Baptism Sunday
in City Square, immediately following the second service.
*Leave during final song and change clothes. Meet at the baptismal to
check in.
• Bring a bag with 1 large towel
and the clothes
and undergarments you want to wear after the baptism. Remember also
to bring something you can put wet clothes in after the event.
• Wear informal clothes. Women and girls need to wear
dark colored clothing with a bathing suit underneath your clothes - for modesty’s sake,
do not wear light colored clothing. Men and
boys should wear a casual shirt and shorts or pants.
• You may also want to consider
sandals or flip flops since you will be walking
on surfaces after the baptism you could slip on. You will change clothes
in the men’s and women’s restrooms off of City Square.
• Bring your friends and family! The more the merrier! This is a special moment
in your life. Let those close to you celebrate with you. Pictures and
video are encouraged!
• After a
brief explanation to those gathered regarding the significance of baptism, the pastor
doing your baptism
will call your name. Carry
your towel with you and hand it to one of the attendants
standing at the baptismal.
• You will walk up the stairs and step into the baptismal. The water will be heated and chlorinated. The pastor will
guide you and show you where to sit down.
• As you are
sitting in the water, the pastor will ask you if you would like to share
anything. Feel free if you would like to take a few minutes and share how you
came to know Jesus Christ and to speak to those around you about why it is
important for you to be baptized. Feel free to write your comments down if you like but speak from your heart.
• When you are finished
speaking (if you have chosen
to), the pastor
will ask you the
following question: “Is your presence
here an expression of your belief in the death and the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ?” If this is true, just say
“yes.” He will then say, "On
the basis of your belief in the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ,
I baptize you in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.” As he says this, he will slowly lower
you under the
water and bring you back up quickly.
• Once you have been baptized, the pastor will help you out of the baptismal and the attendant
will hand you your towel to dry off. Feel free to stay and watch the other baptisms or to immediately return to
the restroom to change clothes.
• A Baptism
Certificate will also be available for you as a way of remembering this moment. Many people
choose to get these framed
on their own for display
in their home or office.
What is the significance of baptism?
Baptism is a way of telling people that you have become a disciple of
Jesus Christ. It also depicts symbolically the internal spiritual realities that have occurred in your life as
a result, namely, that you have died with Christ, been buried with Christ, and
raised to new life in Christ. Romans 6:1-14 describes this well. We would
recommend that you read this prior to the day of your baptism.
No. Baptism isn’t
required for salvation. Baptism is an expression of your belief
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The minimum age requirement we have
established at City Church is ten years old. However, the most important
consideration is that the person being baptized understands the reality of their sin, their need for Christ’s
substitutionary atonement on the cross, and his bodily resurrection.
We have baptized people from ten years old to eighty years old.
While you are welcome
to be baptized again at City Church,
you do not need to be
baptized again.
Yes. As mentioned above, baptism is an outward
expression of your inward decision
to trust in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Since infants
cannot make that decision, it is important to be baptized as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We practice baptism by immersion.
We have a
portable baptistry that we
can wheel in and wheel out after use.