Baptism
For thousands of years, Christians throughout the world have practiced the celebration of baptism. Baptism is an important symbol of the new life that God gives to us through Jesus. It reminds us that without Jesus we are dead in our sins and need to be resurrected. Baptism also reminds us that we are called to join God’s family and share in the life that He gives through the Church.
For more information about baptisms at Grace, check out our Frequently Asked Questions below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Grace practice immersion or sprinkling?
We baptize by immersion because: (1) Jesus was baptized that way (Matthew 3:16); (2) Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion (like Acts 8:38-39); (3) The word “baptize” means “to dip under water”; (4) Immersion best symbolizes a burial and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11).
What if I have already been baptized or sprinkled?
The Bible teaches that followers of Jesus should be baptized. There is not a clear mandate that someone has to be baptized in a particular local church. If you have been baptized elsewhere, that was your act of obedience. If you have been sprinkled, we don’t discount the experience as a spiritual marker.
Do you baptize children?
We do baptize children ages 5 & up. We have specific Sundays in our kids environment that have a salvation emphasis. If your child is asking questions & is curious about salvation, we encourage you to use the tools provided on our Baptism Resources for Parents. We want parents to be equipped to have these conversations with their children. The child and parent can then make the decision as to whether the child is ready for baptism. We want to ensure that a person understands the meaning of baptism before choosing to experience it. Our children’s pastor is also always available to meet with families during this process, contact her HERE.
What about infant baptism?
Because we believe baptism should follow a personal decision to follow Christ, we do not baptize infants. We do have parent dedication several times a year. This is a special time for parents to make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God’s will and to raise that child according to God’s Word. For more information about our next parent dedication, click HERE.
How do I know if I am ready to be baptized?
Baptism is for anyone who has chosen to become a follower of Jesus. Baptism will not give someone eternal life. That comes through faith in Jesus. Baptism is a way of publicly identifying with Jesus. If we waited until we were perfect before being baptized, we would never be baptized!
How does baptism work at Grace?
We schedule baptisms several times a year. Because we don’t have a permanent building, we try to be accommodating based on baptism needs and the look of a baptism morning can change. We have done baptisms at various locations: often at the schools where we meet, outside or at sister churches. If you are ready to be baptized, please fill out the form below. If you still have questions regarding baptism, please email us at grace@graceclarksville.com.
Baptism Resources for Parents
If your child has made a decision to follow Jesus, we ask that you as parents have an intentional conversation with your child about whether or not he or she understands the meaning of this decision & the next step of Baptism.
See our Parent Resources for talking with your child about these important decisions.