Baptism Frequently Asked Questions
What does baptism mean?
Do I have to be baptized?
How do you baptize people?
Will I have to say anything when I am baptized?
What about being baptized twice?
Do you baptize infants or young children?
Can my family be baptized together?
What does baptism mean?
Water baptism is an external symbol for an internal reality—the washing and renewal that happens when you ask Jesus to be your leader and forgiver. (See Titus 3:5.) It is also symbolic of your union by faith with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism represents your own death to sin and resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ. (See Colossians 2:12-13 and Romans 6:3-5.)
In addition to being symbolic, baptism is a public confession of your new relationship with Jesus and is a visible sign of obedience to Christ. Baptism tells everyone that you have accepted God’s gift of grace and that you now identify yourself as part of His family. (See Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, and Acts 8:35-38.)
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Do I have to be baptized?
Baptism is not a requirement to become a Christ-follower, but every person who has made Jesus their leader and forgiver will want to be obedient to what Jesus has commanded. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands that those who choose to follow Him be baptized, and in 1 John 2:3, we read that a key identifier of a true Christ-follower is being obedient to what Jesus commands.
If you have asked Jesus to be the leader of your life, then you will follow His command and be baptized. For this reason, we encourage anyone who wants to become a member of IHC to be baptized once they have put their trust in Jesus.
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How do you baptize people?
The Greek word in the Bible that we translate “baptize” actually means “to immerse” or “to dip under water.” At IHC, we baptize by immersion, usually in a pool at someone’s home. Baptizing by immersion follows Jesus’ example and every other example we have from the New Testament. (See Matthew 3:16 and Acts 8:38-39.)
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Will I have to say anything when I’m baptized?
No. You won’t have to say anything at all when you’re baptized. If you like, you can tell us what family and friends are with you at the baptism, but that’s up to you. At the beginning of the baptism service, a pastor will briefly explain the meaning of baptism. You will wait at the edge of the pool with everyone else for your turn to be baptized. One of our pastors will introduce you, briefly lower you just under the water, and then you will leave the pool, dry off, and watch with the others.
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What about being baptized twice?
Our church recommends that you be baptized again if you have not been baptized by immersion since you became a Christ-follower. Being baptized a second time doesn’t devalue your prior experience but simply reflects your desire to be baptized in the same way Jesus was baptized.
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Do you baptize infants or young children?
Because the decision to follow Jesus requires a mental understanding of the challenging biblical concepts of sin, grace, and redemption as well as personal decision of the will, we do not baptize infants or young children. Instead, we offer a special Child Dedication and Parent Commitment Service for parents who would like to acknowledge publicly that their child is a blessing from God.
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Can my family be baptized together?
Yes! If each family member understands fully the meaning of baptism, and if each person has personally placed their trust in Christ for salvation, we encourage families to be baptized at the same time. It is a wonderful expression of commitment, faith, and unity.
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