What Is A Portable Baptistry?

Until recently most western Protestant churches would build a church building that was complete with a sanctuary area with seating, a stage, stained glass windows, a steeple on the roof and a permanent built in baptistry for baptism services. In more recent years however, church gatherings have taken on a wide variety of forms and have chosen to meet in a diverse set of locations depending on size, needs, and budget. These unique churches have encompassed creative church planting and utilized strategic locations to fulfill the call of spreading the Gospel and gathering together for worship, but they were presented with a problem; a permanent baptistry was not typically a practical application. Whether from renting a building or meeting in a place where space and layout made a baptistry installation impossible, a solution was needed for baptism services.

That solution came in the form of portable baptistries. Portable baptistries are baptismal tubs large enough to accommodate a single person inside for a full submersion baptism while the minister

stands on the outside of the tub, but small enough to be mobile and fit through doorways for storage. Typically these portable baptistries are a reinforced fiberglass tub with a 2” x 4” wood frame and most often have a cabinet surrounding them and sit on top of a steel frame with casters for easy rolling mobility.

This was the ideal answer to the baptistry question of churches meeting in non-traditional buildings. Portable baptistries not only allow for mobility within a building, but as many new churches have been participating in, also allows for outdoor baptism services. With a variety of color options and accessories they can be used in a multipurpose function as well and co-serve as a communion table or even a pulpit when a table top lectern is placed on top. Many accessories such as portable baptistry heaters and slip resistant steps have been developed for the sole purpose

of creating a worry free experience, eliminating variables that could be a distraction during a baptism service.

As the church grows worldwide and continues to find new and exciting ways to reach out to communities and grow churches in diverse places, church furniture and products to help churches in their goals will continue to grow and change with them, just like the creation of the portable baptistry.