Coptic Baptism for adults

amiramoon

I was wondering if someone can walk me through the process of being baptized as an adult in the Coptic Church. Does one have to join the congregation and attend regularly before getting baptized? I finished reading the bible over the course of the last year and several other books and feel ready.

Any insight would be really helpful. 

mabsoota

our Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples (the teachers of the first bishops) to go and 'make disciples' of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (matthew 28)

so baptism involves discipleship, which is basically apprenticeship.

joining the orthodox church involves uniting with a group of believers and confession your sins to God with the help of a confession father, who is a priest who prays for you before God, asking God to forgive your sins. this is very helpful as you also receive advice on how to avoid sin.

e.g. maybe you are proud, so you hang out with some bad people because you think you can influence them, but instead they are influencing you.

so the priest may encourage you to accept that you are not that strong and will help you to make better friends and to pray for God to influence the bad people Himself.

we all need help in our spiritual journey and it is important to learn this humility and to accept the help God gives us.

so God invented the church, and puts us together in families (churches).

like all families, churches have their problems, and learning how to forgive annoying people is an important part of your spiritual journey.

i was very weak spiritually when i joined the orthodox church 13 years ago, so God gave me a very beautiful church family who took very great care of me, and it was several years before i met annoying people in the church. 

but the church is a very important part of our journey with God.

we can not be Christian without others guiding us.

then, as we learn more, we can help others as well.

did you find a church near you?

did you make any contact with a priest?

these are the next steps you need to take if you did not do this already.   

if you want to answer by private message, rather than in this discussion, then feel free to send a message.

may God guide you, He loves you and knows what is best for you and is waiting for you to come closer to Him

:)

mabsoota

(my screen name means 'happy')

iloveJesusmylord

Anyone who wants to be baptized can do it at any age. God loves you! :D

amiramoon

Thank you for the response. I appreciate it. I speak Arabic so I know what your screen name means. I am Egyptian as well!

Yes, I have a Church near me and I have spoken with the Abouna there. There is also another Abouna at a Church farther away whos primary language is English, so I have talked to him quite a bit. I will contact him to proceed. Thank you for the kind words and advice.

mabsoota

may God guide you.

the saints are praying for you and we are too

:)

Marwan

You need to discuss with a priest and take catchetism. Usually you'll be baptized when the church deems you ready for it and this depends on your understanding of the church doctrines.