Baptist General Conference

Like most Baptists, the Baptist General Conference (BGC) recognizes the ordinance of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Other sacred actions, though not commanded of believers, are practiced in many churches.

Because of the nature of Baptist polity (each church is autonomous and independent from any clerical or denominational hierarchy), the following is a description of the understanding and practice of ordinances and sacred actions in the worship renewal of one church in the denomination. The Nature of Ordinances Theologically, Baptists do not regard the rites of baptism and Communion sacramentally. We view these rites as ordinances given by our Lord to be observed and practiced on a regular basis. Therefore, God's presence in worship isn't any more or less present when these rites are observed. However, his presence in ownership is manifest in a special way in the gathering of two or three believers in the name of Jesus (Matthew 18:20). But in the past, this theological position didn't manifest itself in any mystical sense as believers gathered for morning worship. Worship was service in which one sang a few hymns, listened to special music, heard a prayer by the pastor, presented one's offerings, and listened to the sermon (which was the main point of the service). In short, worship was a service about God, not an encounter with God. More recently, our congregation at Bethlehem Baptist Church has experienced renewal in worship through the teaching and influence of Dr. Bruce H. Leafblad. His definition of worship encapsulates the shift that our congregation has experienced when he says, "?Worship is communion with God, in which believers, by grace, center their minds' attention and their hearts' affection on the Lord himself, humbly glorifying God in response to his greatness and his Word.?" As a result of this change, worship has become the focal point of our church life in which we try to be God-centered and God-focused in every area of our lives. There is now a definite change in the spirit and tone of the service: a sense of expectancy and anticipation during the prelude that we are there to meet God and that he is there to meet us. The Lord's Supper The Lord's Supper in most churches of the BGC is observed at least monthly. In our church, Communion is usually held in morning worship on the first Sunday of the month. Exceptions to this practice are the evening services on New Year's Eve and Maundy Thursday. At Bethlehem, Communion is typically a service to our people before the sermon (with opening acts of worship designed to focus people's minds and hearts on Jesus and his passion). On occasion (particularly if the sermon focuses on the Atonement), Communion will be served after the sermon. The Lord's Supper is open to all believers who attend our church. But because of Paul's warnings in 1 Corinthians 11:27–32, visitors are always informed of the seriousness of what is about to happen and, if they aren't believers, invited to place their trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternal life. They are then encouraged to believe and to participate. During the distribution of the elements, various musical elements are utilized: instrumental and vocal meditations, congregational singing, silence, etc. The purpose of these meditations is to maintain an attitude of worship in the risen Lord's presence. It is, therefore, more than a mere observance of a historical event: It is a time to examine our hearts and commune with the Lord. Baptism Baptismal services are held during our Sunday evening services as often as needed. For Baptists, baptism is an outward expression of their internal faith and commitment: a dying to sin and Satan (symbolized by submersion in the water) and a rising to new life in Christ (symbolized by the emergence from the water). In our church, the baptistry is located under the floor of our platform and is large enough to include space for a married couple or family. It was designed to be out in front and open because baptism is a public proclamation of one's allegiance to Christ. During the service, we invite the congregation to stand and gather around the baptismal font, so it has a feeling of being outside near a lake or stream. Modesty issues were addressed by having special robes made of thick material in a darker color. We chose to have them be burgundy in color, representing the blood of Christ that cleanses our sin. When they come out of the water, a deacon helps them up and places a white terry cloth cape around them, symbolizing our sin being washed clean by Christ's blood (Rev. 7:14). Since baptism is an initiatory rite into the Christian faith, a celebrative mood is instituted in our church through the use of congregational singing after the person comes out of the water. The songs used focus on themes of worship such as commitment, adoration, or an invocation of the Holy Spirit. Other Sacred Actions Although the following sacred actions occur in our church, they are not ordinances that every believer is commanded to observe. However, they are included in corporate times of worship because they are significant events in the life of believers. At these times we desire to gather in the Lord's presence in order to seek his blessing and power in ministry. Such events include: Dedication of Parents and Children, including the laying on of hands by the pastor, promises made by the parents, and an affirmation by the congregation to do whatever God calls them to do to help assist the parents in their promises to train their children in the Lord; Commissioning of Missionaries, including the kneeling of the missionaries, the laying on of hands, and prayer by several members of the congregation, family, and friends; Ordination of Pastors, including a charge to the ordinand, ordination vows, and the laying on of hands and prayer by a few family and clergy; and Prayer Ministry for Healing, including the laying on of hands by prayer teams after the morning worship services to pray for whatever needs people have. On occasion, some members call on the elders of the church to come and pray for them, which includes the laying on of hands, anointing of oil, and prayer as found in James 5:14–15.