Baptized in the Water: Becoming a member of God's family

My husband was baptized 15 years ago, and I held our (then) three year old on my hip as our community gathered around my husband as he sat in the water looking very serious as words were spoken over him. Our church family wept from the sheer beauty of it all. I still remember the words that others spoke and the life and truth they held. However, my son was anxious and afraid. He clung to me the rest of the day. From his limited view and life experience, he saw his dad sitting in the great big bathtub filled in the middle of a room, with people standing all around him, saying solemn words and shedding lots and lots of tears. He saw his dad get dunked in the water by a big dude and then come out of the water with more tears and lots of celebration. I wish I had this book then. I wish I could have read this to my kids as I prepared them for what they were about to see.The text has two parts: one in very simple rhyme for very young children and the other a little more in depth for an older child. Both teach very big truths in a very easy, developmentally appropriate way. The illustrations are beautiful, vibrant and include lots of diversity and give the child the varied examples of how baptisms can look from different church traditions.As a children's pastor, I am so happy to add Baptized in the Water to my carefully curated collection of children's books. It's going to make the rounds when I know an older sibling or parent might be getting baptized, when a child expresses interest in baptism, or when the concept of baptism comes up during our gatherings. It is perfect for helping a child process and understand, what baptism is, the history and meaning behind it, and the different ways that it can look from different faith traditions all in age appropriate and theologically sound ways.

The book is well written and illustrated. This makes the perfect baptism present because it mentions all methods of baptism and the children in the illustrations represent a diverse population. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for an inclusive embrace of Christianity. If you only embrace one type of baptism as legitimate then look elsewhere.

Just love this book!I now use this book when I have a "time with children" before a baptism in church. Recently, when I read it aloud to the children gathered around me, before baptizing two little sisters, the children all were captivated and attentive. I could tell it was meaningful for the congregation to hear the story too. The message and illustrations both worked together to bring out the joy, love, and radical inclusion that are hallmarks of the sacrament.I also use the book as a gift to give to families with young children who are going to be baptized so that they can continue to grow together as a family in their understanding of baptism and its importance.I highly recommend this book to families and clergy, CE directors, and church leaders.

Love this book for its impeccable writing and beautiful illustrations. As a pastor I will be using and gifting this book on the occasion of baptisms. While some reviewers are critical that the book describes infant baptism, which in their opinion is unbiblical, the book is inclusive of all types of baptism. Is it wrong to share what others believe about baptism? Does this erode one’s own interpretation. I can say from my own experience and from working with children and youth that is an approach to faith that is neither healthy or helpful.

Beautiful book for children about baptism. Glenys Nellist is an excellent writer who portrays diversity in many forms in her book. She weaves together various types of baptism and does a great job explaining them simply enough for children. As with many of her other books, the illustrations are magnificent. So many eye catching details. I think the length of the book was perfect and I liked the combination of some rhyming with more traditional sentence structure. I received a free review copy of this book prior to publication. I also purchased a copy for our church.

I always like to give a child's book to each baby/child baptized at my United Methodist Church. This is the best one I have found. It explains the sacrament in a simple and clear manner. I bought this one for my soon-to-be baptized granddaughter (age 2). She loved it, but I would say that the book is most appropriate for ages 3-7. I really like that, while the others I have used only pictured babies and toddlers, not older children or adults being baptized, and only by sprinkling or pouring, this book points out that baptism is for people of all ages and there are various ways the sacrament is administered.

I have always needed a book like this in my ministry setting. I’ve always needed a baptism book to present to families to validate all forms of baptism and a book that puts the focus on God’s grace in each act of baptism. This book is beautifully illustrated. Families will be able to look at the pictures and understand what baptism means. No matter how a person has been baptized, their baptism is validated and honored in this book. Thank you, Glenys, for writing this book that I’ve always wished existed. I highly recommend everyone add this book to their home library and give to families after a baptism.

This is such a beautiful and important book! Glenys does such a wonderful job combining many traditions and helping us to see the core truth of what baptism means. No matter what tradition you participate in, this book will not only bless you, but it will teach you (and your children) how much God loves you and desires for you to be part of God's family. This book needs to be the book every church gives to kids and families as they experience and participate in baptism.

I received my copy of this book yesterday and shared it with my small group last night. The generous understanding of one baptism was appreciated by all and the illustrations are beautiful. Tonight I read it with my seven-year-old daughter who had questions and observations throughout the book, leading to a great discussion. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a beautiful understanding of baptism. It might be uncomfortable for those who are staunchly committed to one form of baptism, to the exclusion of others.