WATER BAPTISM
About Baptism
Baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have personally trusted Jesus for our salvation. Jesus was baptized when He was on the earth, and we do this to follow His example. When Christians are baptized, they are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. We believe that water baptism is a public declaration of three important things: you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are beginning a changed life in Christ, and you are part of a new family.
Those who are baptized are following Jesus’ example and obeying His command.
- “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” —Matthew 3:16–17
- “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” —Matthew 28:18–20
Water baptism is a public declaration of three very important things:
- You are a follower of Jesus Christ.
“Those who accepted his message were baptized.” —Acts 2:41 - You are beginning a changed life in Christ.
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” —Romans 6:4 - You are part of a new family.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” —Galatians 3:26–27
Your baptism should have signified you becoming a follower of Jesus, beginning a changed life, and uniting with a new family. If your baptism did not reflect this change of life, then you should be baptized again.
We will baptize anyone over age 7 who understands what baptism symbolizes and wants to make that personal public declaration. We encourage any parents to partner with our Two Rivers Kids and Two Rivers Students ministries to guide your children through these decisions of faith.
For more information to help guide your child through this important decision:
We advise parents to wait until their child is asking to be water baptized. This is usually a good indication that they are ready to be baptized and that it will be a spiritual milestone in their life. While younger children under the age of seven can have a relationship with Jesus, they will not necessarily remember or understand the significance of the event, so we encourage parents to wait for baptism until they are a little older. As you discern if your child is ready to be water baptized, here are some questions to ask your child. The following answers show that your child understands.
1. When did you decide to follow Jesus and become His forever friend? Your child should have a specific memory of when he or she understood what Jesus did, and that he or she needs Jesus in their life. It may have been at church, at home, or even sometime when they were alone.
2. What does it mean to be water baptized? It means I’m following Jesus. It means I’m a Christian and I want to show the world. It’s a picture of what Jesus has done on the inside of me.
3. Why do you want to be water baptized? Because Jesus was baptized and he tells us to be baptized also. Because I’m a friend of Jesus and I want to follow Him.
Your child is ready IF you feel your child understands what it means to be water baptized, then we’d love for you to read through all of this water baptism content with them.
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible we see that Jesus’ parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17).
We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus.
So at Two Rivers we provide opportunities for child dedication and believer’s baptism. To schedule a baby dedication, please complete the Baby Dedication Registration Form.
Register to be Water Baptized
We believe that taking this next step in your relationship with Jesus is a very important step in your faith. During this time of physical distancing, your safety is our number one priority. Our team has created a safe environment for you to be water baptized. Please click the link below to register, and your campus will contact you with more information on your baptism experience.