I was baptized as an infant. Why does my local SBC church require me to be rebaptized in order to be a member?
Because of its autonomy, each Southern Baptist church determines such policies for itself–there is no denominational requirement in this regard. However, Southern Baptists have historically held to the mode that we believe to be the most consistent with the Bible – believer’s baptism by immersion. When Jesus gave His command in Matthew 28:18-20 to make disciples, the directive was to baptize those new believers/disciples, and the word for baptism was literally “to immerse.” It was a practice reserved for those who had decided to follow Him. Baptizing a believer by immersion conveys the picture of a person dying with Christ, being buried with Him, and being raised with Him in a new life (Romans 6:3,4). This act is a voluntary declaration to all witnesses that the person has openly and unreservedly placed his/her faith in the Lord and will follow Him. When a person is baptized as a baby, he/she has no knowledge of the Lord, repentance, salvation, discipleship, or any of the essentials r
