Dear Parent or Guardian,

We’re excited your child is interested in baptism! While baptism doesn’t save, it is an important step that reflects a life changed by the gospel. Our heart is to help you consider whether your child is ready for baptism and to share what to expect in the baptism meeting with a pastor.

How Do I Know My Child Is Ready?

Scripture teaches that anyone who wants to be baptized must 1) show that they understand and embrace the gospel message, and 2) show evidence of “Christian fruit” in their life. Examples of Christian fruit to look for in your child include:

● Right belief about Jesus and the gospel (Acts 8:30-38)

● Conviction over sin (Acts 2:37)

● Love for the Bible (Acts 2:42)

● Love for other believers (1 John 3:10)

● Desire to attend church (Hebrews 10:24-25)

● Increasing obedience to God’s Word (John 14:15)

 
Why We Approach Baptism Carefully with Children

While some young believers are ready for baptism, we’ve seen many cases where children later question their understanding or motives at their baptism. As they grow and mature, some admit they only wanted to get baptized because a sibling or parent did. Some realize later on that they did not understand the gospel and were not truly saved at their baptism, leading them to pursue baptism again. Others grow up and assume they are saved because of an early baptism, yet show no genuine faith and repentance. For these reasons, we want to approach child baptisms carefully. Not every child who wants to get baptized is ready for baptism. And that’s okay. Sometimes the best next step is to keep growing before baptism.

What to Expect at the Baptism Meeting

We look forward to meeting with you and your child! This conversation helps us understand your child’s grasp of the gospel and their readiness for baptism. If it becomes clear in this meeting that your child would benefit more by waiting for baptism, we pray you’ll be encouraged. We’ve enjoyed seeing many young people benefit from taking this step when the time is right. In the meantime, keep teaching, praying, bringing them to church, and modeling faith at home while trusting God to work in your child.

With love and care,

Pastors Eric Hammen, Caleb Waldrop, and Blake LaRussa

Parents - Please take the time to to review this with your child: 

The gospel is the good news about God’s solution to our sin problem through his own Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible makes clear that no one can earn forgiveness and a relationship with God by good behavior. But through Jesus’ sinless life, substitutionary death on the Cross, and bodily resurrection on the third day, we can be forgiven of our sins and enjoy a right relationship with God!

Questions:

1. Who made us, and to whom are we accountable?

2. What is our problem?

3. What is God’s solution to our problem?

4. How can I be included in his solution?

Answers:

1. We are accountable to God.

2. Our problem is our sin against him.

3. God’s solution is salvation through Jesus Christ.

4. We come to be included in that salvation by faith and repentance.

Four-Word Gospel Presentation Method:

1. God

2. Man

3. Christ

4. Response

(1) God:

Nothing affects a person more than what they believe about God. The Bible tells us that God is the creator and ruler of everything. As our Creator, he alone has the right to our lives and the right to tell us how to live. He is also the Triune God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Being holy, God is completely pure and set apart from His creation. There is no one like Him. He is completely perfect and unique in his power, his goodness, and his love. Understanding the nature of God is key to recognizing the gravity of sin.

(1) God is the Creator of all things

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

(2) God is our Creator and therefore has the right to tell us how to live

Genesis 1:27 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

(3) God is Loving and Kind, but also Holy, Righteous, and Just

Exodus 34:6-7 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…

(2) Mankind

Now we get to us: people! God made people in his own image. For this reason, all humans are special and valuable to God. However, we have a major problem. We have sinned against the Holy and Loving God who made us. When we disobey God, we are rejecting His rightful and loving authority over our lives. This is why we say that sin is rebellion against God. Because God is Holy, Righteous, and Just, He cannot “swipe sins under the rug.” This leaves us in a dark and desperate situation.

(1) Sin is rebellion against God’s rightful authority over us

Isaiah 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

(2) We are sinful by nature and sinful by choice

Romans 3:9-12 For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

(3) Everyone has sinned against God

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(4) Our sins have separated us from God

Isaiah 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

(5) We can’t fix our sin problem by being good

Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

(3) Christ

Now we get to the best news in the world. The good news of the gospel is the good news about the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not just a good teacher, miracle worker, or an example to follow, but He is God. Christ means ‘anointed one.’ This means that Jesus is the King who was promised long ago to come and rescue His people from their sins. Being fully God and fully man, Jesus lived a sinless life that we couldn’t live. He died on the cross in the place of sinners to pay our sin debt. He rose to life on the third day. And He is the only way for someone to be saved from their sins.

(1) Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God

Matthew 16:13-16 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

(2) Jesus is fully God and fully man

Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(3) Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for sin, and rose from the dead 3 days later

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

(4) Jesus is the only Savior and the only way to be reconciled to God

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(4) Response

The gospel demands a response. God’s offer of forgiveness of sins and right-relationship with Him through Jesus is wonderful news, but the big question is: how does that become true for me? The Bible is clear that good deeds, baptism, and even church attendance cannot save us. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace that is to be received through faith and repentance.

Repentance and faith are like two sides of the same coin. If authentic, they always go together. Repentance does not mean that one is perfect, but it does involve turning away from our rebellion against God and joyfully submitting to Jesus as our King. Faith is not just believing Jesus to be real. Faith, or belief, is placing one’s total trust in Jesus’ sinless life, death on the cross, and resurrection to forgive us of our sins and make us a part of God’s family.

(1) Salvation is by grace, not by trying to be good

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

(2) We must repent and believe in the gospel

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

(3) All who refuse to repent and believe will suffer in hell forever

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

(4) All who repent and believe will live in paradise with God forever

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.