Baptism Story Form

Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; it signifies and seals our adoption into Christ, our cleansing from sin, and our commitment to belong to the Lord and to his church.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands his followers to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” It expresses our unity in Christ. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation. It is for everyone who confesses Christ. It’s for believers.

However it is also important to delineate that baptism does not bring salvation to a person, nor does it complete the process of salvation. In no way does baptism play a role in the means of salvation for a follower of Christ. Salvation is a work made possible by the person of Jesus and brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Your story is a tangible way to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

1. It’s a way to remind yourself of your new identity in Christ. Often our identity as a Christian is under attack because of our continued struggle with sin. Your story is a great tool to battle against the lies that you aren't really love by God. It is a reminder of God's loving mercy toward you.

2. To defend your faith and provide hope to a broken world. Your story is a way for the world to hear the good news of Jesus.

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” —1 Peter 3:15

3. To overcome evil. It is a verbal declaration of truth against the lies of Satan. “And they have conquered the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” —Revelation 12:11

The BEFORE. Who were you before Jesus? How had sin consumed you? Describe to us the darkness of how it felt to be lost without him. (at least 100-200 Words)

The MOMENT or the PROCESS. For some people it was instantaneous and for others the Lord brought them along a process of placing their faith in Him. What did God do in you? How did He do it? Who did He use? (at least 100-200 Words)

The AFTER or the NOW. What’s different in you? How does this affect the rest of your life? What next? How is God using you? What is He producing in you?(at least 100-200 Words)

OTHER NOTES

1. Be brief. Please do not allow your testimony to be more than a page. Allow this testimony to take root in you so that if God places you in a situation to give someone hope, you can do so in a timely manner. We like to think of it as your “elevator story”. It is how can you tell of the good news of Jesus before that person walks away.

2. Be descriptive in your struggles, not your timeline. We want to experience what God has delivered you from, but we don’t need unnecessary details of dates and historical data. Details invite people in to a deeper connection and helps us resonate with the authentic you.

3. Make sure Jesus is the hero. It’s easy for us to make ourselves look really good. This moment is about Him. It’s about the work of Christ and how He has rescued you. Tell us about his wondrous works!

(Remember the gospel is: 1. You were sinful and fully deserving the wrath of God, 2. Christ died in your place on the cross taking the wrath of God toward you on himself, 3. We receive the grace of God and forgiveness of our sins through faith and repentance.)

In baptism we want to tell two stories. First, how the Lord saved you, and second, how the Lord uses people to bring us to faith. With that in mind we would love for someone who played a major role in you coming to faith in Jesus to be the person who does your baptism. If you are a child or a teenager we would really like for you to consider the role your parents played in you coming to faith in Jesus.

We will send you both some details leading up to the day of your baptism. Please let us know how we can contact them.

We cannot guarantee, but would like to accommodate the date and service time you would prefer to be baptized. Please select your preference below. You will be notified of your confirmed service time and date as soon as we can.