BAPTISM
ABOUT WATER BAPTISM
Water baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have personally trusted Jesus for our salvation. Jesus was water baptized when He was on the earth, and we do this to follow His example. When Christians are water baptized, they are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. We believe that water baptism is a public declaration of three important things: you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are beginning a changed life in Christ, and you are part of a new family.
NEXT WATER BAPTISM SERVICE
Join us at the campus nearest you on the fourth weekend of each month, where we will celebrate water baptism. For information about opportunities to publicly declare your commitment to Jesus, check below for times and locations most convenient for you. We encourage you to invite your family and friends to witness you take this next step in your faith.
BAPTISM TIMES
Olson Farms:
Every fourth Sunday at 1:00 PM
Mudsock:
Every fourth Sunday at 1:00 PM
Bluffton:
Every fourth Sunday at 1:00 PM
WATER BAPTISM FACTS
Those who are water baptized are following Jesus’ example and obeying His command.
- “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” —Matthew 3:16–17
- “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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 28:18–20
Water baptism is a public declaration of three very important things:
- You are a follower of Jesus Christ.
“Those who accepted his message were baptized.” —Acts 2:41 - You are beginning a changed life in Christ.
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” —Romans 6:4 - You are part of a new family.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” —Galatians 3:26–27
Your water baptism should have signified you becoming a follower of Jesus, beginning a changed life, and uniting with a new family. If your water baptism did not reflect this change of life, then you should be water baptized again.
Every child can have a personal relationship with Jesus, and in ITOWN Kids we encourage them to make a decision to follow Him. Our children are encouraged to not just learn about Jesus but learn from Him by walking with Him everyday. Water baptism is the public declaration of your child’s internal decision to follow Christ. We advise parents to wait until their child can answer the following questions before being water baptized:
1. When did you decide to follow Jesus and become His forever friend?
2. What does it mean to be water baptized?
For additional information about your child being baptized, click here.
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that water baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible we see that Jesus’ parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later water baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17).
We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being water baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus.
At ITOWN, we provide opportunities for child dedication and believer’s water baptism.
