Baptism Sunday
Upcoming Baptism Opportunities:
What Do I Bring?
Bring a pair of shorts that you can wear as you are baptized. You will be given a T-shirt on Sunday morning that you will wear. This is for both men and women. Also, bring any other items that you might need to get yourself back together after getting completely wet.
Who Should I Invite to Attend My Baptism?
You are welcome to invite your friends and family! This is a time of celebrating your commitment to Christ and you want your loved ones to be there with you during this meaningful moment. Write them a note inviting them to come and share the experience with you. Here’s an example:
On Sunday, March 2nd I am going to be baptized to celebrate my commitment to Christ and it would mean a lot to me to have you there to share that moment with me. The service starts at (insert service time of your baptism here) and will be at Turning Point Community Church, 11202 Quaker Ave. The service is casual so dress comfortable. I hope you can make it. Christ is really doing something special in my life and I want you to experience this with me.
Baptism is a Bible Command
Jesus made baptism a part of his ministry. “Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John.” (John 4:1). He made it part of our disciple making mission. “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.” Matthew 28:19 Baptism is not Turning Point’s idea. It is God’ s idea! The Bible records that everyone who believed was baptized (Acts 2:41, 8:36, 10:48, 16:15).
Baptism is a Decisive Public Stand
Many people wonder about the significance of this ancient symbol. What does it stand for? Why is it important? In Bible times, followers of Jesus were baptized as a way of making a public stand for Christ. Baptism marked a change that had occurred in their life and a choice they were making to live openly as a Christ follower. Peter called out those who wanted to receive Christ in this public manner, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). Today we use baptism to communicate the same thing – we have become followers of Christ and we are choosing to live as He taught us. And this commitment is open for all to see. Christ said it plainly, “If a person is ashamed of Me and My message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26). We are not ashamed!
What Baptism Involves
The word for baptism in the Bible means immersion. It was a word used in the ancient world to describe the process of dying materials by immersing (baptizing) them in containers that held dye. From the description of baptisms in the Bible, we can tell that Christians were baptized by being immersed totally under water: “Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water...” (Acts 8:39)
Today when we baptize a person we put them completely under the water symbolizing three specific things:
The death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The story of our forgiveness is Christ’s story of love and sacrifice. Being placed under the water symbolizes His death and burial but coming up out of the water represents His life and victory over death. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
It pictures our salvation experience. We were all dead in our sins but now we have been made alive in Christ. Coming up out of the water pictures are hope of living a changed life becoming more and more surrendered to Christ. (Romans 6:4)
Finally, it represents our future in Christ. Since death has been defeated, even if we die, our hope is clear that our bodies will be raised when Christ returns to be with Him forever! (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
When a follower of Christ is baptized at Turning Point we place them completely under water to mark what has happened in their life – they have been totally changed and each baptized disciple is committerd to a life path of complete surrender to Him!
Who Can Be Baptized?
At Turning Point we baptize individuals who have made the personal decision to accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ offered through the cross and have made the choice to follow Christ.
Children who have have made this vital life decision are welcome to experience baptism. Our Children’s Pastor will visit with each child and pray with families concerning this decision. But the final call for whether a child is ready for baptism is up to the parents.