Our Baptism Policy

Our Baptism Policy

If you are considering water baptism for yourself or someone you love, it’s important that you understand what baptism is all about. We want you to know our policy regarding this important ordinance of the Church.

At Jesus Chapel, we do not baptize infants or small children. We believe the scriptures teach that baptism is strictly for those who are of sufficient age to understand its meaning. Baptism, according to the New Testament, is for those who have repented of their sins and surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is symbolic of death and burial (see Romans 6:3-9). That is, when we truly repent and turn our lives over to Christ, we realize that our old self, who we were without Christ, who we were “in Adam,” has died and must be buried. As we put to death our “old man,” we can then be spiritually “resurrected” to live a new life by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what baptism stands for. It is a fundamental teaching of Christianity. We believe this concept is not understandable to an infant or young child. So although we do not set a certain age limit, we do believe it necessary to speak with anyone desiring baptism to make sure they are old enough and cognizant enough to understand what it is they are doing in being water baptized. Parents wishing their children to be baptized are asked to bring their child and meet with a pastor, so that it can be determined if they are sufficiently mature and spiritually aware for this step.

Likewise, any adult who has surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and would like to obey the Lord’s commandment to be water baptized should make an appointment with one of our pastors to discuss the meaning of this important step and make sure they’re ready for it. Please contact our office and we’ll be happy to make an appointment for this purpose. We schedule baptisms from time to time throughout the year, as the need arises.  One further point – we believe in baptism by full immersion, as a symbol of death, burial, and resurrection. If you have any physical condition which would interfere with this, please be sure to speak with us about it and we will try to accommodate your special need. Otherwise, please be prepared to go under the water! Further details will be discussed when you meet with a pastor.