Baptism declares to the world you’ve made a commitment to follow Jesus, and that you’re ready to start a new life in connection with God. Baptism doesn’t save us, but we believe it’s an important outward expression of an inward change when you said “yes” to Jesus. Being baptized also shares this decision with others who know you, and allows them to celebrate and learn how God came into your life!
At Journey of Faith we baptize by immersion because it’s how we see Jesus being baptized in scripture (Matthew 3:13-17). Being baptized by immersion represents dying to our old ways and habits, and raising again to a new life with Jesus!
Why does baptism matter? Jesus instructs us to be baptized and set the example by being baptized. (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 1:9)
Obedience to Jesus shows we believe and follow Him. (1 John 2:3) Because Jesus went public about His love for us, we can go public about our love for Him. Being baptized shows both to ourselves and to others that we have turned away from doing life our own way, and instead desire to live for God’s purposes.
If you’ve committed your life to Jesus then baptism is your next step! Whether you said yes 20 years ago or this week, we believe baptism is an important step in your faith journey.
There is only one requirement to be baptized: making the decision to follow Jesus with your life. There’s no spiritual milestone you have to meet to be baptized. It’s a commitment to God to keep moving forward in your faith!
During the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently holding more intimate baptisms on the beach (weather permitting) or at a private pool to ensure the health and safety of you, your family and our team. At each baptism, we will be following CDC guidelines. You will receive more information about the guidelines upon registering to be baptized.
Also, due to the nature of these smaller gatherings we’ll be honoring registrations on a first come, first serve basis.
As parents, we can help point our children to Jesus, but they are the ones to decide if they will commit their lives to Him. (Romans 10:9)
Any instance of baptism follows a person’s decision to trust Jesus for his or her salvation and commitment to follow Him. (Acts 10:47-48) At Journey of Faith we wait until children are old enough to express their own decision to follow Jesus and understand the meaning of baptism.
If your child has already asked Jesus into their life, explain what baptism is and what it means. Facilitate the conversation, and then when they express they are ready please do sign-up on their behalf. Let us know if you have specific questions on the registration form.
If you haven’t been baptized by immersion since you decided to follow Jesus, we want to help you take this step. Once you’ve been baptized, even if it was at a different church, there’s no need to be baptized again.
Is baptism your next step? Sign up HERE to talk with someone about it.
Baptisms in the Bible were by immersion. The original word for baptism most often referred to being immersed or submerged in water. Jesus was baptized by being immersed in the water and rising out of it as described in the Bible. (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10)
Submersion in the water symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Being submersed underwater represents our death to sin and old way of life, and being raised out of the water is a picture of how Jesus raised us and gave us a new life to live. (Romans 6:3-5)
Congratulations! We think accepting Jesus and being baptized are the most important decisions you can make in life. But your spiritual journey doesn’t stop there. We believe there are a number of habits and practices that will help you better live out the new life and identity God has invited you into.
Whether it’s joining a life group, serving, beginning a prayer life, regularly reading and meditating on the Bible, or planning your church giving, head over to our “Next Steps” page to discover habits and behaviors which connect us with God and to His purposes for our lives.
Everyone has a story, and everyone’s story matters. We want to hear about your faith journey whether you have been baptized or are considering being baptized.
Tell us how Jesus has changed your life.
