WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT WATER BAPTISM?

  1. It was instituted by God, for born again believers in Jesus Christ, to identify them as obedient followers of Jesus Christ. (Matt 28:19, Acts 2:38,41, Col 2:9-12)

  2. It is separate from, and independent of, the salvation experience - which is a totally free gift of God and depends on no action on the part of the seeker, other than to express faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin, cleansing from its penalty, and the gift of eternal life. (Eph 2:8-9, Gal 3:26-27)

  3. All born again believers in Jesus Christ are encouraged (expected) to participate in this once in a lifetime act of obedience. (Acts 2:36-41, Rom 6:1-11)

  4. Baptism is administered in the “name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”. (Matt 28:19-20)

  5. Only a person who has placed their trust in Jesus Christ is to be baptized. Baptism involves a conscious decision by the believer to be obedient to God’s command. (Acts 8:26-38, Acts 2:41)

  6. Baptism is done by completely immersing the body into water. (Col 2:11-12)

WATER BAPTISM AND YOUNG CHILDREN

Since Collide City Church only baptizes believers who have made a conscious decision to follow Jesus, and since Scripture does not spell out clearly for the church how to determine when it would be appropriate to baptize children who have professed faith in Jesus, we have established the following guidelines:

  1. Much of the weight of responsibility for such timing must rest on believing parents. Parents must always be involved in the decision process.

  2. It is best administered under the guidance of one of the pastors.

  3. A key indicator of a child’s readiness for baptism is his/her having given proven evidence of a relationship with Jesus Christ, growth in obedience to His Word, evidence of concern for the unsaved, and positive interaction with other Christians.

  4. Since water baptism is not required in order to receive the gift of eternal life, but is an essential part of God’s overall plan of bringing believers into the fullness of Christ, it is recommended that parents seriously consider waiting until the child is age 12 before being baptized.

PREPARATION FOR WATER BAPTISM

  1. Fill out the Baptism Application, where you’ll be asked to write out a brief pre-prepared testimony. No more than 3 minutes.

  2. Read the following Bible verses in preparation for the class:

    • Mark 1: 1-11

    • Matthew 3: 11

    • Luke 12: 59-53

    • Romans 5: 1-3

    • Romans 6: 1-14

    • Galatians 3: 26-27

    • Colossians 2:9 - 3:17

    • 1 Peter 3: 18-22

  3. At least one parent should attend the class with those under age 17.

  4. Arrive 15 minutes early for the baptism service, and check in with Jon Choi.

  5. If you have any questions, contact the church office at info@thecollide.com

WATER BAPTISM SERVICE DETAILS

Water Baptisms are usually done during the Sunday Service- after worship and before the sermon. You are encouraged to invite your friends and family to the service so they can be a part of this important event.  Your immediate family can join you on stage, but others should remain in their seats.

Here is the general flow of the baptism service:  

A pastor will give a short description of why we do water baptism, following the sermon.

Each person being baptized will be called up one at a time.

  • A pastor will ask you 1 or 2 of the questions from your Water Baptism Application.

  • A pastor will pray for you.

  • You will be baptized by full immersion.  

What to bring to the service:

  • Wear dark colored clothing

  • A towel for drying off.

  • A change of clothes.