Your decision to be baptized may be one of the most important ones you will make as a follower of Jesus Christ. We believe that baptism is not for the purpose of joining a “local” church or a particular denomination, but rather a declaration made from your decision to follow Jesus Christ.

There are three things happening in your baptism experience:

1. First, baptism is an outward expression of an inward reality. People who wish to be baptized are aware that something has happened to them spiritually, that they have had a spiritual rebirth. Jesus puts it like this in John 3:3: “I tell you the truth, no one has seen the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” The water symbolizes what has happened to our soul—a complete cleansing and washing away of the effects and very nature of sin. God begins to paint His picture of us on a clean canvas.

2. Secondly, it is a statement of identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A few years ago, a friend had a young woman ask him if she could get baptized, but let him know that she really wasn’t into the “Jesus-thing”! Yet, that is exactly what baptism is about: we acknowledge that at a specific point in space and time, Jesus literally died, was buried, and rose again...conquering death once and for all and offering real life to all who would have it. In baptism, we are illustrating that we have died to our old, self-centered ways, are buried with the water, and are raised up as new people—spiritually alive for the first time.

3. Lastly, it is a public confession to the personal Lordship of Jesus Christ. When we are baptized, we are conscious of a fresh decision and desire to walk in obedience to God’s will. Life is no longer about what I want, but rather, what God does want to do with my life. As we often say around here, this is not about us...it’s about Him. We are letting our friends and family, the community of believers, and all spiritual principalities and powers know that we are under new management—God’s management.

If you are interested in being a part of our next Baptism celebration, email us or talk with one of our leaders before or after any weekend celebration.