Ordinances

“Baptism is a rite, a symbol, an ordinance of the church. Its power is not in the physical act but in the truth it conveys.” - P&D

“Should I have warned my friend not to take the Lord’s Supper? It’s a good question. But it raises several other questions: who exactly is the Lord’s Supper for? Who should say who can partake of the Lord’s Supper?” - 9 Marks

“Doing membership interviews is one of my favorite parts of being a pastor…. we ask folks to tell us about their baptism so we can make sure they’ve truly been baptized. Of course, most baptism stories are pretty ordinary: ‘I heard the gospel, believed, and was baptized by a local church.’ But some stories are bizarre or even baffling.” - 9 Marks

“Baptism and the Lord’s Supper happen in lots of places: on university campuses, in homes, among small groups, at weddings. And yet, few Christians stop to ask who the ordinances belong to, let alone who should be the ones administering them.” - 9 Marks

“If the first step of Christian obedience is to be baptized, wouldn’t delaying baptism be an act of disobedience? I don’t think so. In fact, I’d argue there are at least four reasons why it’s wise to examine a baptismal candidate before baptizing them.” - 9 Marks