Everyone who is willing to repent of their sins and confess their belief in Christ should be baptized.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39)
Baptism
We love celebrating those who have made the decision to declare Jesus as Lord and Savior and be baptized. We believe that baptism serves as a symbol of the burial of the old self and the resurrection of your soul to walk in life with Christ, and we regularly include that in our Sunday services and will make any accommodations to baptizing you anywhere!
Are you considering accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Baptism is your next step! Have you been a believer for a while, but you’ve never been immersed? We’d love to talk to you about being baptized at Compass!
FAQ About Baptism
Who should be baptized?
How and When Should I be baptized?
The word for “baptism” in the New Testament is the Greek word baptizo, which means “to immerse in water.” The New Testament says baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-5). Baptism serves as a symbol of the burial of the old self and the resurrection of the believer’s soul to walk in life with Christ. Therefore, at Compass, we baptize people by immersing them in water. If you have been sprinkled, we would love to talk to you about why immersion is important.
A person should be baptized at the time he or she trusts in Christ. The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but in the New Testament church, a person’s baptism was always the first expression of faith, not separate from it. Therefore, baptism was not just a symbol or a memorial of faith, but was intended to offer a means of union with Christ and a benchmark of transformation, marking the place and time a person made a commitment to Christ (Romans 6:1-8).
At Compass, we are attempting to restore the original intent and practice of baptism. Therefore, we ask a person to be baptized at the point that he or she is ready to make a commitment to Christ.
Why Should I be baptized?
A person should be baptized to follow the example of Christ (Matthew 3:13-17), to obey Christ’s command (Matthew 28:18), to accept forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), to express trust in Christ (Acts 8:12-13), and to testify to God’s work in his or her life (Romans 6:1-8; Galatians 3:27). The only method by which the human soul can be wiped clean of sin is through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:27-10:7), and this “washing away” of sin is most clearly symbolized in the act of baptism (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21).
The act of baptism cannot save an individual. We are saved only through accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Baptism demonstrates the believer’s acceptance of Christ and is the point of time when the believer receives assurance of his or her faith.
Should a person ever be rebaptized?
Any person who has trusted in Jesus as the only Son of God and who has willingly been immersed into Christ may become a ministry partner (member) of Compass whether the baptism occurred here or elsewhere. Rebaptism is encouraged for those who lack confidence in their initial baptism experience because they don’t remember it, they were coerced, or their heart was not right with God at the time. Anyone who has fallen into sin after having been baptized should repent and seek forgiveness, but rebaptism is not necessary (Acts 8:13-24).
Can children get baptized at Compass?
We encourage baptism for children age 8 or older. We want this to be a personal decision that they have made to follow Jesus. Child Dedication is available for younger children to allow parents the privilege of deciding to raise their kids to love and honor Jesus. For information on scheduling a dedication, message our Compass Kid’s director here . If you feel like a child younger than age 8 is ready for baptism, one of our Compass Kids ministry leaders would love to talk with you and your child about their next step as they follow Jesus.
Is there Bible study I could do on baptism?
We have a personal Bible study on baptism you may find helpful. Find that resource Below .
Have more questions?
We’d love to talk with you! We have wonderful people who would be thrilled to have a conversation with you about your decision to get baptized, Click here to contact a team member.