Linden Hills: Baptism

The Ordinances of the Church: There are two ceremonies that we may observe during our Worship Service at Linden Hills. We call these ceremonies “ordinances” of the church because we believe that that Christ “ordained” them to be observed by His church until His return. The two ordinances are Baptism and The Lord’s Supper (which is sometimes referred to as “Communion”).
What is Baptism? Baptism is a ceremony in which a person confesses his or her belief in Christ, is completely immersed in water for a moment, and then is raised up again

What does it mean? It is the New Christian’s first outward act of obedience to Christ’s commands. It is a testimony to all who are present that the person now follows Christ. It is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a picture of the death of a new Christian’s old life, and the beginning of a new life dedicated to serving the Lord. It is an act that signifies that person’s membership in Christ’s church.

Why “dunk” instead of sprinkle? The word “baptism” as it is used in the New Testament means to “plunge” or “immerse.” That is why we believe that a person who is baptized should be totally immersed (dunked) under water – as opposed to sprinkling or any other methods.

Why get baptized? Aside from the symbolic meaning of baptism for the person and for the church, we believe that ALL believers should be baptized because: Jesus set an example for us with His own baptism (see Matthew 3:16). Jesus gave a command for us to baptize new disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 18:19-21 above). The example of baptizing new believers was set from the beginning of the very first church (see Acts 2:36-41).