Activity · Group Next Steps
Baptism Conversation
Let the people who have been baptized tell their stories, which does more than any explanation you could give
Leader Context
Let your group members share their own experiences with baptism, and create space for questions.
Let the group lead here. The people who have been baptized have stories worth hearing. What held them back, what surprised them, what it meant to them. Those stories do more than any explanation you could give.
If someone expresses interest, or asks something you are not sure how to answer, connect them with the Care Team. They handle baptisms at Hoboken Grace and would love to walk somebody through it.
Share all the questions at once instead of going one at a time. Letting the group see the full list makes the night feel like storytelling rather than a Q and A.
Read to your group
Tonight I would love to create some space for us to share our baptism stories.
We just celebrated some baptisms at Hoboken Grace, and it felt like a good time to hear from each other. If you have been baptized, we would love to hear your story. And if you have not, or you are not sure what it is all about, this is a great chance to ask. No pressure.
Questions
Baptism stories
Give the whole list at once and let people pick where to start.
Have you been baptized? What led you to take that step?
Was there anything that held you back before you did it?
What did you think baptism was before you went through it?
What did you learn about yourself or your faith through the process?
For everyone else
Say this out loud so nobody feels put on the spot.
For those who have not been baptized, what questions do you have about it?
Next Steps for Leaders
- Celebrate what was shared. A quick follow up message to your group after the conversation goes a long way.
- If someone expressed interest in getting baptized, connect them with the Care Team at care@hobokengrace.com.
- Write down any question that came up that you were not sure how to answer. Pass it to your coach or the Care Team.
- If someone shared a powerful story, tell them so. That kind of openness builds trust in a group and it deserves to be named.