Informal commissioning of missionaries

[dianalee4jc]

Hey, y'all!

It's been a very long time since I posted in this forum, but I've always been able to get good information here. I'm a Christian author working on a series of novels set in rural North Carolina. I belong to a non-denominational church with some Baptist leanings, but when it comes to the more closely aligned Baptist teachings, I'm not well-informed.

I have a scene in one novel where a pair of high school kids are informally "commissioned" as missionaries. Their mission field is the public high school. The way I envisioned the scene was that they were called before the congregation, anointed with oil, then the pastor prayed for them.

But I'm not certain that this is something that would be done--or done in this way--in a Baptist church. (Independent, Free Will, Southern Baptist... it really depends on your answers! :)) So I'd really like to get some opinions about this.

Thank you for any thoughts you might have on this.

Cheers,
Diana

[mesue]

I belong to an Independent Bible Baptist Church. When we send missionaries there usually is no ointment involved. The missionary, the parents, if missionary is still living at home, the Pastor and the Deacons go before the altar. The one being sent kneels and the parents, Pastor, and Deacons place their hands on the missionary and they take turns praying over whomever is being sent. The congregation prays too.
I hope this is helpful :)

[dianalee4jc]

Thank you, mesue! That's awesome. And having the others come up and pray, that would make for a sweet scene.

Thanks so much for your input!

God bless,
Diana

[mesue]

You're welcome. Good luck in writing the book. Let me know when the book is published.

[TimRout]

I belong to a Fellowship Baptist Church in Canada. I think your scene is fairly authentic, though we don't use oil.

[dianalee4jc]

Thank you, Tim. I think I'll leave the scene as I've written it, but take out the oil.

Cheers,
Diana