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62* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*and*Its*Relationship*to*Evangelism**promises–responsibilities”.*To*refuse*children*baptism*in*the*visible*church*is* to* amend* our* ecclesiology* to* a* reductionist* approach* to* include* only*adults.*Children*from*Christian*homes*are*treated*as*“afar*off”*when*God*has*given*their*parents*covenant*promises.*The*potential*efficacy*tied*to*baptism*by*the*working*of*the*Holy*Spirit*is*denied*to*the*next*generation*in*the*church.*The* second* proposal* is* for* the* whole* family* to* worship* God* together*during* public* worship* on* the* Lord’s* Day.* The* common* rejection* of* a*covenantal* approach* to* baptism* which* includes* infants,* probably* explains*why*in*some*church*services*children*are*ushered*out*at*some*stage*prior*to*the*preaching.*This*has*never*been*the*Reformed*tradition.*It*is*unthinkable*to*withhold*children*from*the*ordinary*means*of*grace*in*the*public*worship,*or* for* them* to* not* regularly* hear* preaching,* nor* to* observe* the*administration* of* the* sacraments.* Escorting* children* out* during* public*worship* is* to* wrongly* divide* up* the* family.* A* correct* view* of* covenant*baptism*should*naturally*lead*to*a*congruous*view*of*public*worship*in*the*church*by*whole*families*together.*This*is*how*we*should*now*understand*how* the* doctrine* of* baptism* shapes* our* doctrine* of* the* church* and*evangelism.*The*WCF*rightly*teaches*that*the*visible*church*consists*of*those*who*profess*the*true*religion*and*their*children*(25:2).**The* third* proposition* is* that* our* evangelism* must* not* neglect* the*church’s*children*and*that*they*are*to*be*treated*differently*to*those*children*from* non:Christian* homes.* For* example,* should* we* expect* the* same* nar:rative* of* conversion* from* a* child* brought* up* under* the* gospel* to* those*converted* from* paganism?* Letham,* in* writing* on* baptism,* outlines* that* in*the*evangelism*of*our*children*in*the*church,*we*should*not*seek*a*similar*crisis*conversion*narrative*from*them,*as*is*often*testified*by*those*outside*the* covenant* of* grace* altogether. 42 *Like* Timothy,* most* of* the* church’s*children* have* been* acquainted* with* the* Scriptures* from* childhood* and* we*should* seek* to* nurture* them* to* a* genuine* profession* of* faith,* with*accompanying*good*fruits*(2*Tim*3:10:17).*The*fourth*proposal*is*that*Christian*parents*need*to*be*instructed*in*the*covenant* promises* and* obligations* that* belong* to* them.* This* principle*deserves* far* more* extensive* treatment* than* we* can* now* give* it.* Some* of*these*responsibilities*include*the*head*of*the*house*leading*his*household*in*“family*worship”.*My*wife*is*Dutch*and*I*learned*this*practice*from*my*family*in* The* Netherlands.* The* giving* of* thanks* for* the* evening* meal* is* followed,*after* we* have* eaten,* with* the* reading* of* the* Scriptures,* or* a* catechism*question,*along*with*discussion*as*a*family*of*what*has*been*read,*sometimes*the*singing*of*a*psalm*or*hymn*and*family*prayer.*It*is*one*of*our*spiritual*highlights* as* a* family* and* it* nourishes* the* children* in* the* Christian* faith*daily.*********************************************************************42*Letham,*A!Christian’s!Pocket!Guide!to!Baptism,*99:101.*