Baptism
Baptism at First Evangelical Free Church
Welcome! Here you will find some helpful information regarding baptism at First Free.
Baptism is an important biblical step in your spiritual journey and one that every Christian should take as a way of demonstrating their desire to obey and follow the Lord Jesus.
Below you will find a brief summary of the biblical teaching of baptism, a few FAQ’s, and a form to print and fill out if you would like to be baptized.
If you have additional questions, or would like to speak with a pastor about baptism, feel free to give us a call at the church office – 719-634-3144.
What the Bible teaches about Baptism
I. Who should be baptized?
Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior should be baptized.
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, NASB95)
“Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.” (Acts 8:13, NASB95)
“But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.” (Acts 8:12, NASB95)
II. Why Should I Be Baptized?
1. To follow the example set by Jesus
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” (Mark 1:9, NASB95)
2. Because it is an act of obedience to the Lord jesus.
““Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20, NASB95)
III. What is the meaning of baptism?
1. It is a physical picture of the spiritual reality that I have been buried with Christ in His death and raised with Him in His resurrection
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NASB95)
“Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12, NASB95)
2. It illustrates my new life as a Christian.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB95)
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NASB95)
IV. Why be baptized by immersion?
1. Because immersion is the mode of baptism described in the Bible
“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,” (Matthew 3:16, NASB95)
“And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:38–39, NASB95)
2. The Greek word “baptizo” translated“baptize”in the Bible means to “dip” or “immerse.”
3. Because immersion into water best symbols our identification with Jesus in His death as well as our identification with Him in His resurrection.
understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. Generally speaking, this will be 7 years of age or older. Any child between 7-12 years of age will first be interviewed by a pastor and/or elder to see if he or she has accepted Christ and is ready for baptism.
VII. When Should I Be Baptized?
As soon as you have believed; become a Christian (or as soon as you realize the importance of being baptized)!
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, NASB95)
The new believers in Acts 2:41, were baptized immediately.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (Acts 8:35–38, NASB95)
The Ethiopian was baptized immediately after he believed.
VIII. FAQ’s
1. What happens during the actual baptism?
2. Can a family be baptized together? Yes. If each family member understands the full meaning of baptism and has become a Christian, we encourage families to be baptized at once.
3. What about younger children getting baptized? Younger children who wish to be baptized are asked to have a meeting with a pastoral staff member or elder to make sure the child understands what it means to be a Christian and what it means to be baptized.
4. Should I invite people to my baptism service? Baptism was always designed by God to be a public event. It is a time when a person says, “I’m a Christian and I want to obey the Lord and live my life for Him.” For this reason, it is a good idea to invite as many family, friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates, coworkers, or others to witness your baptism. Many times people who normally do not attend church will be willing to come to someone’s baptism if they are personally invited. A baptism service is a powerful way for people to see, hear and feel the reality of a living God in other people’s lives.
Suggestions & guidelines for preparing your own written testimony about how you came to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior:
Welcome! Here you will find some helpful information regarding baptism at First Free.
Baptism is an important biblical step in your spiritual journey and one that every Christian should take as a way of demonstrating their desire to obey and follow the Lord Jesus.
Below you will find a brief summary of the biblical teaching of baptism, a few FAQ’s, and a form to print and fill out if you would like to be baptized.
If you have additional questions, or would like to speak with a pastor about baptism, feel free to give us a call at the church office – 719-634-3144.
What the Bible teaches about Baptism
I. Who should be baptized?
Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior should be baptized.
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, NASB95)
“Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.” (Acts 8:13, NASB95)
“But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.” (Acts 8:12, NASB95)
II. Why Should I Be Baptized?
1. To follow the example set by Jesus
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” (Mark 1:9, NASB95)
2. Because it is an act of obedience to the Lord jesus.
““Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20, NASB95)
III. What is the meaning of baptism?
1. It is a physical picture of the spiritual reality that I have been buried with Christ in His death and raised with Him in His resurrection
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NASB95)
“Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12, NASB95)
2. It illustrates my new life as a Christian.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB95)
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NASB95)
IV. Why be baptized by immersion?
1. Because immersion is the mode of baptism described in the Bible
“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,” (Matthew 3:16, NASB95)
“And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:38–39, NASB95)
2. The Greek word “baptizo” translated“baptize”in the Bible means to “dip” or “immerse.”
3. Because immersion into water best symbols our identification with Jesus in His death as well as our identification with Him in His resurrection.
understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. Generally speaking, this will be 7 years of age or older. Any child between 7-12 years of age will first be interviewed by a pastor and/or elder to see if he or she has accepted Christ and is ready for baptism.
VII. When Should I Be Baptized?
As soon as you have believed; become a Christian (or as soon as you realize the importance of being baptized)!
“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, NASB95)
The new believers in Acts 2:41, were baptized immediately.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (Acts 8:35–38, NASB95)
The Ethiopian was baptized immediately after he believed.
VIII. FAQ’s
1. What happens during the actual baptism?
- Meet in the room behind the sanctuary about 15 minutes before the service starts (you will be told in advance whether you will be baptized at the 9:00 or 10:45 service). Change into the clothes and gown you will be baptized in. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in. It should be dark material (Light, or white material becomes transparent when wet) and something you don't mind getting wet. Over the top of your clothing, you will be given a white gown to wear.
- At the beginning of the baptism portion of the service, the pastor will briefly explain the meaning of baptism. You will in the room behind the sanctuary until your names is called. Then you will enter the baptismal pool and stand at the end of it facing the congregation.
- The pastor will then ask for your personal testimony concerning how you came to faith in Christ. You may speak with or without notes. Reading your testimony from a sheet of paper is also okay.
- The pastor will then have you sit down on the seat in the baptistry.
- The pastor will then put his arm behind your back and will say, “(Your name), based on your profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your desire to follow Him all the days of your life, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” (If you want, you can hold your nose at this time). The pastor will then lean you backwards under the water. The pastor will then help pull you back up. You can then walk out of the baptism pool and go back and change. You can use the bathroom in the lower level before you rejoin the congregation for the rest of the service.
- If you want, you can have people take photos or videos of your baptism.
- Following your baptism service, the church will give you a baptism certificate.
2. Can a family be baptized together? Yes. If each family member understands the full meaning of baptism and has become a Christian, we encourage families to be baptized at once.
3. What about younger children getting baptized? Younger children who wish to be baptized are asked to have a meeting with a pastoral staff member or elder to make sure the child understands what it means to be a Christian and what it means to be baptized.
4. Should I invite people to my baptism service? Baptism was always designed by God to be a public event. It is a time when a person says, “I’m a Christian and I want to obey the Lord and live my life for Him.” For this reason, it is a good idea to invite as many family, friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates, coworkers, or others to witness your baptism. Many times people who normally do not attend church will be willing to come to someone’s baptism if they are personally invited. A baptism service is a powerful way for people to see, hear and feel the reality of a living God in other people’s lives.
Suggestions & guidelines for preparing your own written testimony about how you came to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior:
- Describe your life before you came to know Jesus as your Savior.
- Describe how you came to hear and understand the gospel, and accept Christ as your Savior.
- Describe how knowing Jesus has changed your life.
- If desired, share a verse that is meaningful to you personally.
- Your written testimony (included in the registration form below) should be no longer than a 1/2 page (typewritten) and will be reviewed by a pastor and may be edited for clarity or length.
