Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. It’s an outward expression of an inward transformation—symbolizing that a person has turned from sin, trusted in Jesus for salvation, and begun a new life with Him. In the act of being immersed in water and raised again, baptism beautifully represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as our own new life in Him (Romans 6:3–4). While baptism does not save us, it serves as a powerful testimony to others of the life-changing grace of God.

You should be baptized because Jesus both commands it and models it for us. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed His followers to “go and make disciples… baptizing them” (Matthew 28:19), making baptism a clear step of obedience for every believer. He also set the example through His own baptism (Matthew 3:13–17), identifying with God’s mission and publicly affirming His obedience to the Father. Baptism, then, is not about earning salvation, but about responding to Jesus in faithful obedience—declaring your trust in Him and your desire to follow Him with your life.

Those who have personally trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation should be baptized. In Acts 2:38, Peter calls people to “repent and be baptized,” showing that baptism is the next step for those who have turned from sin and placed their faith in Jesus. Throughout the New Testament, baptism consistently follows belief—it is for those who have made a conscious decision to follow Christ. Because of this, we practice believer’s baptism, meaning that baptism is for anyone who has repented, believed the gospel, and desires to publicly identify with Jesus and His church.

We practice baptism by immersion because it most clearly reflects the pattern we see in the New Testament and the meaning baptism is meant to convey. The word “baptize” in the original Greek (baptizō) literally means “to immerse” or “to dip,” and the examples we see in Scripture point to people being fully immersed in water. More importantly, immersion powerfully symbolizes the gospel itself—going under the water represents being buried with Christ, and coming up out of the water represents being raised to new life in Him (Romans 6:3–4). While the amount of water is not what saves, immersion best captures both the biblical practice and the beautiful picture of transformation that baptism is meant to display.

You should be baptized as soon as possible after placing your faith in Jesus. In the New Testament, baptism consistently follows belief without unnecessary delay—those who repented and trusted in Christ were baptized right away (see Acts 2:41; 8:36–38). Baptism is not something to put off until you feel “ready enough,” but a step of obedience that marks the beginning of your new life with Jesus. If you have trusted in Him, the next step is simple: be baptized. We have baptisms regularly throughout the year. If you are following Jesus and want to take this step or have more questions, click the button below.

A baby dedication is a special moment when parents publicly commit to raising their child to know and follow Jesus. It’s not a baptism, and it doesn’t save or guarantee a child’s faith. Instead, it’s a declaration by the parents (and the church) that they will prayerfully, intentionally guide their child in the way of Christ. In the Bible, we see examples of this kind of dedication, like when Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:27–28) and when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple (Luke 2:22). During a dedication, the church also commits to support, encourage, and partner with the family as they disciple their child over time.