Baptism
n many ways a Baptist church is like many other kinds of churches but there are some things that make Baptist churches distinctive. One of these is that we practice ‘believer’s baptism.’ We do not christen or baptise babies (although we usually have a thanksgiving service to mark the birth of a child) because we believe that baptism is only for those who have made their own, personal decision to become a Christian.
In our sanctuary you will see our baptistry. When we baptise someone, this is filled with water. Before they are baptised, the person will normally tell the congregation something about their faith journey and why they wish to be baptised. They will then be asked:
o Do you believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
o Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
o Do you turn from sin, renounce evil and intend to follow Christ?
o Will you live within the fellowship of the church and will you serve Jesus Christ in the world?
After this they walk down the steps with those who are conducting the baptism (in our church we normally have two people to do this.). They will hold the person being baptised, placing one hard on their back and the other on their chest and one of them will then say the words, 'I baptise you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit', and plunge the person being baptised backwards so that they are fully immersed in the water, before raising them back up to standing position. They then leave the water.
The act of Baptism has many different strands of meaning – but at its heart it witnesses to the both the Christian’s union with Christ in his death and resurrection life and to the on-going work and call of God upon our lives.
In our sanctuary you will see our baptistry. When we baptise someone, this is filled with water. Before they are baptised, the person will normally tell the congregation something about their faith journey and why they wish to be baptised. They will then be asked:
o Do you believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
o Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
o Do you turn from sin, renounce evil and intend to follow Christ?
o Will you live within the fellowship of the church and will you serve Jesus Christ in the world?
After this they walk down the steps with those who are conducting the baptism (in our church we normally have two people to do this.). They will hold the person being baptised, placing one hard on their back and the other on their chest and one of them will then say the words, 'I baptise you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit', and plunge the person being baptised backwards so that they are fully immersed in the water, before raising them back up to standing position. They then leave the water.
The act of Baptism has many different strands of meaning – but at its heart it witnesses to the both the Christian’s union with Christ in his death and resurrection life and to the on-going work and call of God upon our lives.