What is Baptism?
Baptism declares to the world you’ve trusted Jesus, joined God’s family, and made a commitment to follow Jesus, heart and soul. It’s pretty special!
Your baptism is a very important next step of faith in your walk with Jesus. It is the public declaration of what Jesus Christ has done in you through the blessed assurance of salvation. We celebrate with you and are thankful for the privilege to walk with you in this part of your faith journey.
In order to help prepare you, here are a few notes on the purpose and significance of baptism. These are instructions in God’s Word concerning baptism.
Why are we baptized?
We are baptized to obey Christ. (Acts 2:38). We are also baptized to identify with Christ and to relate our testimony (Colossians 2:10-13). Lastly, we are baptized to follow Christ in a covenant relationship (Romans 6:3-5).
Who should be baptized?
Every believer should be baptized (Mark 16:16).
When are we to be baptized?
We should be baptized when we understand what baptism means. Parents of children must make a determination of their understanding. When we are too young (infant baptism), we do not understand the spiritual meaning of what we are doing. Therefore, at NewLife we do not baptize infants.
How are we baptized?
At NewLife you may be baptized by a pastor, elder or other believer. We are baptized in water by full immersion, “batisima” – to dip (Acts 10:47-48). Lastly, we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).
You should read the above scriptures and be sure you understand them. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make your baptism a significant spiritual experience to you.
“I’ve been baptized, so what’s next?”
Going public for Jesus takes boldness, and we want to encourage you to continue making bold moves for Jesus. At NewLife, we invite you to join us on the journey of faith as we follow Jesus together with the vision of bringing the fingerprint of Jesus to our community.
If you’ve been baptized, your next step may be to attend Starting Point or join a ROOTED group.