baptism
What is Baptism?
Very simply, baptism is an outward witness of the inward change in a believer’s life. It illustrates our death to sin and new life in Christ. It is also an act of obedience to the Lord after salvation. Jesus tells us 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
Adult Baptism
Baptism is an important step for a person who has decided to follow Jesus. It’s a public declaration of personal faith, and an outward symbol of the genuine change of a person inwardly. Romans 6:3-4 says: “When we are joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death. For we die and are buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”
When we see Baptism in the Bible, we almost always see this pattern: “they believed…and they were baptized…” Baptism, then, was seen as the natural outcome for someone who professed faith in Jesus.
Infant Baptism
Many families ask if they can have their infants baptized. At New Covenant, we use the Bible to determine our practices and traditions. The Bible talks about believers being baptized, but never talks about baptizing infants or young children. Baptism is a public declaration of a person’s faith. A person who has been transformed by Jesus Christ declares that publicly, at their baptism. An infant or young child is not able to make those decisions for themselves, and cannot give witness to the faith they have in Jesus. We love families, and we want to stand with you to declare that your child is a gift from God, and we want to come alongside you to raise that child in the way that they should go, Proverbs 22:6. The way that we do that, is to dedicate parents and babies together during a Baby Dedication Service.
Children or Young Adult Baptism
1 Timothy 2:4 says that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”. Even children who grow up in the church, will need to decide for themselves to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This is a decision that we as parents cannot make for them. If your child or young adult expresses the desire to be baptized, please click the link to the form bellow. Tell us your child’s age, and we will contact you for a day and time to meet with them about their decision to follow Jesus and be baptized. We want to help them have a full understanding of this important step in their lives!