Baptism
Place your trust in Jesus
What is Baptism?
People who confess their faith in Jesus and commit to turn away from their sins should be baptized when they place their trust in Jesus. We believe God designed baptism to be a sacred event in the Christian life: it seals a new believer’s faith in Jesus and marks the beginning of a new life. In the Bible, baptism is also connected with the reception of the Holy Spirit, God’s indwelling presence in every Christian.
We baptize by water immersion because we believe it is the most Biblical method of Christian baptism. Water immersion is a God-given representation of the way in which our sin and guilty conscience are cleansed by Christ’s blood.
At First Christian Church, you may be baptized at any time. The baptistery is always ready. To be baptized during a worship time, contact one of our ministry leaders or simply come to the front at the end of the service.We also highly recommend participating in Discovering Baptism; a short class on baptism with a Q&A session at the end.

In Baptism…
We obey Jesus, who instructed His followers to be baptized
We publicly express our belief in Jesus
We accept God’s grace and forgiveness
We receive the Holy Spirit
We imitate Jesus, who Himself was baptized
Is Baptism Right For You?
Deciding to be baptized can be a difficult decision. It requires humility and a child-like obedience to God’s commands. In baptism, many people find one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives. This religious feeling or emotion is not the purpose of baptism, but God has graciously given us this practice to fulfill our human need for a special marker of this all-important milestone. Baptism also serves as a continual reminder and source of reassurance to each baptized Christian.
We believe that God instructs us to be baptized by water immersion, but we do not condemn those who disagree with this position or have not been fully instructed about baptism. Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of humankind; He is also our one and only judge. His judgments are merciful and just. The responsibility of First Christian Church is to teach the Bible as accurately and lovingly as we can, particularly on matters of eternal consequence.
We do offer strong counsel to anyone whose conscience is being led toward baptism to obey the Lord. Those who truly believe in Jesus must obey His teachings.
At First Christian Church, you may be baptized at any time. To be baptized during a worship time, contact one of our ministry leaders or simply come to the front at the end of the service.
Do I Need to be Baptized Again?
Those who lack assurance in their first baptism are encouraged to be baptized again; however, a second baptism is not needed for those who have sinned after their first baptism. The sanctifying work of God’s Holy Spirit – our transformation into Christ-likeness – is a lifelong process, and believers make mistakes along the way. The Bible instructs us to pray for forgiveness and continually grow in our relationship with God.
Use God’s Word to Test Our Teachings About Baptism:
Was Jesus baptized?
Matthew 3:13-17
What does Jesus say the church should do to new believers?
Matthew 28:18-20
What does Peter tell people to do?
Acts 2:38
What did new believers in the Bible do?
Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12-13
What do our heart, consciences, and body need?
Hebrews 10:22
How does Paul describe baptism?
Romans 6:3-4
Is Baptism important spiritually?
Galatians 3:27
What about us truly needs “washing”?
1 Peter 3:21
When should You be baptized?
Acts 22:16, Acts 8:38, Acts 16:33
Should I feel weird or embarrassed about getting baptized?
James 4:6
Should baptism be a source of unity or division?
Ephesians 4:4-6