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Baptism

What is Baptism?


You might be thinking to yourself; 'What would happen to me if I got baptised?' Well the word 'baptise' is a Greek word and literally means to 'immerse' or 'plunge'. So baptism involves being immersed in heated water for a brief moment!

Why on earth do we do this? Well partly because Jesus did it (Matthew 3:13-16), and then commanded his followers to do it too (Matthew 28: 19-20). So, very simply, it's a way of publicly showing that you are following Jesus.

But why do I have to get wet?


It is very important to understand that the water of baptism is not actually doing anything to you spiritually. There is nothing special about the water, it is just ordinary water with no strange remedies in it. In this sense baptism is just a picture or symbol of what has already happened in your life when you decided to follow Jesus. We therefore only baptise people who have already become believers and are open about their commitment to Jesus. To see this principle in the Bible have a look at Acts 2: 38-41 or 16:14-15.

What will I have to do?


We will ask you to briefly answer a couple of questions. Firstly, 'How did you become a Christian and what difference has it made to your life?' Secondly, 'Why are you getting baptised and what does it mean for you?'

Then you will be helped into the baptism pool under the stage and gently lowered into the water and out again. A friend will give you a towel and help you out to a changing room.

Baptisms are a time of real celebration as we express commitment to Jesus. It gives God pleasure to see you obeying him and expressing devotion to him, it can be a significant help for those who are not yet Christians and most of all it is a wonderful experience that you will never regret. One lady who recently got baptised at Hebron said; 'Even though I was really nervous, it was the best thing I've ever done!'