Baptism & Membership

Baptism

Baptism

From the example of the New Testament, Baptists believe that baptism is only for those who believe and are able to declare personally that Jesus is Lord. As a symbol of Jesus’ claim on our lives, we practise baptism by immersion, which symbolises the death and burial of our old lives and resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ.

We hold services of Believers’ baptism regularly, and they are some of our most exciting times together! If you want to find out more about baptism, please contact us.

Church Membership

When a person is baptised in a Baptist church, they normally become a church member. (If you’ve already been baptised as a believer, you don’t need to be baptised again if you want to join!) Baptists view membership as a significant and important step in a Christian’s life – it means that you are recognising God’s call to serve within a particular local expression of the Church.

  • Church members are formally expressing that they are part of the local Christian community.
  • Church members share in the responsibility of prayerfully discerning God’s will for the church. Final authority in any Baptist church does not rest with the Pastor, the Deacons or any other local, national or international body, but with the members meeting together under God’s guidance. The Church meeting makes appointments, agrees financial policy and mission strategy.
  • Church members support the church’s work with their time, their gifts and skills, and their money.
  • Church members commit to meet together regularly for worship, prayer and bible study.
  • Church members make themselves accountable to one another for discipleship and discipline.