We are excited that you are interested in baptism. At Redstone Church, we believe that baptism is an important step of obedience for every person who has accepted Christ as his or her Savior. We consider it a privilege to walk with you as you take this next step on your spiritual journey. The following pages are intended to contain all the information you’ll need, but if, after checking them out, you have further questions, feel free to contact us. If you would like to talk with someone about our process, you can give Betsy Lee, our Service Programming Director, a call at 717.413.8001.
Who should be baptized?
Christians are people who believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, salvation occurs only when a person places his or her faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for his or her sin.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are ready to be baptized. Just like a bride and groom show others their love for one another by wearing wedding bands, your baptism is your opportunity to show others that you have accepted Christ and are now walking with Him.
If you have any questions about how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please contact us.
What does baptism symbolize?
Baptism is a way of showing others that a person has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It symbolizes what took place in his/her heart at the time of salvation:
- Acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
- Sharing in His death and resurrection illustrated by going under the water (dead to our old life), then rising again (new life).
- Being symbolically washed clean, our sins being forgiven by His death on the cross.
Because Jesus instructed us to be baptized, baptism is an act of obedience. While it is not necessary for salvation, it demonstrates submission to God. We immerse at Redstone Church because we believe Scripture shows that Jesus modeled that for us as the way to publicly acknowledge our faith in Him.
What about infant baptism or christening?
We believe the Bible teaches that when people are old enough to understand what it means to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, they can choose to be baptized. Therefore, we do not practice christening or infant baptism. We do, however, encourage parents who have a new addition to their family to be a part of Baby Dedication.
Also, for parents with children in elementary school, we encourage them to attend Jump Start.
What is the baptism process?
The baptism process has been designed to be both simple and meaningful. From the registration form to the baptism meeting, each step has been carefully planned with you in mind:
Step One: Watch Andy Stanley’s message on baptism.
Step Two: Complete the baptism application. Once we receive your application we’ll contact you to schedule a meeting time.
Step Three: Meet with our staff for a brief pre-baptism meeting.
Step Four: We will schedule your videotaping and baptism. Click here to read about how to make your video.
Step Five: Get baptized! Baptisms take place during one of our Sunday services and includes a showing of your prerecorded video.
