THE RIVER CHURCH | SUNDAYS 9:30AM | N2482 CISCO RD, LAKE GENEVA, WI 53147
Baptism
at The River Church
What Baptism Is...
1. It's a command
Jesus commanded in Matthew 28, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". Baptism is not optional to Jesus, it’s a command for every one who follows Him.
2. It's a sign
Baptism preaches the truth about Jesus' work in your life. It's a public profession of your faith that He has changed you and you have dedicated your life to Him. It's a sign that puts the gospel on display for all to see.
3. It's a celebration
"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free” -1 Corinthians 12:13
This means that not only have you been united with Christ but you’ve been united with the church. It means that the church family has a new member!
What Baptism Is Not...
1. It's not necessary for salvation
We believe that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality. In other words, baptism shows you and others what God has already done on the inside. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
2. It's not for perfect people
There is not a standard you have to meet before you get baptized. The only thing is that you have completely trusted your life to Jesus Christ, that He is your lord and savior and that you are no longer living for yourself but living for Him.
3. It doesn't add anything to your salvation
Baptism is simply a public profession. It's an outward sign of an inward reality. It doesn't make you closer to God nor make you a better part of the church.
Baptism Sundays are always highly anticipated events for us. The stories of transformation that we get to hear through our baptism classes are inspiring. You may have been feeling the prompting of the Holy Spirit and you may have been praying about it but you've got some questions. Read below what The River Church believes baptism is and next steps to take on your way to getting baptized.
When should you get baptized?
In Scripture, Christians were baptized after they put their faith in Jesus Christ. For some, like the Ethiopian eunuch, this took place immediately after their faith commitment. When a person makes a sincere commitment, there isn’t a “waiting period” or time that they need to prove they really are following Christ. So, after you make a faith commitment, we encourage you to take the step of showing it publicly through baptism. If you committed your life to Christ a while ago and just have never proclaimed it publicly through baptism, it’s never too late! What is most important is that this happens after a person has come to faith in Jesus Christ.
How does The River Church Baptize?
The Greek word for Baptism is “Baptizo” which means immerse or submerge. This definition fits with Jesus’ baptism as well as all of the baptisms we see John the Baptist performing. Therefore, our mode of baptism that we find to fit our understanding of scripture is by way of full submersion.
What is your next step?
Come to one of our baptism classes. We hold classes quarterly. Check our CONNECT page to see when the next class is held. One of our elders will go into more depth about baptism and all the logistics involved. You will also get paired up with a baptism mentor to walk you through the process, celebrate with you, and be with you during this time.
