Vineyard Assembly of God

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

Based upon the New Testament account, water baptism is one’s rightful response to

Christ’s command recorded in Matthew 28. While baptism is not the agency of salvation

(Ephesians 2:8-9), it does serve as a significant, outward sign, or testimony, of the inward

work of regeneration that occurred the instant Christ was received by faith as Savior and

Lord. It speaks of obedience in one’s life. It also speaks of submission to Christ’s Lordship

and leadership. Just as importantly, it speaks of unity, and commitment to His body, the

church. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4: Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4)

Mode of Baptism

Identification with Christ in His death and burial is most clearly depicted through baptism by

immersion. Being fully submersed in water is consistent with the biblical pattern of baptism

in the early church, as well as Jesus’ baptism, while the coming up out of the water speaks

of one’s reception and participation in the present and future benefits of Christ’s

resurrection. (Romans 6:3-4)

Every person who believes in Christ should be baptized (Acts. 2:41; Acts. 8:12). Some choose

to repeat their baptism experience as an expression of rededicating their lives to

Christ and His church.

There are three primary reasons for choosing to be baptized.

• To follow the example set by Jesus (Mark 1:9)

• Because Jesus commands every believer to be baptized (Matthew 28:19-20)

• Being baptized demonstrates that you are a true follower of Christ (Acts 18:8;

1 John 2:3)

Since the biblical model for baptism clearly follows a personal decision to trust in Christ as

Savior and to commit oneself to His Lordship, we choose not to perform “infant baptism”.

However, dedicating a child to the Lord is a valid means of declaring God’s destiny over the

child, so a dedication ceremony with family and friends is encouraged.

Here, at Vineyard Assembly of God, we wait until a child is old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of

baptism before we baptize them. A parental/guardian permission slip must be signed,

accompanied by a pastoral interview prior to a baptizing a minor.

According to biblical accounts, there was a sense of immediacy when it came to baptism

following conversion. In other words, all new believers should be baptized as soon as

possible (Acts 2:41; Acts 8:35-38). There is no reason to delay. Once an individual (young

or old alike) has accepted Jesus into their heart, we encourage them to seek to obey Christ

through baptism at the next available opportunity. Gathering friends and family together to

celebrate your baptism is encouraged. Please call the church office to obtain the date of the

next scheduled baptism service.

Yes! If each family member understands fully the meaning of baptism, and each one has

personally placed his/her trust in Christ for salvation, we encourage families to be baptized

at the same time. It can be a wonderful expression of commitment as a family. However, it

is important to remember that baptism is a personal statement of faith, not a family tradition.

It is usually not wise to delay your baptism while waiting on other family members to accept

Christ, particularly children. This can put undue stress and pressure on them, and can

serve to delay your own obedience to the Lord.

Please contact the Church Office at (508) 696-7576.

Water Baptism Service - March 2010