Baptism
A festive sign of a new beginning: believe, repent, be baptised.
What is baptism?
Believing in Jesus, accepting Him as Saviour and acknowledging Him as Lord, changes you on the inside: the Bible calls that conversion and new birth, a new creation. Baptism in water is the outward sign of it. You are baptised because you are saved, not in order to be saved. Baptism is a picture of the burial of the old self and the resurrection of Christ: whoever is baptised openly identifies with Jesus in His death and resurrection, in order to walk in a new life (Romans 6:3-4). It is an act of obedience out of love, and Jesus Himself set the example when He was baptised by John.
How, when and who?
How?
By immersion. The Greek word ‘baptizo’ literally means to dip, to go under water. That is how Jesus was baptised in the Jordan and how Philip baptised the Ethiopian official (Matthew 3:16, Acts 8:38).
When?
After repentance and faith; that is the biblical order (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38). In the book of Acts new believers are baptised without delay, sometimes the same day. That is why we believe in adult or believer’s baptism and do not baptise babies.
Who?
Everyone who wholeheartedly believes in Jesus and has accepted Him as Lord and Saviour, teenagers included. Were you baptised as a child? We would love to talk with you about it; you are welcome to be baptised as a believer.
Baptism services
A few times a year there is a baptism service: a festive Sunday service in which people are baptised and share how Jesus changed their lives. Family and friends are very welcome, even if they never come to church. In 2024 twenty people were baptised with us, including several teenagers. Beforehand there are a few evenings of baptism preparation, in which we look together at what baptism means and at your own story. A step of faith sometimes comes with struggle or doubt; we are glad to help you through it.
Would you like to be baptised?
Let us know. We will invite you for a conversation and the baptism preparation, and you will hear when the next baptism service is.
Questions?
Pastor Joshi van Veen joshi@rafaelgoes.nl Office: office@rafaelgoes.nl
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.