Baptism Team Charter

MAYFLOWER CHURCH
Baptism Team Charter
Streamline System 06 — Team Charters
DRAFT for consideration by the Servants Council at its meeting on July 11, 2026. Not yet ratified. Upon ratification this becomes a standing charter, reviewed at each August Leadership Summit and re-ratified on material change.
Governing Principle
The elders open the gate; this team prepares the way and helps the church rejoice.
Baptism is the church's public welcome of a believer who has trusted Christ. The elders examine and approve who comes to the water; this team makes the day ready, walks the candidate through it, and helps the body celebrate and gather the newly baptized into its life.
1. Oversight (the home)
Overseeing board: Elders (Bylaws Art. II §B 1.c.2, baptism explicitly under the elders). Day-to-day point person: Senior Pastor. Every team has a home; this team works first with the elders.
2. Purpose
This team exists to serve the church's celebration of believer's baptism, the public sign by which a believer who has trusted Christ is received and the body rejoices. Mayflower practices believer's baptism by immersion. The team prepares candidates practically and pastorally for the day, handles the logistics that make it ready, and helps the church celebrate and incorporate the newly baptized into its life. The theological gate stays with the elders; this team makes ready the welcome.
3. Priority-ministry link
This team serves Membership and Shepherding Care, the church's front door, and Disciple-Making Pathways (System 01). Baptism is where a new believer is publicly received and set on the path of following Christ within the body.
4. The Commission
The elders commission this team to make Mayflower's baptisms ready, dignified, and joyful, and to help the church receive the newly baptized well. The work follows the elders' lead: once the elders have examined and approved a candidate and their testimony, this team prepares that candidate practically and pastorally for the day, handles the logistics that make the service ready, and helps the body celebrate and incorporate the newly baptized. The scale is modest and event-shaped: a small core that gathers around each baptism as it comes, rather than a standing program. The team does not set the church's baptismal theology or decide who is baptized; it serves the ordinance the elders steward.
5. In scope / Out of scope
In scope:
Preparing approved candidates practically and pastorally for the day of their baptism, including walking them through what to expect.
Handling logistics: water, clothing, equipment, and the readiness of the service.
Arranging photography or videography of baptisms.
Helping the church celebrate baptisms publicly and incorporate the newly baptized into the life of the body.
Communicating with the elders on scheduling and candidate readiness.
Out of scope:
Examining or approving candidates and their testimony for baptism. The elders hold the theological gate; this team does not examine or approve anyone (Coordination).
Setting or deciding the church's baptismal theology or who is eligible. That belongs to the elders.
The ongoing discipleship and membership process beyond the day itself. That belongs to EQUIP Discipleship and the assimilation pathway; this team helps hand the newly baptized into it.
6. Scale
Shape: a small permanent core team that gathers around each baptism service as it comes, expanding with recruited helpers as a particular service needs, drawing commitment categories from the Volunteer Chapter (System 06). The core does not staff every task itself; it recruits help around each occasion. Leadership is one appointed Baptism Team Leader (System 07, "29 — Baptism Team Leader").
7. Key responsibilities
Prepare approved candidates practically and pastorally for the day, after the elders have approved them.
Ready the logistics of each baptism: water, clothing, equipment, and the flow of the service.
Arrange photography or videography and any keepsake of the day.
Help the church celebrate each baptism publicly and welcome the newly baptized into the body's life.
Hand the newly baptized toward ongoing discipleship and the membership pathway.
Communicate with the elders on scheduling and readiness.
8. Coordination
Elders: hold the theological gate. The elders examine and approve each candidate and their testimony; only then does this team prepare the candidate and ready the day. The dividing line is clear: the elders decide who is baptized and what baptism means; the team makes the day ready and helps the church rejoice.
Evangelism Team and EQUIP Discipleship (Elders): receive and walk new believers arriving toward baptism, handing them to the elders for examination and to this team for preparation once approved.
First Impressions (Deacons) and the assimilation pathway: coordinate the welcome and incorporation of the newly baptized into the ongoing life and membership process of the church.
9. Resources
Budget line: none specifically named; incidental costs are coordinated with the Elder Chair under the elders' budget (Purchasing Policy). Facilities and equipment needs for the baptistery and service are coordinated with the Trustees. Scheduling and volunteer requests run through Planning Center.
10. Health indicators
Faithfulness-shaped signs the team is alive, not a baptism-count scoreboard. The year's specific targets live in the System 11 annual goals, set with the elders each August.
Each baptism is ready, dignified, and unhurried, with logistics handled so the day points to Christ and not to glitches.
Candidates arrive at the water prepared and cared for, knowing what to expect.
The line with the elders holds: the team never finds itself examining or approving candidates.
The newly baptized are celebrated by the body and handed well into discipleship and membership, with few drifting after the day.
11. Review and approval
Standing charter, reviewed annually at the August Leadership Summit. Re-ratified by the Servants Council on material change. Escalation beyond the team's or elders' authority follows the Decision-Making Framework (System 09). Leadership succession follows the Leadership Handoff Guidelines (System 12).
Commissioned by: Elder Chair ____________________________  Date __________
Ratified into the operations documentation by: Servants Council ____________________________  Date __________
Sources
Mayflower Church Constitution and Bylaws, Art. II §B 1.c.2 (baptism explicitly under the elders); Art. II §B 4.c.7 (Servants Council receives and approves Ministry Team charters).
Streamline System 01 — The Five Priority Ministries We Guard (Membership and Shepherding Care; Disciple-Making Pathways).
Streamline System 06 — Team-to-Board Oversight Map; Volunteer Chapter.
Streamline System 07 — Role Clarity, "29 — Baptism Team Leader."
Streamline System 09 — Decision-Making Framework; System 11 — Annual Goals; System 12 — Leadership Handoff Guidelines.
Evangelism Team Charter and Missions Team Charter (sibling form for parallelism); Team Charter Standard, this folder.