Baptism

Baptism is a symbol of the relationship with Christ that a believer has already begun. At salvation, a person asks Jesus to forgive their sins and cleanse them of all the mistakes they’ve made (1 John 1:9). It is at that point that a person is saved (Romans 10:9-10). Baptism is the next step we take to go public with what has already taken place in our hearts. Jesus died and was buried, and came back to life again. Baptism symbolically shows that we are dead to our sins, and have begun a new life in Christ.

At Fellowship Church, baptism looks like this:
Anyone can be baptized if they are a follower of Jesus, have a body of water to use, and have someone to help them through the process, similar to how John baptized Jesus (Matthew 3:3-17). The easiest way to get baptized through the Church is to sign up for one of our baptism services. Those take place once per quarter and are hosted in between services in the 4640 Student Center located inside Fellowship Church. When you attend a service you join a group running between 40-60 people that are also being baptized that morning. You get to fill out a card outlining your story that is read aloud as you enter the water. Once you get in the water you meet one of our pastors and they take it from there.

And don’t forget to invite your friends and family to be a part of the celebration with you! Anyone is welcome to attend and come close next to the pool during your ceremony.

Our experience has shown that children under the age of 8 tend to be overwhelmed by baptism, and can have a hard time understanding the difference between baptism and salvation. Younger children tend not to remember their baptism as teenagers or adults, and this can cause confusion later in life. Therefore, we recommend a minimum age of 8 and encourage children to talk to their Kids Church Pastor if they feel they are ready before then. We want to remind parents and grandparents that salvation is separate from baptism, and if their child has a relationship with Jesus, waiting until they fully comprehend baptism is perfectly appropriate. Baptism doesn’t make you a believer, but shows that you are a believer.

Why should I get baptized?

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:4

And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 3:21