BAPTISM

Baptism is an important step of obedience for believers in Christ. It shows the world that we’ve made the decision to put our faith in Jesus.

We are following the example of Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17) when we choose to be publicly baptized and announce to the world that we now live for Jesus Christ! At Hope City Community Church, we invite you to take this important step in your faith and choose to be baptized as a symbol of salvation and to represent a new life with Christ in His family.

At Hope City we practice water baptism as an outward, public declaration of what Jesus has done for us on the inside. Christians are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection.

“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 NIV

Water baptism is the next step for all new believers after they make the decision to put their faith in Jesus. While water baptism is an important step of obedience, it does not save you. It has no purpose or meaning until after you have decided to follow Jesus and committed your life to Him. You may have been baptized as a child, but you now have a different understanding of salvation and baptism and have a deeper relationship with the Lord than you did as a child, and you want to honor this new level of relationship through baptism. You may want to honor a new covenant with the Lord and a spouse or a child through baptism. We would be honored to celebrate any of these reasons for you to be baptized with you!

 

Register for our next baptism today!

Register to be water baptized
 

If you have any questions about baptism at Hope City Community Church, please contact us at info@hopecitycc.com.

 Baptism FAQs

  • Why be baptized?

    Those who are baptized are proclaiming to the world that they have put their faith in Jesus. They are following Jesus' example and obeying His command.

    • “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” —Matthew 3:16–17

    • “Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” —Matthew 28:18–20

  • Water baptism is a public declaration of three very important things:

    • You are a follower of Jesus Christ.
      “Those who accepted his message were baptized.” —Acts 2:41a

    • You are beginning a new, changed life in Christ.
      “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” —Romans 6:4

    • You are part of a new family.
      “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” —Galatians 3:26–27

  • Your baptism should have signified your choice to become a follower of Jesus, beginning a new, changed life, and uniting with a new family, God’s family.

    If your baptism did not reflect this choice and change of life, then you should be baptized again.

    Some people also choose to be baptized again after a season of not walking with Christ and a recommitment to follow Him.

  • We do not have a minimum age for baptism. We will baptize anyone who understands what baptism symbolizes and wants to make that personal public declaration.

    We encourage any parents to partner with our Hope City Kids and Hope City Youth ministries to guide your children through these decisions and steps of faith.

  • At Hope City, we practice a believer’s baptism.

    Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible we see that Jesus' parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17).

    We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus.


    At Hope City, we offer a baby/child dedication to the Lord. For more information about baby/child dedications, click HERE or complete our Baby/Child Registration Form.