What is baptism?
We believe water baptism is a public witness intended to reflect an internal reality – that the person has passed from death to life by trusting in Jesus alone for salvation. We do not believe the Bible teaches that baptism is a necessary work for salvation, but rather it bears witness that salvation has already been experienced. We believe salvation is not by works or religious rituals but is simply received when we embrace Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection for our sins. We believe baptism by immersion most clearly reenacts the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which we identify with as believers.
Should I be baptized?
While many people think it might be best to wait on baptism until our performance matches our profession of faith, we believe the biblical record shows it more as a first mark of entry into faith in Jesus – an initiation rite, of sorts. To be sure, we do want to live lives of trusting obedience to Jesus (that’s what we mean by calling him our Savior and Lord!), but baptism is a first step, not a mark of accomplishment or badge of honor, in the life of faith.
So, if you have put your faith in Jesus, we’d encourage you to make baptism a prompt step of obedience to him, identifying with him and his people, and then continue to seek – by the power of the Holy Spirit – to make your life look more and more like Jesus every day, as a validation of what your baptism already declared was true: you are a new creation, having passed from death to life!
FAQs
Here are some of the logistical details you’ll need to know when getting baptized or baptizing someone.