Should You Be Baptized?

Baptism is an essential decision in the Bible. While salvation happens internally, Jesus thinks it is necessary to announce unashamedly that you are following Him. Without this step, you may be tempted to waver on the validity of your conversion. That’s why it must be a decision you make after conversion and share clearly among a local church.

• What does baptism symbolize? It vividly illustrates how we once were completely dead in our sins, how we required a power outside of ourselves to save us, and how the gospel brings us back to life.
• When should it happen? The Bible only describes baptisms after someone has believed in the gospel.
• How should it happen? The word means to immerse completely, indicating our need for entire cleansing by the gospel.
• How does this church see my previous baptism? We take it as a beautiful part of your story, but we want to make sure it was a sufficiently obedient step. If someone decided for you to be baptized as a child, that didn’t indicate your personal commitment to Christ. Suppose your baptism was a sprinkling rather than an immersion; that symbol misses some of the weight of what must transpire spiritually. If your baptism happened before you really understood the gospel and you recently realized that your story has those items out of order, we think it is a great idea to get baptized again. None of this takes away what you or others did earlier in your life, but it is important to follow Jesus right here and now with as much clarity and accuracy as possible.
• Who can baptize me? Jesus gave the Great Commission to all! You can have any other baptized disciple baptize you. A church leader would be honored to do so, but we are also thrilled when someone who evangelized or discipled you can share that pivotal moment with you.

If you are ready to be baptized, we would love to talk with you and prepare you for our next baptism service.

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