Evangel Assembly of God

Minors can download a consent form here: Baptism Consent Form

Our purpose of baptism is to show that we are part of God’s bigger story, instead of God being a part of our little stories. We want the world to know about how big God is in our lives. Baptism, then, is in essence the outward declaration of the inward transformations that occurs when one repents of their sins and turns their lives over to Jesus Christ. This is what the Bibles says about baptism:

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
~Romans 6:4~

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.“ ~Mark 16.16~

It’s important to understand that belief precludes baptism. Many believe that this verse is stating that baptism is necessary for salvation and if one is not baptized, that one risks not entering heaven. This is not true. One must be baptized AFTER one comes to a saving knowledge in Jesus Christ. Belief and baptism are synonymous. Belief is the inward response while baptism is the outward response to the same transformation when one comes to Jesus. This is why we hold firm in the Biblical belief that baptism is a thought out decision. This is also why Evangel does not baptize infants. The “condemnation” portion of the verse refers to one’s unbelief in Jesus as Savior and not to one’s lack of water baptism.

While it’s important to take seriously one’s decision to be water baptized, it’s also equally important to understand that it is Biblically commanded by Jesus Christ as an action that was to soon follow one’s belief as the first act of obedience to God. In many cases, even immediately following belief such as in the case of the 3,000 people after Peter’s speech in Acts 2.41 and the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip in Acts 8.36.

If you have repented of your sin and have made the conscious decision to follow Jesus Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then the very next step is water baptism as a sign to both yourself, your family, and the family of God that surrounds you here at Evangel. Know that in making the decision to be baptized you are declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord and that you intend to make Him known throughout your entire life.