We are excited that you are interested in baptism. We believe that baptism is an important step of obedience for every person who has accepted Christ as his or her Savior. This page has been designed to explain baptism and the necessary steps to be baptized at an upcoming service.

 

The information below is intended to contain all the information you'll need, but if you have further questions, feel free to contact us at office@antiochwnc.org or call Julie Conway at 828-627-1200. We consider it a privilege to walk with you as you take this next step on your spiritual journey.

 

 

Christians believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, salvation occurs only when a person places his or her faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for his or her sin.

 

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are ready to be baptized. Just like a bride and groom show others their love for one another by wearing wedding bands, your baptism is your opportunity to show others that you have accepted Christ and are now walking with Him.

 

If you have any questions about how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please contact revsteve@antiochwnc.org.

 

Baptism is a way of showing others that you have entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It symbolizes what took place in your heart at the time of salvation:

·  Accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

·  Shared in His death and resurrection, illustrated by going under the water (dead to your old life), then rising again (new life).

·  Were symbolically washed clean, and sins were forgiven by His death on the cross.

 

Because Jesus instructed us to be baptized, baptism is an act of obedience. While it is not necessary for salvation, it demonstrates submission to God. We immerse at Antioch Baptist Church because we believe Scripture shows that Jesus modeled that for us as the way to publicly acknowledge our faith in Him.

 

Some denominations choose to christen infants. While we recognize the right of other churches to practice infant christening, we understand Scripture to teach that only professing believers qualify for baptism. Baptism does not make you a believer, rather it shows that you already believe.

 

The baptism process at Antioch has been designed to be both simple and meaningful. From the registration form to the baptism meeting, each step has been carefully planned with you in mind:

1. Complete the Adult Baptism Registration Form. Once we receive your registration form, we will contact you to schedule your baptism.

2. Since many people in our congregation may not know your spiritual story, you will need to prepare a short testimony (1-2 minutes) to share with the congregation. Our future plans are to film each person’s testimony and show it prior to their baptism.

3. Attend a meeting and film your testimony. After we receive your registration form, we'll contact you to schedule you for an informational meeting where you'll also have your testimony videotaped.

4. Get baptized! Baptisms take place during one of the Sunday services.

 

For questions, please contact Julie Conway or Pastor Steven Taylor at 828-627-1200.