THE BAPTISM PROCESS

Our baptism process has been designed to be both simple and meaningful. From the registration form to the day of your baptism, each step has been carefully planned with you in mind.

If you're ready to take this important step of obedience in your walk with Jesus, we want to help. Fill out the form below and we'll be in touch with you. This will give us the opportunity to get to know you, hear how you came to faith in Jesus, and prepare you for baptism.

If you have any questions about baptism at New Life, please read through the Baptism FAQs.

We encourage parents of infants and young children to wait before having them baptized. However, we do encourage parents to participate in a Parent/Child Dedication.

GET MORE INFO ON CHILD DEDICATION

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Baptism FAQs

Many people have questions about baptism. Should I be dipped, dunked, or dry-cleaned? Is baptism for babies or people old enough to make that choice? Is it necessary for my salvation? If you’re struggling with the question of whether to be baptized, look closely at the meaning behind it. Honestly ask yourself, “Is this just a man-made religious boundary marker, or a biblical truth that God is asking me to live by?”

To help you determine the answer, consider these common questions:

"The people who heard Peter's Pentecost sermon asked, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' He answered, 'Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins...'" (Acts 2:37, 38) "But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed, and was baptized." (Acts 8:12-13) It is clear from these Bible verses as well as others, that the people first "repented" of sin and "believed" in Jesus Christ and then were baptized. One must be a believer in Christ (a Christian) to be eligible for baptism.

Christ commanded it. He instructed His disciples to: "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20) It is the pattern followed by New Testament believers. "...many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized." (Acts 18:8; c.f. Acts 2:37-38; 8:12-13) It is a symbol and a pledge of your salvation. "Water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ..." (1 Peter 3:21) It shows our loyalty and obedience to Christ and His Word. "We know that we have come to know him, if we obey his commands." (1 John 2:3) Baptism is a public confession of our new life in Christ and a sign of our obedience to His word.

The most detailed example of baptism is found in Acts 8 where Philip speaks to the Eunuch about Christ: "Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the Eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized? ...Then both Philip and the Eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him." (Acts 8:35-38) We can conclude that there is no reason for delay. As soon as a person declares his belief in Christ, he should be baptized. We will be glad to make arrangements with you to schedule your baptism, at your convenience. Your baptism can take place here at the church, publicly during our weekend services, or privately if you wish. You can also make arrangements to be baptized in a back yard swimming pool or Jacuzzi. Remember, the important thing is not where you are baptized, but that you move forward in obedience to Jesus' command.

While some churches sprinkle, baptism by being dunked was the undisputed church practice for the first 1,300 years of church history. In fact, no early denominational church leaders argued that point. The very word baptism means “to immerse” and that’s what the Bible records, so New Life believes that if you’re physically able, you should get dunked. Sprinkling began later in church history due to water shortages, and it also became the mode of baptism most practical for baptizing infants.

Whether it’s water in a lake or water in a tub, there’s nothing special about the water that’s used for baptism. The Bible is clear that we are saved by God’s grace, not by baptism, not by our own words. Baptism is not salvation; Christ’s blood on the cross is what washes away sin and pays our debt. It’s better to think of it like this: baptism is to salvation what a wedding ceremony is to a marriage. It’s an external declaration of an internal event.

It’s clearly established in the Bible that you become a Christian by accepting God’s free gift of grace. For example, the thief on the cross hanging beside Jesus was saved on the spot and was never baptized. While baptism is not what saves us, baptism is necessary in that Christ commands it. All genuine Christ-followers should want to obey Jesus by doing what he said, and by doing what he did. Even Jesus, the perfect Son of God, showed us the importance of baptism by being baptized himself.

If you’re holding off on being baptized because you feel it is unnecessary, take some time to examine your motives and pray for God to help you grasp his heart on baptism. Ask yourself, “Why is it that I don’t want to be baptized? Am I willfully disobeying?” If you’re waiting for God to directly prompt you to be baptized, you need not wait any longer. He already makes that challenge to each Christ-follower by his Word.