Special Baptism Service: Celebrating New Life in Christ

On Sunday, August 12th five young adults will be baptized during a special service at Mike and Jody Koehns.  We hope you will join us for the special celebration of new life in Christ.  This event is especially encouraging in the life of this Lake Country Bible Church (now in it's twentieth year).  For many years, faithful church members at Lake Country Bible Church prayed that God would send more young families and young adults to our Word-centered congregation.  Pastor Sal and many others faithfully preached and served and waited on the Lord.  In His perfect timing the Lord began to answer these petitions.  The quality of of the Spirit-filled believers who have become part of what was already a wonderful congregation over the past three years is so encouraging.

Whether one is a pastor, a parent, or a faithful church member all glory belongs to God.  As Scripture clearly notes, as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

What We Believe Scripture Teaches Concerning Baptism

Baptism is a command of the Lord. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances instituted in the church by her head, Jesus Christ.

• The Lord's Command—“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:19).  As the second member of the Triune Godhead, Jesus’ word is sufficient warrant for the baptism of believers.  Simply put, this is a matter of obedience.

• The Practice of the Early Church—This reveals the application of the Lord's words by those who heard Him speak.  We read concerning the converts on the Day of Pentecost: " So then, those who had received his word were baptized." Further examples of apostolic practice: Acts 8:30-38; Acts 10:44-48; 16:29-34.

Baptism is for Christians alone.

Baptism is limited to disciples, believers, or those who have received the Holy Spirit. These different designations label the same people- namely, born-again Christians.  Only those who have come to Christ in repentance and faith are proper candidates for baptism (Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 2:41).

• Disciples—The evangelist was commanded to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ..." (Matt. 28:18).

• Believers—"Those who had received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:41). The eunuch confessed his faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Philip baptized him (Acts 8:30-38).  The jailor at Philippi "he and all his household… and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household" (Acts 16:33,34). 

·         Receivers of the Holy Spirit—While Peter was preaching to Cornelius, " the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message."  Peter then inquired, "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"  He then commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord (Acts 10:44-48).

Baptism is about public identification.

·         Identification with Christ— It pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ on behalf of the believer, while demonstrating the repentance of faith, and new life the believer has in Christ.  Paul asked, "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life"  (Romans 6:3,4; Col 2:12).

• Identification with the Church— “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).  Church membership and baptism were inseparable concepts in the early New Testament Church. 

• The verb “to Baptize” uniformly refers to dipping a strip of cloth into a beaker of dye so that this cloth becomes the same color as the dye.

Baptism is by immersion in water.

·         The Meaning—The meaning of the Greek word “baptize” is to dip or dunk.  It is evident that submerging one in the water and lifting them from it should be the method of baptism.  

·         The Example— The examples of baptism recorded in Scripture imply immersion (Mark 1:10; Matt. 3:16; Acts 8:38-39).  The mode of baptism is not the most important aspect of biblical baptism.  Salvation has always been by grace through faith alone (Titus 3:5-7; Eph. 2:1-10)!  Baptism DOES NOT save.  Jesus saves.  To all who have been forgiven in and through the perfect work of Christ let us rejoice as we celebrate with those who are obediently following the commandments of Christ.