I am confused.

 

Did the parents give permission for this baptism to take place?

 

Did the pastor talk to the family?

 

I have to say if the answer to the above is no, this is not a good thing. For those who want to count baptisms and numbers it sounds great but for those with intergrity to the gospel they preach this is a perversion of the very message we proclaim.

 

I have never baptized a young person that I did not spend lengthy conversations with both that person and his/her family. If that did not happen this way, I don't see how any good can come from it. Since the story aludes that decisions were made and the converts quickly baptized, I summize that no conversations were made, only numbers with little relationship. How would it have hurt those making the decisions to wait for baptism as a second act? Most all Baptist churches don't hold to baptism as the saving act any way but the profession of faith is what scripture requires - baptism is the act of public profession of the existing faith and an act of obedience.

 

For those who quickly give an "atta boy" at this work and ignore the above (if this was the case) then what you are doing is giving "false" hope that just because a pastor/church or group sanctions a baptism does not mean it is legitimate in the reality of the Savior and the baptized. If anything, too often the church may give a "false security" (particularly when seeking out and baptizing every young child that church can find).

 

I want to hear more about the coach, the pastor, the families and the kids and how they were all a part of this life/soul changing event.

They didn't have permission. That's part of the problem. Apparently, very few of the parents were aware of what all was involved in this trip.

 

Secondly, and most importantly, because their parents weren't there, you don't really know that they decided of their "own free will." A high school coach has a great deal of power, influence, and persuasion over his players. You don't know if some of these kids felt obligated or even pressured to make some commitment they didn't fully understand or appreciate.

 

No one is claiming that having lives turned over to Christ is a bad thing. Far from it - it's a wonderful thing. But it is also a very personal thing and when it involves minors, it should also involve their parents/guardians.

 

Yeah, I'm not saying I know all that is involved here but, the story said some parents said they did know. Again from the story, it looked like there was only one person really that was complaining. I certainly think as a parent I would have wanted to be at the Baptismal service too. Its' just hard to get too mad at him if he was in some way instrumental in some boys shunning a place where the "fire is not quenched, and the worm dieth not" for all eternity.

Yeah, I'm not saying I know all that is involved here but, the story said some parents said they did know. Again from the story, it looked like there was only one person really that was complaining. I certainly think as a parent I would have wanted to be at the Baptismal service too. Its' just hard to get too mad at him if he was in some way instrumental in some boys shunning a place where the "fire is not quenched, and the worm dieth not" for all eternity.

 

Agree. Not an issue of his heart being in the right place, just that the methods used needed to be re-thought.

What don't you seem to understand about the kids being "minors"!

 

The coach took them to a church not a strip club

I am confused.

 

Did the parents give permission for this baptism to take place?

 

Did the pastor talk to the family?

 

I have to say if the answer to the above is no, this is not a good thing. For those who want to count baptisms and numbers it sounds great but for those with intergrity to the gospel they preach this is a perversion of the very message we proclaim.

 

I have never baptized a young person that I did not spend lengthy conversations with both that person and his/her family. If that did not happen this way, I don't see how any good can come from it. Since the story aludes that decisions were made and the converts quickly baptized, I summize that no conversations were made, only numbers with little relationship. How would it have hurt those making the decisions to wait for baptism as a second act? Most all Baptist churches don't hold to baptism as the saving act any way but the profession of faith is what scripture requires - baptism is the act of public profession of the existing faith and an act of obedience.

 

For those who quickly give an "atta boy" at this work and ignore the above (if this was the case) then what you are doing is giving "false" hope that just because a pastor/church or group sanctions a baptism does not mean it is legitimate in the reality of the Savior and the baptized. If anything, too often the church may give a "false security" (particularly when seeking out and baptizing every young child that church can find).

 

I want to hear more about the coach, the pastor, the families and the kids and how they were all a part of this life/soul changing event.

 

 

I agree with you Hatz, IMO the only mistake I think the coach made was allowing the kids to be baptized. I think the kids should have went home and talked with their parents.

I agree with you Hatz, IMO the only mistake I think the coach made was allowing the kids to be baptized. I think the kids should have went home and talked with there parents.

 

I can agree with that statement!

