By Michael A.G. Haykin
Baptism: is both a declaration of commitment to following Christ and the doorway as it were to the church (look at Acts 2:41-42). It is unthinkable that in the early church they would have baptized anyone and that person did not join himself to the church that baptized him. Only in a deeply individualistic culture like ours does this idea emerge: I can be baptized but still be a free agent. To join myself to Christ is to join myself to his people.
____________________ Michael A.G. Haykin is the director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. He also serves as Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Haykin and his wife Alison have two grown children, Victoria and Nigel.