We invite you to the next Water Baptism Celebration on the Van Dyke Campus. Water Baptism services will take place on Saturday, April 24th at 10:00 AM and after the 7:00 PM service and on Sunday, April 25th after the 9:30 and 11:45 AM services.
Click here to register.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior at any time and have not been water baptized, then we encourage you to come out and make this public confession of your faith in Christ. Being water baptized is a wonderful expression of commitment and a personal statement of faith. We encourage you to bring your whole family to this celebration who will be given the opportunity to join you on the Courtyard during the baptism. Click on the video to your right and experience one of our recent Water Baptism Celebrations.
We look forward to seeing you! Don't forget...bring your change of clothes, towel and a camera or video recorder to make a photo memory of this special day!
Watch for details for the Water Baptism Celebration to be held on the East Lake Campus. Click here to register.
If you would like to share your testimony at the Baptism Celebration, click here.
I. Who should be baptized? Every person who has believed in Christ.
"... those who accepted and welcomed his message were baptized..." Acts 2:41 AB
"Simon himself believed and was baptized...." Acts 8:13 NIV
"But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:12 NIV
II. Why should I be baptized?
A. To follow the example set by Christ
"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan." Mark 1:9 NIV
Jesus did not need to be baptized; he could have just commanded us to do so. He did not need to repent.
B. Because Christ commanded it
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 NLT
C. It demonstrates that I really am a believer
"...many of the [people] who heard Him believed and were baptized." Acts 18:8 NIV
"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands." I John 2:3 NIV
III. What is the meaning of baptism?
A. It illustrates Christ's death, burial and resurrection
"... Christ died for our sins... 4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead..." I Corinthians 15:3-4 NLT
"For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead." Colossians 2:12 NLT
B. It illustrates new life as a Christian
"When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has begun!" II Corinthians 5:17 LB
"For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." Romans 6:4 NLT
Baptism doesn't make you a believer - it shows that you already believe. Baptism does not "save" you; only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring - it's the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-... it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
IV. Why be baptized by immersion?
A. Because Jesus was baptized that way
"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water...." Matthew 3:16 NIV
B. Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion
(Example) "...Then both Philip and the [man] went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water..." Acts 8:38-39 NIV
The word baptize means "to dip under water."
C. Provides opportunity for you to make a public confession of your faith in Christ
For more information, please contact Amy Gutierrez at agutierrez@gracefamilychurch.org or 813.265.4151 ext. 103.
