Baptize New Believers Part 1

A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters

Baptize New Believers Part 1

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters.”

The second of the seven basic commands of Jesus is to baptize new believers. After Jesus had been crucified and buried he rose from the dead and appeared to more than 500 people.

Just before he ascended into heaven he said to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

As a Village Church Planter, you have the great privilege to help people repent and believe the Good News. You do this directly by talking with unbelievers about the Good News of Jesus. And you train your disciples to share the Gospel. What an honor that is!

But what’s next? After people repent and believe the Good News, what is the next step? People who repent and put their trust in Jesus should be baptized. And who should baptize new believers? People who are disciples of Jesus. John 4 tells us,
“Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.”

Why do disciples of Jesus baptize new believers? Because baptism is a symbol of the new life in Christ that a new believer has just received. And all who have repented of their sins and put their trust in Jesus have received a new life.   So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away —look, what is new has come!

Baptism in water shows that the one being baptized has died to sin but has received a new life, a life of doing what is right. Baptism in water is a way of showing that our sins have been washed away. The water of baptism cleans the outside of our body. 

But the blood of Jesus cleanses our hearts from all unrighteousness. Baptism symbolizes that a new believer is clean before God because of
what Jesus has done in his or her heart. But baptism is not just a symbolic representation of a new, clean life with God. Baptism proclaims in a very strong way to the new believer and to the church that the one being baptized has repented from their sins. Baptism marks the end of a life of willful sinning and the beginning of loving, faithful obedience to Christ.

So teach people about baptism and what it means. Prepare new believers to be baptized. Organize baptism services. Don’t delay baptism. Jesus did not delay baptism of those who had repented and believed. Jesus’ disciples did not delay baptism. Philip baptized the Ethiopian without delay when he believed the Good News about Jesus. As a Village Church A Word of Encouragement for Village Church Planters Planter, you are following the example of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

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