Yesterday at New Life, we got to celebrate one of the most beautiful moments we ever experience as a church family—water baptism. Every time I witness someone step into the water, I’m reminded that baptism is far more than a ceremony or tradition. It’s a defining moment … a sacred marker on the journey of faith.

Baptism represents both a surrender and a beginning. It’s the visible sign of an inward reality: a life laid down and raised up again through Jesus Christ, which means that when someone is baptized, they are saying with their whole heart, “I belong to Jesus. My old life is gone. I am made new.”

What Does Water Baptism Symbolize?
Baptism is not just a religious ritual to check off a list—I hope you believe that, too. It’s a bold, powerful declaration in that when you go down into the water, it’s like being buried with Christ—laying down your sin, your shame, your old ways. And when you rise out of the water, it’s a picture of resurrection. A brand-new life. A fresh start.

It’s also an undeniable statement of protest—an outward rebellion against the inner war sin tries to wage in us. Baptism doesn’t mean we’re begging God for forgiveness; not at all! Rather, it means we’re receiving, with joy and gratitude, the grace that Jesus already won for us on the cross.

How Does Baptism Connect Us to God’s Family?
While faith is deeply personal, it was never meant to be private. Baptism pulls us into something bigger than ourselves—the family of God—and through baptism, we are united with other believers, knitted into a spiritual family that will walk with us, encourage us, and help protect us from the dangers of isolation and loneliness.

When we’re baptized, we aren’t just making a personal commitment. We’re stepping into a community—a fellowship of faith where we can be known, loved, and challenged to grow.

What Happens During Baptism?
The actual moment of baptism is deeply filled with significance. Those being baptized declare their faith publicly, answering simple but profound questions about their belief in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They receive the blessing and prayers of their church family, because we aren’t meant to do this journey alone. Then, as they are immersed in the water, they symbolically die to their old way of life. And when they come up out of the water, it’s a celebration of resurrection—a visible, joyful proclamation that they now walk in newness of life with Christ.

As you reflect on baptism, let me encourage you to sit with a few important questions:

  • Have you fully surrendered your life to Christ?
  • Are you trying to follow Jesus alone, or are you walking with a spiritual family?
  • What areas of your life still need to die, so that new life can grow in their place?

Challenge for the Week
Take some time this week to examine your heart. Are there places where you’re still holding back from fully surrendering to Jesus? If you’ve accepted Christ but haven’t yet been baptized, I encourage you to prayerfully consider taking that important step. You’ll have an opportunity this fall to do just that, and I pray you’ll say yes when the time comes.

And if you have already been baptized, look for someone newer in the faith that you can encourage. Be part of their spiritual family. Help them know they’re not alone. Let’s live like people who know the beauty of that new life. Let’s live as family.

I love being your pastor,

Brady

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