Baptism Interview Questions

We have to take into account that in the New Testament baptism came almost immediately after a person’s profession of faith. This is particularly evident in the Book of Acts. One must conclude that being this young in the faith the new believer should not be expected to be a theologian, or even to understand all of the implications of baptism. (Paul spells these out in Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 6). But what should be clear is a simple, uncomplicated, grasp of the gospel, which is what baptism symbolically depicts.

The baptism of young children is a matter of concern for me, because they may be doing this to please their parents, or to follow their friends, yet without really experiencing the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin or grasping the essence of the gospel. In asking questions which only require a “Yes” response it makes it fairly easy for a child to appear to be a believer. Over the years I have re-baptized a number of adults who made childhood professions of faith (followed by baptism), when they did not really understand the gospel.

I believe that an impartial interview (not by a parent, but by an elder or Sunday School teacher, or small group leader) should always precede a baptism, so that one’s grasp of the gospel can be evaluated. It has become popular in some circles for the father to baptize his child. When I look at Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:12-17 it appears that caution should be exercised so that the baptizer does not have too important a role in the mind of the one being baptized.

Let me add that I think we need to be very careful about the terms we use for conversion. I know of an occasion where a friend had the sons of a well-known Christian in his Sunday School class. One of them confessed that he had “asked Jesus into his heart.” When my friend asked how He got there, the boy pondered the question for a bit and then replied, “I guess through the hole in my sock.” Seriously, this really happened.

Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. in 1971. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i… More

• Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father? …
• Do you believe that the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? …
• What does it mean to you to repent? …
• Have you ever committed a serious crime?

Common Baptism Questions

LDS Baptism Interview Questions: Examples

Before an individual makes the commitment to convert, they meet with a missionary numerous times. The meetings act as pre-qualification steps to determine if the individual is serious about converting and ensure they understand what becoming a Mormon entails.

Once the meetings are complete, the church will ask a potential convert a series of baptism interview questions.

Here are some of the most common LDS baptism interview questions:

• Do you believe that God is our eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?
• Do you believe the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you believe that [current Church President] is a prophet of God? What does this mean to you?
• What does it mean to you to repent? Do you feel that you have repented of your past transgressions?
• Have you ever committed a serious crime? If so, are you now on probation or parole? Have you ever participated in an abortion? A homosexual relationship?
• You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand of the following standards? Are you willing to obey them?
  1. The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between a man and a woman?
  2. The law of tithing.
  3. The Word of Wisdom.
  4. The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to fellow members.
• When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it?

All of these questions are taken from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints manual.

The baptism interview is a way to help the person who is converting to feel comfortable with their decision. Keep in mind that this doesn’t only apply to people who are converting from another religion or coming from an outside place.

Mormons are not baptized until they can answer the aforementioned questions which means that they’re not baptized until they’re older. Though some denominations practice infant baptism, a child who grows up in the LDS church is not baptised at birth because they believe the ability to answer baptism interview questions is an important part of being baptised.

It’s also a time for the candidate to understand the steps they need to take to repent before they can be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

The process of repentance can sometimes be a long one and it requires the person to really take a deep look at themselves and be honest. They need to look at all the things they’ve done wrong in their life and ask God in prayer to forgive them, promising that they’ll do better.

Even though they are baptized, they will still do wrong and that is okay. But it’s important for converts to understand the importance of asking for forgiveness and agree to continue to do so after they are baptised.

In all denominations of Christianity baptism is a beautiful thing. It’s wonderful to see people who were once sinners, washed clean of that sin so they can comfortably walk in a different light with Christ. Anyone who wants to convert to Mormonism must be baptized. Baptism questions are a requirement as well and there is no way to bypass this step.

Despite the questions seeming like a test, baptism questions are not intended to be difficult, challenging, or tricky. Nor are the questions meant to scare people away or discourage them from becoming a member of the Church.

Rather, Mormon baptism questions are used to test the heart of the individual rather than their brain. The leaders of the church want to make sure your heart is in the right place. And they want to ensure you understand why you’re getting baptized and what it means for you and your future.

Typically a district or “zone leader” will ask the interview questions. These are missionaries that operate in the local area where you live.

In most cases the leader will suffice but if there is someone who has committed serious sins such as murder or rape, the mission president will interview those individuals because they will be more curious about their decision and why they want to convert.

baptism interview questions

Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. in 1971. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i… More

Let me add that I think we need to be very careful about the terms we use for conversion. I know of an occasion where a friend had the sons of a well-known Christian in his Sunday School class. One of them confessed that he had “asked Jesus into his heart.” When my friend asked how He got there, the boy pondered the question for a bit and then replied, “I guess through the hole in my sock.” Seriously, this really happened.

I believe that an impartial interview (not by a parent, but by an elder or Sunday School teacher, or small group leader) should always precede a baptism, so that one’s grasp of the gospel can be evaluated. It has become popular in some circles for the father to baptize his child. When I look at Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:12-17 it appears that caution should be exercised so that the baptizer does not have too important a role in the mind of the one being baptized.

We have to take into account that in the New Testament baptism came almost immediately after a person’s profession of faith. This is particularly evident in the Book of Acts. One must conclude that being this young in the faith the new believer should not be expected to be a theologian, or even to understand all of the implications of baptism. (Paul spells these out in Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 6). But what should be clear is a simple, uncomplicated, grasp of the gospel, which is what baptism symbolically depicts.

The baptism of young children is a matter of concern for me, because they may be doing this to please their parents, or to follow their friends, yet without really experiencing the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin or grasping the essence of the gospel. In asking questions which only require a “Yes” response it makes it fairly easy for a child to appear to be a believer. Over the years I have re-baptized a number of adults who made childhood professions of faith (followed by baptism), when they did not really understand the gospel.

Is Permission Required to Baptize a Minor?

The most important thing about baptism is free will. No one is forced into the Mormon religion. Even if other family members are Mormons, an individual is not forced to become one or to be baptized.

The Mormon Church is very concerned with baptism being a choice and because of this they have a set of rules that must be followed to make sure children are given a fair chance to make up their own minds about baptism.

That said, minor children are able to be baptized under the following conditions:

• The missionary must obtain permission from both parent(s) or legal guardian(s), and they must understand the doctrine that a baptized child will be taught and the covenants he or she will be expected to make. You may ask for this consent to be in writing if you feel it will help prevent misunderstandings.
• The missionary must have discerned that there is clear evidence that the child understands the baptismal covenant and will make every effort to keep it through obeying the commandments, including faithfully attending church meetings.
• The child’s primary residence is not with parents who are polygamists. If one or both of the child’s parents are polygamists, you must contact the mission president for additional information.
• The baptism is not prohibited by local laws and culture.

In addition, If any individual in the immediate family of the person intending to be baptised is not prepared for the baptism, the person in charge of the baptism will not proceed. For example this could mean that the father of a child who wants to get baptized has an objection to the child’s decision.