Water Baptisms with The Calahonda Church

The Calahonda Church Baptisms

Water Baptism services are a very important part of our church life. We encourage all believers to be baptized in water as an outward declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ.

After a short service in the church when Pastor Peter explains from the Word of God the importance of this ordinance, the candidates are then baptized in water before witnesses.

Afterwards the Fellowship enjoys a meal together to celebrate these joyful occasions.

The Importance of Water Baptism

by Rev. Peter Riggall

Water baptism reveals to others that we have repented, been forgiven and saved and that we are identified with Christ in His death and resurrection. We have begun our Christian walk with a definite, tangible and physical act of obedience to Christ.

“...they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' ......Then those who gladly received his word were baptized... " Acts 2:37-41

Note that the baptism was not considered an “optional extra” but a requirement. Baptism in water should be a definite experience in the life of every Christian.

To be baptized is to be fully immersed in water. The Greek “baptizo” means to dip, plunge, put under so as to submerge. Baptism is for all who believe and is in accordance with the command of the Lord Jesus Himself (Matt 28:19)

We see a number of examples in the book of Acts that clearly show water baptism is for all who believe.

Acts 8:12,13 tells us the Samaritans were baptized, followed soon thereafter by the account of the Ethiopian's baptism. Cornelius and his household soon after their salvation experience were baptized (Acts 10:47-48). Later in the book of Acts we read of the Ephesian disciples being baptized.

Water baptism although symbolic has deep spiritual significance. It is a baptism into the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. By baptism into His death we are 'cut off' from the former life. By immersion we bury the 'old man' or old life and by rising up we experience resurrection and newness of life.

We are baptized into His death but we do not enter into His resurrection in quite the same way because His resurrection enters into us! In identifying with the death of the Lord the emphasis is solely on “I in Christ” but in the resurrection there is a new emphasis “Christ in me”.