[Editorial update. At the encouragement of the local Conference, the pastor issued a public apology and the re-baptism of this individual will occur on July 1 by immersion.]

News trickling in from Houston, Texas indicates that a Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor re-baptized one of his members last Sabbath by sprinkling water on his head. This is contrary to the biblical teaching of baptism by immersion only (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 22:16; Rom. 6:1-6; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12, 13).

The congregation watched as pastor Denton Rhone explained that the baptism he was about to conduct will be “a little less traditional than you are used to, but God understands.” He then proceeded to splash water on the baptismal candidate’s head with his hands as the clip below shows.

Regarding baptism, the Seventh-day Adventist Church explicitly states in its manual as follows,

“The church believes in baptism by immersion and accepts into membership only those who have been baptized in this manner” (Seventh-Day Adventist, Church Manual, 2022 edition, pg 50. See also, Chapter 15, “Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists”).

According to sources, Pastor Rhone has been involved in controversial issues before, such as disregard of clear Bible teachings, and an autocratic leadership style that prevents church members from having a voice in regular business meetings.

Observations

This mode of baptism is more in line with Catholic affusion than biblical baptism.
The story indicates that this was a re-baptism and the individual was immersed before. Why then was this mode used for re-baptism?
We wonder if the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists are supportive of this style of ‘baptism’.

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“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36).