I think the every-eye-closed thing might have started in much larger evangelistic settings. If one-on-one contact were impractical, an evangelist could blanketly pray for and bless people who were deciding to follow Christ. And maybe to encourage more hands to be raised, he’d have the people close their eyes – after all, how many people on the verge of deciding could be swayed by hearing the evangelist say things like “yes, I see that hand” and “hallelujah, so many hands” and stuff like that? Just a thought.

In any case, whether or not a new believer professes his or her faith publicly right at that moment of conversion, it’s important to have that kind of statement at the subsequent baptism, whenever that takes place. Baptism is, by design, a public, communal event, one which does about as much good for those in attendance as it does for the one being baptized. (Kind of like weddings… remember your vows, etc.) But baptizing somebody who hasn’t publicly claimed faith in Christ doesn’t make any sense at all…

First, my heart is warmed to read your passion for Christianity and for being completely sold out to God. On that we can definitely agree!

Now to the issue of the raised hand. On one hand (pun not really intended) I can see this practice as being somewhat akin to the Catholic confessional, where the priest/pastor is entrusted with the knowledge of one’s sins in a private setting. Perhaps that has its place.

On the other hand, the Body of Christ is a community where we share each other’s trials and joys. To enter this community (I’m assuming the invitation was for commitment to Christ) in a private, silent way seems to be a bit oxymoronic. One’s decision to enter the community must somehow be made known to that community, in order for full participation and alignment to be acknowledged.

Then in the middle of the road there is the reality that some folks (even adults – we all have varying degrees of self-confidence) may be on the verge of making a public commitment, but cannot find the courage to do so; yet they may be willing to raise a hand for the pastor and no one else to see. If that leads to a pastoral visit and counseling, commitment to Christ, and then a public testimony so the congregation can fully welcome and integrate the new believer, then perhaps it has served a purpose.