal. Share the goal with your congregation. Share the goal with your congregation. Share the goal often. Share the goal often.

2. Constantly Talk about Baptism Preach on baptism 2-3 times a year. Preach on baptism 2-3 times a year. Incorporate baptism into most sermons. Incorporate baptism into most sermons. Explain the meaning and purpose of baptism. Explain the meaning and purpose of baptism. See people, not numbers. See people, not numbers. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

3. Use Media to Promote Baptism Use pictures with music in the background. Use pictures with music in the background. Show in next week’s service. Show in next week’s service. Give copies away. Give copies away. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

4. Use a Membership Class Have all new members complete the class. Have all new members complete the class. Discuss baptism in class. Discuss baptism in class. Show video in class. Show video in class. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

5. Develop a Baptism Brochure “The Meaning of Baptism” “The Meaning of Baptism” Give in membership class. Give in membership class. Make it available in the foyer. Make it available in the foyer. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

6. Use Testimonies at Baptism Let the candidate share their story. Let the candidate share their story. Live or by video. Live or by video. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

7. Make it a Celebration Event Create a party atmosphere. Create a party atmosphere. Let there be applause, hugs and whistling. Let there be applause, hugs and whistling. Luke 15:5-7 Luke 15: Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

Luke 15:5-7 (NIV): Luke 15:5-7 (NIV): And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

8. Baptize Outside of the Building 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms 8. Take Your Baptisms Outside of the Building

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms Use Hot Tubs, Jacuzzis

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms The Beach or Ocean

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms Lakes or Rivers Lakes or Rivers

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

A Water Trough

25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms Inflatable Pools

Lake, River, Ocean Lake, River, Ocean Water Trough, Hot Tubs Water Trough, Hot Tubs Jacuzzis, Pools Jacuzzis, Pools Even the Bed of a Pick Up Truck! Even the Bed of a Pick Up Truck! 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

9. Help Them Overcome Barriers Some Natural Barriers: Some Natural Barriers: –Fear of water –Way you look when wet –Odd activity –Singled out Counsel, explain, prepare. Counsel, explain, prepare. Use humor. Use humor. Baptize a group – there is comfort in numbers. Baptize a group – there is comfort in numbers. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

10. Invite Family Members Encourage them to invite family. Encourage them to invite family. Offer invitations they can use. Offer invitations they can use. Plan event details well in advance. Plan event details well in advance. Recognize family present. Recognize family present. Make family attendance an expectation. Make family attendance an expectation. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

11. Make Your Baptisms Special Remove it from the regular service. Remove it from the regular service. Baptism is not an add-on. Baptism is not an add-on. Don’t minimize your worship service. Don’t minimize your worship service. Don’t minimize your baptism service. Don’t minimize your baptism service. Make it a memorable event. Make it a memorable event. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

12. Tie it to a Church-Wide Fellowship Church picnic Church picnic Dinner on the Grounds Dinner on the Grounds Involve as many people as possible in the preparation and promotion. Involve as many people as possible in the preparation and promotion. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

13. Take Your Time Don’t rush this experience. Don’t rush this experience. Expect it to take some time. Expect it to take some time. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

14. Take Pictures & Prepare Certificates Designate 1 or 2 photographers. Designate 1 or 2 photographers. Provide film & pay for development. Provide film & pay for development. Get group shots. Get group shots. Take family shots. Take family shots. Get live shots. Get live shots. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

15. Use Special Events or Days Don’t baptize every Sunday. Don’t baptize every Sunday. Highlight holidays Highlight holidays –Memorial Day Weekend, Mother’s Day Highlight special days Highlight special days –Anniversaries, birthdays, etc. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

16. Allow the Christian Father to Baptize His Children and Wife It will strengthen the family unit. It will strengthen the family unit. Sets up father as the spiritual leader. Sets up father as the spiritual leader. Memorable for kids, mothers & fathers. Memorable for kids, mothers & fathers. An ordinance of the church, not of ordained ministers. An ordinance of the church, not of ordained ministers. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

17. Involve SS Class or Small Group Let members of the class participate. Let members of the class participate. Allow the candidate a chance to share who was significant in them coming to Christ. Allow the candidate a chance to share who was significant in them coming to Christ. Invite class or small group to stand. Invite class or small group to stand. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

18. Define Public Profession Emphasize baptism. Emphasize baptism. De-emphasize walking the isle. De-emphasize walking the isle. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

19. Use Multiple Hooks Trot line fishing. Trot line fishing. Give options on ways to respond: Give options on ways to respond: –Walk isle –Use a Response Card –Offer someone to pray with you –Stay afterwards –Membership Class 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

20. Use Baptism as an Evangelistic Opportunity No better time to present gospel. No better time to present gospel. Ask if there are others who would like to be baptized. Ask if there are others who would like to be baptized. Have counselors ready and prepared. Have counselors ready and prepared. 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

21. Plan Annual Campaigns Plan 2-3 “evangelistic pushes” a year. Plan 2-3 “evangelistic pushes” a year. Examples: Examples: –Revival –Vacation Bible School –Marriage conference –Financial seminar –Wild game dinner –Women’s retreat –Hunting, fishing, golf Event 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

22. Make it Comfortable Set up heaters. Set up heaters. Provide towels. Provide towels. Have volunteer teams to assist. Have volunteer teams to assist. Clothes vs. Robes Clothes vs. Robes 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

23. Discover the Natural Opportunities Marriage Counseling Marriage Counseling Financial Counseling Financial Counseling Pre-Marital Counseling Pre-Marital Counseling 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

24. Don’t Be Afraid to Fail Try new ideas. Try new ideas. Attempt new approaches. Attempt new approaches. Communicate: Communicate: –What –How –Why –Often 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

25. Begin Now Don’t procrastinate. Don’t procrastinate. The pastor is the pacesetter for baptisms in the church. The pastor is the pacesetter for baptisms in the church. Pursue as if someone’s life depends on it – because it does! Pursue as if someone’s life depends on it – because it does! 25 Ways to Increase Your Baptisms

Fred L. Hewett Manager of Field Service, Region 3 Church Planting Group North American Mission Board