What is Baptism?
If you were to attend a baptismal service at one of our churches what would you see? The first thing you would notice as you entered the church would be that an area of the floor at the front of the church had been removed to reveal a pool which had been filled with water to about waist deep.
When the point in the service for the baptisms to take place arrives those being baptised will come to the front of the church and give a short testimony - their story - of how they became a Christian and why they are being baptised. [To find out more about 'What is a Christian?' click here].
Each of those being baptised then enters the pool, and is baptised - they are taken from a standing position, backwards until they are totally under the water, and then back to a standing position. They are then prayed for, before leaving the pool.
Why do you do this?
Baptism has been practised by the church right from its beginning. In the Bible, in the book of Acts, where we read about the first churches and the first Christians, we read that people were baptised soon after becoming Christians.
Baptism is a very symbolic act. It symbolises:
- That the person has been washed clean of all the wrong in their life, that they have been forgiven by God and are now at peace with Him.
- That the person is identifying with Jesus' death and burial (going down into the water) and his resurrection (coming up out of the water).
- That the person is dying to their own will and desires and that they are now living a new life in which they seek to please only God.
- That the person is now a part of a new community - the church.
Want to know more?
If you are interested in baptism or just want to find out a bit more then one of our ministers will be delighted to speak with you. Maybe you just want to email a question. Contact us here.
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