We believe Baptism is an important step for you in following Jesus.
We believe Baptism is the natural step to take after making a decision to follow Jesus. It is a public declaration of your faith made in community. Baptism is the way to join a family of believers (broader than just our local church!) and we also believe that is a time where something special happens between God and you.
What is baptism?
We are really excited to celebrate Baptisms in our community.
We have a pool specially for our baptisms. When a person gets baptised, they get into the water, typically with a pastor and sometimes a friend goes in too. After a declaration of their faith, they are immersed under the water and then brought back up again. The church family is usually gathered around the pool and they pray for this person and offer words of encouragement and often ending with singing worship together to our God.
Why get baptised?
Scripture sees baptism as a significant part of the believers transformation.
(Acts 2:38)
Below are the different ways that scripture talks about baptism.
a. It’s a graced event, one that is done by God requiring a response of faith from the believer. In the New Testament, the following are all included in baptism; forgiveness (Acts 2:38, 22:16, 1 Cor 6:11), joined with Christ in his death and resurrection (Gal 3:27, Rom 6:3, Col 2:11), freedom from sin’s power (Rom 6:1-11), sonship with Christ (Gal 3:26), consecration (1 Cor 6:11), membership to Christ’s body (1 Cor 12:12-13, Gal 3:27-29), infilling of the Spirit (Acts 2:38, 1 Cor 6:11, 12:13) and also a new life in the Spirit (Tit 3:5, Jn 3:5), and grace to live in God’s will (Rom 6:1, Col 3:1).[1]
b. Baptism is a confession of belief in and dependence on Christ therefore requiring that we change our allegiance from ourselves to Christ.[2]
c. When you're baptised, you're being baptized into the church, because the church is Christ’s body.[4]
[1] G.R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (Macmillan & Co Ltd: London, 1962), 263-264.
[2] Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament, 267.
[3] Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament, 279.