Baptism
Baptism Celebration - All weekend services on October 27, 2024
If you’re a new follower of Jesus, getting baptized is an important next step. It’s a public proclamation of your decision to follow Jesus, a celebration of your joining God’s family, and a powerful act of obedience and submission. Baptism is not magic, yet God often does amazing things in response to our obedience. For example, as people have obeyed and been baptized at the Vineyard, we’ve seen them experience freedom, healing, and a deeper understanding and assurance as to what Jesus has done and is doing in their lives.
Baptism Class - Thursday, October 24 at 6:30pm
Join us in this online class to learn more about how we baptize folks here at the Vineyard, and to hear God's heart for you as you consider this step forward in obedience to him. We'll go through the baptism statements of faith, share stories of what God is doing in us as he leads us into baptism, and talk through a bit of the logistics of baptism day too. Although not required prior to baptism, it is highly recommended.
NEXT UPCOMING BAPTISMS
October 27
FAQ:
The first story we read in the gospels about Jesus as an adult is his baptism. The last thing Jesus said to his disciples before ascending into heaven was that they should go throughout the world making disciples and baptizing them. Baptism is obviously a very important activity in the New Testament.
Baptism is also a subject that Christians don’t all agree about. Here at the Vineyard we view it as a secondary issue, allowing some room for disagreement between sincere believers. We have, nonetheless, tried to be faithful to the Bible and faithful to what the church has done historically. Here is how we would answer some of the most frequently asked questions about baptism:
Why should I be baptized?
You don’t need to be baptized to be saved. The New Testament teaches that a person is saved by repentance from sin and faith in Christ. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). In Luke 23, the thief on the cross recognized who Jesus was, reached out to him, and Jesus promised him salvation. That dying thief had no opportunity to be baptized.
Baptism is a public profession of your faith. Baptism is done before a group of people who witness your confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is not the only way we profess to be a Christian, but it is an important way.
Baptism symbolizes your cleansing from sin. Baptism in the New Testament indicates that a person has “repented” or turned away from sin. The apostles often referred to the fact that believers were washed from sin. Peter stated that the water in baptism symbolized not the cleansing of the body from dirt, but the cleansing of the conscience.
(1 Peter 3:21)
Baptism symbolizes your union with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection. When you become a Christian you die to sin and your old way of life, and you begin a whole new life. Romans 6:8 states, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” The very act of baptism (being immersed in the water and coming up out of the water) is a picture of what happens to you spiritually.
How should I be baptized?
When should I be baptized?
What if I was baptized as an infant?
Should I be re-baptized if I was baptized at another church?
Can my children be baptized?
Additional Info
When you are baptized, you affirm these statements to be true of your life.
- You believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord and King, and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life and grace.
- You renounce Satan and all his works and all his ways.
- You confess your need for forgiveness of sins, and with a humble heart put your hope in God's mercy and your whole trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior.
- With his help, you seek to follow him, becoming more like him until you see him face to face.