Why should I get baptized?

The simple answer is that Jesus instructed His followers to be baptized - not simply as a religious practice, but as one of the first steps in our intimate and ongoing relationship with Him. Its closest human parallel is probably marriage. Baptism could be compared to the formal wedding ceremony. As we all know, the ceremony doesn't constitute the reality of the marriage, but it does formalize it and is a statement of our commitment. It is when we take on the name of the one we're marrying and become publicly and legally identified with our spouse.

In fact, in our culture, a person is not recognized as being married if there is no such formality. So it is with baptism. It's an outward expression of the inward reality. It's important!

Again, the ceremony itself doesn't constitute the marriage, but it is our formal and public declaration of commitment to our spouse. Likewise, being baptized does not get a person into heaven, but it is a public declaration of the personal relationship with Christ, which does.

It's just common sense that, before marrying, the parties should be old enough and responsible enough to know what they're doing. It's the same with baptism. A person must have enough maturity to understand what he/she is doing and make a meaningful commitment to the relationship.

When it expresses love and commitment, baptism (like marriage) is the ceremony that marks the beginning of the most intimate and fulfilling relationship a human being can have.

If you are ready to make this public declaration at our next baptism on November 16, please sign up below, and click here for a handout to download and fill out. If you have any questions, you can contact Shea Foster. We are excited about helping you take this next step in your journey toward becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ.