Baptism at Life Church Vineyard

Whether you're ready to be baptized, curious about what it means, or want to dedicate your child to the Lord, this page will walk you through it. Below you'll find what we believe about baptism, answers to common questions, and a few practical tips for the day itself.

WHAT BAPTISM MEANS

Baptism symbolizes your cleansing from sin. Baptism throughout the New Testament indicated that a person had “repented” or turned away from sin. The apostles often referred to the fact that believers were washed from sin. Peter stated that the water in baptism symbolized not the cleansing of the body from the dirt, but the cleansing of the conscience. (1 Peter 3:21)

Baptism symbolizes your union with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection. When you become a Christian, you die to sin and your old way of life and you begin a whole new life in Christ (Romans 6:8). The very act of baptism (being immersed in water and coming up out of the water) is a picture of what happens to you spiritually.

Baptism is a public profession of your faith. It is an outward expression of the inward change that took place at your moment of salvation. Baptism is done before a group of people who witness your confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is not the only way we profess to be a Christian, but it is an important way.

You don’t need to be baptized to be saved. The New Testament teaches that a person is saved by repentance from sin and faith in Christ. (Acts 2:38 and Luke 23, the thief on the cross)

You do need to be baptized to be obedient to Jesus. We are commanded to be baptized as a part of being His disciple (Mt. 28:19). Thus we don’t get baptized when we “feel like it,” or when we “get around to it” or when we are “led to do it by the Lord.” Baptism is one of only two ordinances or rituals that Jesus commands us to observe for all time. The other is Communion.

Baptism faq

HOW should I be baptized?

We prefer that believer be baptized by immersion as opposed to sprinkling or pouring. The term “baptized” literally means to immerse. This was how people in the bible were baptized, including Jesus! Also, immersion best symbolizes what happens spiritually when you become a Christian.

WHEN should I be baptized?

You should be baptized as soon as possible after you have personally trusted Christ for salvation and been “born again.” Remember you are not baptized in order to become a Christian. You are baptized because you are a Christian. We should not put off baptism, since it is a command of Jesus. Contact our offices at (740) 235-4525 to discuss our Baptism schedule.

WHAT if I was baptized as an infant?

Christians embrace different perspectives on infant baptism. Some baptize infants while others do not. Perhaps you were baptized as an infant. How should you view that baptism? You certainly want to show respect to your parents and their viewpoints, as well as be grateful to God for any spiritual influence they had in your life. However, our understanding of what the Bible teaches is that baptism is an action that follows conversion. So, if you have not been baptized since you have made a decision for Christ, we recommend you be baptized. We do not perform infant baptism at Life Church Vineyard for the reason that we believe it is a decision that individual makes, not their parents

CAN my children be baptized?

Absolutely, as long as it’s their personal decision to accept Christ and be baptized, based on the above understandings and as long as they thoroughly understand what they are doing.

SHOULD I get re-baptized?

If you were baptized at another church, there are no Scriptural restrictions on how many times we should be baptized.  As long as you were born again when you were baptized, and as long as the other church was a Christian church, then you need not be re-baptized. If, however, your baptism was merely a church ritual done prior to your conversion or if the church was outside the mainstream of Christianity, then we would encourage you to be validly baptized for the first time.

CHILD AND INFANT DEDICATION

Many families choose to dedicate their infant or young child rather than have them baptized. Dedication is an act of faith by the parents, a public promise to raise their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We don’t believe dedication (or infant baptism) secures a child’s salvation. We believe every child is held safely within Christ’s covering until they’re old enough to make their own decision about Him.

We do not perform infant baptism at Life Church Vineyard, since we believe that decision belongs to the individual, not their parents. Infant dedication is our way of honoring that same commitment from the parents’ side.

Once your child is old enough to understand and make that decision for themselves, they’re welcome to be baptized. See “CAN my children be baptized?” in the FAQ above for more on that.

Baptism is the child’s own decision, made once they’re old enough to understand and choose it for themselves.

Dedication is the parents’ decision, a public commitment to raise their child in faith.

Child and infant dedication

For questions about child dedication and baptism, please reach out to Lara Price.

Contact Lara

TIPS for your baptism

Before the Service

 

  • Invite a person of significance to help baptize you.
    Is there someone who had spiritual influence in you giving your life to Christ?
  • Invite family & friends to experience this special day.

What to Wear & Bring

  • Wear a dark, cotton shirt & pants (preferably not jeans). Do not wear white or tan. Remove glasses, watches, etc. before entering the tub. Baptismal robes are also available if you’d prefer one, just let us know.
  • Bring extra clothes to change into. You’re encouraged to leave them in the restroom ahead of time.

During the Service

  1. One of the Pastors will invite you to come to the front of the sanctuary, likely at the end of the service.
  2. After you step into the baptismal tub, you’ll have a chance to share a word about your faith walk, or what the Lord has done in your life. Give Him the glory!
  3. A Pastor will immerse you and say, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son & the Holy Spirit.”
  4. We’ll wrap a large towel around you as you step out. Please leave your wet towel in the tote in the restroom.