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At Lifepoint Church, we believe that baptism by immersion is an important first step of obedience after making a personal commitment to Christ. Baptism allows a Christ-follower to communicate to those around them that they have made that commitment. If you have made a personal commitment to Christ then announcing that decision publicly through baptism is the next step for you. If you would like to know more about scheduling your baptism, please contact our church office at 614.840.0333 or click here to be scheduled for our next baptism.
Baptism is a way of showing others that a person has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an outward symbol of the inward commitment that takes place in the heart at the time of salvation.
Baptism is an outward, public declaration of our inward commitment to Christ. Much like a wedding ring symbolizes a commitment between a husband and a wife, baptism makes a visual statement that says, “I’m following Jesus Christ and I want everyone to know it.”
It is a picture of what takes place at the time of salvation – being cleansed and having our sins washed away. It says, “I have died to my old life (going under the water) and I am alive to new life in Christ (coming out of the water).
Romans 6:4-5 says:
We were buried therefore with him (Christ) by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
In the Bible, as people came to faith in Christ they were baptized. The sequence of events is the same throughout the scriptures; first people profess faith in Jesus Christ and then they are baptized. It is called Believer’s baptism, a baptism that happens after one becomes a believer in Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20 says:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Because Jesus instructed us to be baptized, baptism is an act of obedience to him. While it is not necessary for salvation, it demonstrates submission to God. At Lifepoint Church, we practice baptism by immersion (putting under the water) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the way that Jesus instructed in Matthew 28:19) because we believe that it is the best picture of spiritual death, burial and resurrection and because it is the type of baptism that Jesus modeled for us when he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. (Matthew 3:13-17 and Mark 1:9-11).
In some denominations, infant baptism or christening is used to represent a commitment made by parents to dedicate their child to Christ and to commit to raise them in accordance with the teachings of Scripture. While this is a very important part of the religious practice and tradition of many families, it is not the same as believer’s baptism. Believer’s baptism occurs after someone makes a personal decision to follow Christ for themselves once they understand what that means and if you have made a personal commitment to Christ as an older child, student, or adult then announcing that decision publicly through believer’s baptism is the next step for you. Our commitment to believer’s baptism is in no way intended to cheapen the importance of your experience as a child. We feel that believer’s baptism in many ways affirms the hope that your parents had when they dedicated you as an infant.
Lifepoint offers 3 different opportunities for baptism.
Check the Calendar for specific dates available.
If you are planning to be baptized at LPC, here are some things for you to know. You will be provided with a black Going Public T-shirt that you can wear and take home. You will want to bring black or dark colored shorts, a towel, a change of clothes and a plastic bag to place your wet clothes in after you are baptized.
On the day of your baptism, you will want to arrive approximately 30 minutes early so that one of our trained baptism hosts can walk you through the baptism process. You will be shown where to change, shown where to enter and exit, told when to be ready. We will make sure all of your questions are answered.
A trained baptism host will walk you through your Sunday morning process. If you don’t know who that is for the day, you can find your baptism host by asking the person who scheduled you for baptism.
We believe that baptism and communion are the two ordinances given to the church in the New Testament. Based on that, anyone who executes baptism needs to represent not only what we believe, but be living that out in a community of believers. Any of Lifepoint staff can baptize as well as any of our Lifegroup leaders, because of their function in our local body. On occasions, someone who has been ordained by another church Body is allowed to baptize as well. Those opportunities are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Everyone! This is a special time in your life as you go public with your faith for the first time.
After you are in the baptism pool you will be asked if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. You’ll respond with “yes”. Other than that you are not expected to say anything.
If you have any other questions you can call the church office at 614.840.0333.
