Interested in Baptism? Scroll down!
Baptisms at elevate
We are so excited about your student’s interest in taking this step of faith to get baptized! If your student decides to get baptized, they will need to bring their own towel, dark t-shirt, and shorts with them to Elevate, then they can change before it’s time to get in the tank. We will also provide a baptism t-shirt. If they have any preference of who baptizes them (for example one of their life group leaders or a parent), we can totally make that happen, just let us know! Otherwise, Emma and myself will be in the tank ready to go. I would also bring a change of dry clothes for afterwards!
why baptism?
Baptisms are a very exciting thing to be a part of, but we also want to make sure our students understand the "why" behind getting baptized. We never want a student to make this decision on a whim without understanding what it means. Here is a good summary of the “WHY?”
Baptism isn't what saves us. Jesus is who saves us. The moment we trust Him and what He did on the cross for us, and when we surrender our lives into His care, we are saved. The bible says in Romans 9: "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision that was made to follow Jesus.
My favorite way to illustrate baptism, is that it's like wearing a wedding ring. Your ring isn't what considers you married, it's the "I do." commitment. The ring is simply a public proclamation of the decision that you made before God. In the same way, baptism publicly shows your faith and commitment to Jesus. (All through the book of Acts, we see believers coming to faith, and then immediately getting baptized. This was the case with Paul in Acts 9:17-18, The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:35-38, Simon in Acts 8:12-13, and many more in Acts 2:41, Acts 16:14-15, Acts 16:29-33, and Acts 18:8.)
Baptism is symbolic of our heart posture.
Going under the water represents laying our old life down, and emerging from the water represents our new life that we now live with Jesus. It also resembles the way that our Lord laid His life down for us on the cross, and then was resurrected three days later, proving His power over the grave.
in the tank
In the tank your student will be asked a few questions. The purpose of these questions is for them to publicly declare the decision that they have made in their hearts. This won’t be mic’d up or anything, just for whoever is in and around the tank to hear. The questions will be something along the lines of: 1. Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin? 2. Do you believe that He rose from the grave, conquering sin and death? 3. Is it your desire to live your life in obedience to Him? After your student confirms these statements of faith, we will say, “Based on your profession of faith, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Then they are dunked and everyone celebrates what God has done!