Do you have to be ordained to baptize someone?

     Throughout the years at First Baptist Church, Nevada, and in many other churches it has been the official "ordained" persons who have handled the sacraments ("ordinances" as we Baptists call them).  Some have felt that only those who are ordained as deacons can serve the supper.  Actually, scripture would allow anyone to serve the elements.
     In similar fashion, many would think the only person to baptize believers would be someone who had been "ordained" either as a pastor or as a deacon.  In our church family, Jeanette Hawkins, our Children's Pastor baptizes children on a regular basis.  She has not only not been ordained; she is a woman!  (She has also spoken from the pulpit which is heresy in some churches).  Also, Steve Russ has baptized many people even though he has not been ordained. 
     If one looks to church history, the findings are that from the beginning the growth of the church was a laymen's (and women) movement.  It was only through the many years of development of tradition that more sacred powers were placed in the hands of clergy.  Roman Catholic tradition affirms only those persons who have been ordained to the priesthood can handle the sacraments.  That authority goes with the position rather than the person.
     However, Baptist roots are different.  It was John Smythe and Thomas Helwys in the early 1600s in England who are given much of the credit for the Baptist movement.  Important in what they believed to be the recovery of New Testament teaching were baptism for belivers only (not infant baptism) and immersion baptism (to be dipped under the water).  Being convinced of what they believed to be the truth of scripture, Smythe baptised himself.  This is called "se-baptism" or "self-baptism."'  There was no one around to do it!  And then he baptized others.  None of them were ordained.
      In more recent years, especially as FBC has experienced growth, I like to see all of our staff baptizing people in the name of the Trinity.  It doesn't have to done by me, the lead pastor, to be official.  In fact, I am encouraging people who bring people to Christ to baptize their friends.  And I encourage fathers and/or mothers to baptize their children.  Though though Apostle Paul celebrated every conversion, he said, "I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaiius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name."  (I Corinthians 1:14).