Our church baptized three of our young people yesterday.  What a glorious day it was!

Before we did the actual baptisms, I reminded everyone that we were all there to participate in the baptism service.  It was not just for the three being baptized, but we were to all participate in the baptism service.  So here are four ways to participate in your church’s next baptism service.

First, we are all there to celebrate God’s saving work in the lives of those being baptized.  By faith in Jesus Christ, their sins have been washed away.  They are now His disciples.  And they are standing before us to proclaim that reality in their lives.  That is worth celebrating!

Second, we are all there to witness their confession of faith and commitment to follow Christ.  As witnesses, we must then be committed as their church family to help them grow in their walk with the Lord.  We commit to teach, to encourage, to support, to pray for, to build up, to be the church family in which they can grow up in the Faith.

Third, we are all there to remember our own baptisms.  As we watch these new believers be baptized, we remember our public proclamation of faith through the waters of baptism.  We remember our own salvation through Jesus Christ, and our own commitment to live for Him.  And as we remember, we affirm our faith and desire to follow Christ.

Finally, we are all there to pray for any who do not know Christ as their Savior who may be observing the baptisms.  We cry out silently that God might be at work in people’s hearts convicting them of sin and the real offer of salvation in Jesus Christ.  This assumes of course that we are in fact saved.  If not, then we ought to prayerfully consider our own need of salvation, of receiving what those who are being baptized have received.

Don’t just be a spectator at your next baptism service.  Be an active participant as you celebrate, witness, remember, and pray.