We just launched an updated edition of How to Be a Godparent with Nancy McLaughlin For Individuals and For Groups. We’ve built Nancy McLaughlin’s wise insights for godparents into a new and improved learning experience.

Christians take diverse approaches to baptism. From people who utilize elaborate baptismal gowns and trickle water on a baby’s forehead over indoor fonts to those who practice outdoor baptisms in rivers, people embrace many forms of the liturgy.

The presence of a godparent to help usher new Christians into the life of the church, however, remains consistent.

The common belief when selecting a godparent is that this person starts a new Christian’s official entrance into the church community and will remain a strong presence during that person’s spiritual journey with Christ. Godparenting has a rich history in the church, from the time when converts to Christianity had to be vouched for to preserve the safety of the church and its members. When the godparent is helping to raise a child in the spiritual life of the church, the role is less about sponsorship and more about modeling and raising the child according to the values of the Church.

Yardenit Baptism Christianity Jordan River Israel. CC

In this course, Nancy McLaughlin discusses the role of godparents, why we need them, and what we expect them to do. She talks about the precedent for godparents in biblical and church traditions. She goes over their role in the baptismal liturgy and its significance. Finally, she offers practical suggestions for the long-term role of godparent, particularly in the life of a child.

We also offer a podcast of How to Be a Godparent. You can find it with other episodes of the ChurchNext podcast here.

This course is ideal for anyone who is interested in becoming a godparent or thinking about how to find a godparent for someone who will soon be baptized. For a preview, please click below.