Agree with Hatz on this one. if this happned to one of my boys I'd be upset that....

 

He wasn't counseled before the Baptizsm

 

Parents missed this, we take pictures and relatives also come to see.

 

In the Baptist Church if you are Baptized at that Church that puts you on the Church roll.

 

If the boys came forward to accept Jesus Christ they are given reading material and told to get Baptized at their church or find one in their area.

 

At FCA Camps we have kids come forward and we do what I said above.

 

Thats what Billy Graham does/did.

 

Coach should have been more aware, but not be fired.

I disagree completely with this notion that one must be 18. Most of the people that come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and accept him as their Lord and Savior do so prior to the age of 18. That is to say a greater percentage. Accepting Him is a personal decision and can only be made by the individual.

 

The bigger news here is that a number of boys now have a personal relationship with God and as a result have eternally secured their life with Jesus Christ! If I had a 16 year old unsaved son or daughter and THEY DECIDED of their own free will to accept Him as Savior I would be doing back flips as soon as they came through the door and told me about it! Sounds to me like its' time to celebrate.

 

Since they had permission I wouldn't care if they got there and back by wagon train if neccessary. Sometimes the people are Baptized immediately upon profession of faith like this, I will say that the norm these days seems to be to do it in a week or so to give family time to plan and attend.

 

Hats off to you Coach, you are fulfilling the great commission!:clap:

 

I couldn't agree more. Hats off to you!!!:dancingpa

Parent's should have been consulted. I do believe a person who is 16yr's old can decide if they want to be baptized.

The coach could take this entire team to a Hooter's for dinner on a road trip, and wouldn't catch as much heat as he did for taking volunteers to church. This is much ado about nothing. If he loses his job for this, I sincerely doubt they will find a replacement that will care as much about where these young men will spend eternity as they do about wins and losses.

The coach could take this entire team to a Hooter's for dinner on a road trip, and wouldn't catch as much heat as he did for taking volunteers to church. This is much ado about nothing. If he loses his job for this, I sincerely doubt they will find a replacement that will care as much about where these young men will spend eternity as they do about wins and losses.

 

The hooter's thing happened a few years ago at state in basketball and that coach lost his job.

FCA can use school facilities, buses (even if paid for by their own funds), and feed sports teams in the school....so what it the difference? No permission slip needed for any of that. THey didn't get on the bus after a game and go to church. The kids willingly went. Do kids call their parents now before doing illegal things? Nope! The point is, a coach allowed kids to go to his church. They are old enough to drive and make decisions that can cost them their lives. The kids weren't at a sex party, using drugs, or committing crime. They went to church, and made a decision that has saved them. They CHOOSE to believe!

 

I was a sophmore when I was saved. I did so at FCA camp. I wouldn't have gone without the encouragement of my COACH. I lived in a very non christian family, where drugs were prevailent. Without my coaches I would not have found Jesus Christ. I was one step away from juvenile detention and a really bad road. Thank God for my coach and his careing for me outside of football.

 

Kudos to you Scott. IF this is the cross you will bare, I support you 100%. We all answer to a higher purpose and there is room at the cross for you Coach Mooney. Heaven rejoices at the saving of all the young men you have influenced (over 15 kids were saved last year in his program!!!). You are doing great things in a VERY impoverished county hit hard by meth and other drugs. Many of your players come from single parent homes...keep up the work.:thumb:

They bus probably should not have been used. If the coach invited them to go to church and they got baptised...good for them and the coach. My high school coach invited my entire basketball team to church and we all went. I think it is getting blown way out of proportion. I think I will pray for the school, coach, church, and even the mom!!!

FCA can use school facilities, buses (even if paid for by their own funds), and feed sports teams in the school....so what it the difference?

 

FCA is usually a school sponsored organization.

The hooter's thing happened a few years ago at state in basketball and that coach lost his job.

 

I find it silly that a coach would be fired for taking a team to eat at Hooters, when baseball coaches routinely take their teams on trips to Florida for spring break that include time spent on the beach where far more skin is visible.

 

Probably a stupid place to take a team, why put yourself in the line of fire so to speak, but really how was anyone harmed by this meal.