Question Box
◼ Before an unbaptized publisher is approved for baptism, to what extent should he be attending congregation meetings and sharing in the ministry?
Getting baptized is the most important decision a person will make. Therefore, before an individual is approved for baptism, he must have a reasonable understanding of what God requires of him. In addition, he should already be demonstrating his determination to live by God’s requirements.
Christians are commanded not to forsake the gathering of themselves together, so an unbaptized publisher should already be showing diligence in attending congregation meetings. (Heb. 10:24, 25) He would generally also be participating by commenting. Likely, he would be enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School, although this is not a requirement.
In addition, since Christians have been given the commission to preach the good news and make disciples, an unbaptized publisher should be regularly sharing in the ministry before baptism. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) How many months should he be publishing before he can be baptized? Logically, he should be allowed sufficient time to demonstrate that he is steadfastly determined to have a regular and zealous share in the ministry month after month. (Ps. 78:37) However, it need not be very long from the time that he starts publishing until he qualifies for baptism, perhaps just a few months. How much field service time should he be reporting? There are no hard-and-fast rules. The elders should consider each publisher’s unique circumstances and be reasonable and balanced.—Luke 21:1-4.
The elders (or ministerial servants in congregations with very few elders) who meet with a baptismal candidate should remember that every person is different, and they should use good judgment in determining whether he qualifies for baptism. They would expect him to have a real desire to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and to demonstrate an appreciation for his privilege of associating with Jehovah’s organization and sharing in the ministry. The elders understand that he has not yet grown to spiritual maturity or gained the skill of experienced baptized evangelizers. If the elders feel that the candidate is not qualified for baptism, they should kindly inform him of the Scriptural reasons for their decision and help him to receive spiritual assistance.