Water Baptisms Third Sundays

Water Baptism

If you are anywhere in Atlanta or any of the surrounding cities or if you’re in town visiting we’d love for you to fellowship with us! We are located at 3145 Old Atlanta Rd, Suwanee, GA. Our number is 678-845-7055. New Zion Christian Church does baptisms on every 3rd Sunday of the month immediately following service.

Read on to learn more about water baptisms…

What is baptism?
The word baptize comes from Greek origin Strong’s 907. baptizo, bap-tid’-zo; from a der of 911; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet) 911. bapto, bap`-to; to overwhelm (which means to cover over completely: submerge) i.e. cover wholly with a fluid. This word means “to immerse, dip” and also signified “to dye”

Baptism is extremely meaningful, yet actually quite simple. You begin by standing, sitting, or kneeling in water. The person officiating over the baptism lowers you under the water (fully submerged) and then brings you back up out of the water.

Why should I be baptized?
When you are baptized, you are baptized into the life, death & resurrection of Christ. It is the initial step to discipleship and living a Christian life. Baptism symbolizes laying down your old self (your old nature, your ways, your will, your desires) into a watery grave putting to death the old self and being raised from that water as the new you experiencing a new beginning and a new quality of life here & now through Christ. (See Romans 6:1-7)
Plainly put, we lay down our old life and our old ways, we bury the old ways and the old person in the water, we are raised to newness of life and begin living life like Christ. In essence we are born again. (2 Corinthians 5:17 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!)

What Baptism is not and what it won’t do.
• Baptism is not salvation. Salvation comes through confession with your mouth & belief in your heart that Jesus is the Christ, He died for our sins, and was raised back to life. If you haven’t confessed Christ yet…that would be your first step. After you’ve accepted Christ as your savior, Baptism reinforces what you confessed that you believe. It is the graduation of speech to action by submitting to, following and living victoriously for Christ rather than just talk. (See John 3:3-6 and Romans 14:17)
• Baptism will neither make you perfect nor Holy. It doesn’t mean that you won’t sin nor does it mean you won’t make mistakes. It is a committed effort on your part as a believer to do your best to live for Christ so that His character, attitude, & power will be seen through you. As you continue to grow in Christ, you’ll notice the changes. Some will happen sooner than others but remember you’re living for God so it’s all about His timing. (See 1 Peter 3:21-22, 1 Peter 4:1-6)

When or what age should I be baptized?
Let’s start out by saying that you can never be too old. The more pressing question is usually, can you be too young? Without long drawn out arguments the answer is this…It depends on that child. Some children have a firm understanding of having relationship with God. If they are at an age where they have accepted Christ for themselves, they should not be hindered. Scripture gives us our best answer:

Mark 10:13-16. 13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Who should I be baptized by?
Many people have a misconception that only the Senior Pastor or Apostle must do the baptizing when in fact this is inaccurate. If you attend a church where you get an awesome word like I do, that is a direct result of your Pastor or Apostle spending the necessary time with God to bring the word forth with power. The more time the Pastor spends with God the more powerful the word comes to change lives. With that being said, there are people who have been selected and discipled by the Apostle/Pastor who will carry out this honorable task. Jesus did the same thing. Let’s look at it in scripture:

John 4:1-2. 1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

It’s important to remember that it’s not about who is baptizing you, but rather that you remember whose name you are being baptized into.

Where should I be baptized?
Honestly, in scripture wherever there was water that you could be fully submerged in. Today, you can be baptized at your local church.

What to bring
If you do decide to get baptized, here is a list of what you will need to bring:
• Yourself
• White t-shirt (dark garment to go underneath if you are a female)
• Knee length shorts or comfortable Khaki’s or Capri’s for females
• Change of clothes

Leave the rest to the Holy Spirit as he moves through us. Your new beginning is a baptism away.