Baptism is a symbol of our desire to accept the forgiveness and new life that Jesus offers to anyone who is willing to trust in Him.

When we come to be baptized we are professing our personal faith in Jesus Christ and declaring our decision to allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives.

When we bring our children to be baptized we are making a commitment to raise them in the Church and teach them all that they need to know about faith in Jesus Christ so that one day they can make that same commitment to trust Jesus with their lives. Our baptismal ceremony says it this way...

When we bring our children to be baptized, they are initiated into the fellowship of the Church and we dedicate ourselves to teaching them about trusting in Jesus Christ.

What this means in practical terms is that baptism is connected to membership. The words of the baptismal vow don't really make sense unless we all understand that we are connecting ourselves and our children to the Church. Here are the questions that parents and sponsors are expected to answer...

As you present (This Child) for Holy Baptism, have you willingly rejected the evil of this world and turned away from your bondage to sin? If so...answer, "we have."

Are you willing to confess that you have faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If so... answer, "we do."

Will you teach (This Child) by word and example, about the importance of Bible Study, Prayer, Worship and Christian Fellowship until he/she is able to accept Jesus Christ for himself/herself and be confirmed into the Christian faith? If so...answer, "we will."

Baptism is not magic. It doesn't force God to love us or accept us. The Good News is that God already loves us and has invited us to love Him and trust Him with our lives. Baptism is our response to His love and symbolizes our desire to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

Call us if you have questions about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We would love to talk to you about faith and the new life that is available to us through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.