What should I wear?

Pants / shorts and a dark t-shirt are recommended. Other items are fine as long as the clothes are not revealing when wet.

Will I have to say anything?

At the baptismal service you will be asked you if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. You will then be briefly lowered into the water, afterwards you may leave the water, dry off, and watch the others. Later you will be mailed a certificate of your baptism.  We encourage you to invite all your relatives and friends to attend your baptism.  Other than stating publicly that you have accepted Christ you are not required to say anything. You will be given to opportunity to give a brief testimony, but the choice is yours.

What if I have special needs?

Our pastors can perform a private baptism if needed.

What is the meaning of baptism?

• It illustrates Christ´s burial and resurrection (“Christ died for our sins… He was buried… and He rose again.” — 1 Cor. 15:3-4, “For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.” —Col. 2:12).
• It illustrates my new life as a Christian (“When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!” — 2 Cor. 5:17, “By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead…so also we may live a new life!” — Rom. 6:4).
• Baptism doesn´t make you a believer—it shows that you already believe. Baptism does not “save” you, only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring —it´s the outward symbol of the commitment you make in your heart (“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith… it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9).

Why baptized by immersion?

• Because Jesus was baptized that way (“As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water.” — Matt. 3:16).
• Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion.
• (Example) “…then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…” — Acts 8:38-39.
• The word Baptize means “To dip under water.”
• The Greek work, Baptizo, means “To immerse or dip under water.”
• It best symbolizes a burial and resurrection!

Who should be baptized?

• Every person who has believed in Christ.
• “Those who believe and accepted His message were baptized…” —Acts 2:41
• “Simon himself believed and was baptized…” —Acts 8:13
• “But when they believed Philip as he preached the Good News… and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” —Acts 8:12

At Canvas Church we wait until our children are old enough to believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them. Some churches practice a “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a covenant 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 own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed. This is different from the baptism talked about in the Bible which was only for those old enough to believe. The purpose is to publicly confess your personal commitment to Christ.

At Canvas Church, it is our desire that everyone be baptized the way Jesus demonstrated, even though many of us were “confirmed” as children.

Why should I be baptized?

• To follow the example set by Christ (“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river.” — Mark 1:9).
• Because Christ commands it (“Jesus said, ‘Go then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and then teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.’” — Matt. 28: 19-20).
• It demonstrates that I really am a believer (“… many of the people who heard Him believed and were baptized.” — Acts 18:8, “We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands.” — 1 John 2:3)

We are so excited that you are considering baptism for your child!

Every child can have a personal relationship with Jesus, and in Canvas Kids we encourage them to make a decision to follow Him. Our children are encouraged to not just learn about Jesus, but learn from Him by walking with Him every day.

We advise parents to wait until their child is asking to be water baptized. This is usually a good indication that they are ready to be baptized and that it will be a spiritual milestone in their life. While younger children under the age of seven can have a relationship with Jesus, they will not necessarily remember or understand the significance of the event, so we encourage parents to wait for baptism until they are a little older.

As you discern if your child is ready to be water baptized, here are some questions to ask your child. The following answers show that your child understands.

1. When did you decide to follow Jesus and become His forever friend? Your child should have a specific memory of when he or she understood what Jesus did, and that he or she needs Jesus in their life. It may have been at church, at home, or even sometime when they were alone.
2. What does it mean to be water baptized? It means I’m following Jesus. It means I’m a Christian and I want to show the world. It’s a picture of what Jesus has done on the inside of me.
3. Why do you want to be water baptized? Because Jesus was baptized and he tells us to be baptized also. Because I’m a friend of Jesus and I want to follow Him.

Is your child ready?

If you feel your child understands what it means to be water baptized, then we’d love for you to read through the water baptism devotional with them.

Is your child not ready?

If you don’t feel your child understands what it means to be water baptized, it’s totally appropriate to wait. During this time, let your child observe water baptism and talk to them about what it means. We’d love for you to read through the water baptism devotional with your child and spur them on in their personal friendship with Jesus.

More Information

If you would like to sign your child up to be baptized text “baptism” to 858-943-2221 or email us. If you have any questions, please email our Kid’s Ministry or call our office at 619-231-7745.