Menu

The Ark

Baptism

This is an event we like to make a big splash about! We baptise those who have become Christians by choosing Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and want to make a public commitment to that effect. We baptise because Jesus told us to baptise believers

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [Matt 28:19 NIV]

We are baptised because we are obedient to the teaching of the Bible:

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:38 NIV]

In light of these scriptures we see that being baptised is an act of obedience. People have lots of ideas about what baptism is, but whatever tradition or experience people have been influenced by, Baptism is a funeral service – a public statement by you that the old you is dead and that Jesus has made a new you. The word used for baptise in the Bible means to immerse, so we immerse believers in water to baptise them. Descending into the water is a picture of being buried, and rising up again represents resurrection into new life. This scripture explains the funeral aspect, and that naturally we are slaves to sin, but death frees us from being a slave.

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. [Rom 6:1-14 NIV]

Baptism is available by talking to one of the church leaders who can arrange for you to get further details.

Infant Dedication As baptism is a matter of choice and represents a public confession that you are following Jesus we cannot baptise anyone below an age at which they can make that choice and commitment. We Dedicate babies and children as requested by their parents in a way that is not dissimilar to Christening or infant baptism, except we do not sprinkle with water. The act of Dedication is one of committing the child to be brought up in the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ and releasing a blessing on the child and family. Dedications can be arranged by contacting the church office or speaking to a church leader after one of our regular meetings.

In this section