Pathways to the Waters of Grace: A Guide for a Church's Ministry with Parents Seeking Baptism for Their Children

What if the church took with utmost seriousness that baptism is the gift of a new identity taking a lifetime to grow into? And what if that identity includes Gods call to a way of life made visible in how Jesus lived his? This book is a response to these questions in relationship to the churchs practice of baptizing children. This books underlying premise is that how the church helps parents prepare for baptism is vital to how the whole family lives its baptismal identity throughout life as well as to the renewal of churches themselves.In the last several decades institutionalized Christianity has found itself renegotiating its relationship with a culture that often has churches on the defensive for practices that are little changed from an era now past and insufficient as a witness to life as Christs disciple. This book urges a reconsideration of what churches offer parents seeking baptism for a child offering a transformed vision of such a ministry as well as a practical guide for putting it in place in the life of churches. Pastors educators and leaders will find a pathway to follow that promises to be life changing for all involved.