Baptism

Noting a survey indicating that many adult baptisms in North America are "rebaptisms", Alex Chediak quotes from a description of a contrasting approach to baptism by Brazilian Baptists:

.... Upon profession of faith, a new convert was placed in a new convert's class for from six to thirteen weeks. The central purpose of this class was to make as sure as humanly possible that the individuals involved had understood the gospel and were making valid professions of faith. After the class, the next step in the process of preparation for baptism was speaking to the congregation. Candidates described their experience of conversion and answered questions from the pastor and congregation concerning what they believed about Christ, their experience of conviction of sin, and their understanding of the gospel. Only then did the congregation vote to baptize the individuals. The contrast with the lack of care concerning baptismal candidates in Baptist churches in North America is striking. Regenerate church membership began to disappear when Baptist churches in North America began to baptize and bring in members who gave no visible evidence of regeneration. [John Hammett, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology]

This sequence was essentially the one followed when I was baptized fifty years ago. Whether it is normal today, I do not know.

Alex Chediak Blog: Sixty Percent of Adult Baptisms in SBC Churches are "Rebaptisms"