Children s Baptism What is Baptism? In church language it is a sacrament or ordinance. You can think of it as a ceremony. Ceremony is a word we use to describe a special event, like a wedding or a graduation. Baptism is a very special religious ceremony in which people declare their decision to give their life to Jesus. The general definition of the word baptism is a rite of washing with water as a sign of religious purification. Water is an important symbol in the Bible. The Israelites passed through water to escape Egypt and to enter the Promised Land. The priests in the temple had a special sink where they washed their hands to remind them that they needed to be clean (forgiven of sin) in order to serve God. In the New Testament, as John baptized people, he reminded them that God gives us a fresh start or a new life when we choose to follow him. Jesus even referred to himself as Living Water. Water makes things clean and water helps things grow. All living things need water to live. In the Bible water is a symbol. It symbolizes new life, it symbolizes washing away the wrong things we do and the poor choices we make. Just like the cross is a symbol for Jesus, water symbolizes what Jesus does for us. So what does all of this have to do with baptism and why be baptized? Think of it this way. The Bible says that when we choose to follow Jesus we get a new life. Our old sinful life is gone. Choosing to trust Jesus and follow him is an important decision. Baptism is a ceremony that lets people know that you have chosen to follow Jesus. Remember the water we discussed earlier? Water represents being clean and new life. When you are baptized you are completely dipped in water. It s like a picture or a symbol of what God has done for you. The water doesn t take away your sins, God does. The water doesn t give you new life, God does. Getting baptized is done publicly, with your church family as witnesses. Because when you are baptized, you are announcing I want everyone to know I am part of God s family. I am a follower of Jesus and want to grow in faith by participating in this church. How old do you have to be to be baptized? There is no correct age to be baptized. Remember, not everyone chooses to follow Jesus at the same age. Some might say yes to Jesus at an early age and others at a later age. However, it is important to know what baptism symbolizes and to choose baptism for the right reasons. Some of the wrong reasons include: getting baptized because a friend or sibling did, getting baptized because you think you did something wrong, getting baptized because you think it will make your parents happy, or getting baptized because it looks like fun. Having said that, let s look at some questions that you and your parents can go through in order to help you and your parents decide if you are ready. Have you: 1. Asked Jesus to be in your life as your leader, friend, and provider? 2. Asked Him to forgive you of acting badly, or selfish, or making wrong choices?
3. Told him that you want to be more like Him and that you know that He can help you in your life to grow and be more like Him? 4. Decided to be baptized (along with Mom and Dad s help) because you want to let your church family know that you are a follower of Jesus? If you answered yes to these questions then you may be ready for baptism. Note: You also need to turn in the Registration and Testimony Form found in the back of this packet. For parents: How do I know in my child is ready to be baptized? First, spend some time in prayer. Second, discover why your child is interested in baptism. If you feel he or she does not understand the significance of baptism, then use this opportunity to discuss what it means to become a follower of Jesus. Third, accept that children do not follow a set timetable in their spiritual journey. We can t say with certainty that all 4 th graders are ready for baptism or that kindergarten students can t understand the significance of baptism. Having said that, here are basic concepts that seem to indicate a child s understanding of Jesus Christ: v Jesus was a special baby; he was not like the other babies. That s what we celebrate at Christmas. v Jesus is God s son. v Jesus is a good example to us and we should try to be more like Him. v Jesus died on the cross for everyone, including me personally. v Jesus rose from the dead and is alive. That s what we celebrate at Easter. v Jesus is always with us. We can pray to Him. Your child may have knowledge about Jesus, but to choose to trust and follow Him is a different type of understanding. That s why we often refer to baptism as an outward symbol or sign of an inward change. In light of that, we believe that in order for a child to be baptized, they need to be able to describe their understanding of being a follower and friend of Jesus. Here are some practical questions to help you discern if your child might be ready for baptism. 1. Do they understand what sin is? In very young children, it may be described as knowing that they are selfish and act mean sometimes. For older children, they may know that bad choices result from choosing to do things their way instead of Jesus way. They need to be able to say that Jesus helps them to grow and change in order to be more giving, for example, (less selfish) and to be able to make good choices in their lives, but in their own words. 2. Why do they want to be baptized? Is it to be like someone else or because someone else told then they should do it (like a teacher, friend, or sibling)? Follow your child s lead and don t try to talk your child into being baptized.
3. Have they made a conscience decision to follow Jesus and to ask Him to guide their lives? What role does prayer, the Bible, and church attendance play in their life? I think my child is just starting to understand having a relationship with Jesus but has not asked Him into their life. Since they are asking questions about baptism, I think this would be a good time to help my child accept Jesus. But how can I easily communicate Jesus to him/her? You can use the questions below to help your child put his/her own thoughts into words. Look up Bible verses together. Ask your child to read the verse and explain what it means in their own words. - What is sin? Most of the Bible verses listing sin contain concepts that may not be appropriate for young children. You can describe sin for them as disobeying God, wanting to do things our way instead of God s way, and breaking God s rules. Ask your child to come up with examples. - Who sins? Rom 3:23, Ecclesiastes 7:20 - How does God feel about sin? Rom 6:23 - Who is Jesus? John 1:1, 14 - What did Jesus do for us? John 3:16, Rom 5:8, 6:21 - Choose to follow Jesus, you have a choice. Rom 10:9-13 Consider the words you choose. Are your words understandable to your child? Below are some common terms and more child-centered vocabulary that you may choose to use with your child. Sin: Those things we do that get in the way of our friendship with God. Consequences: Results- Good choices have good consequences, poor choices have poor consequences. For example, if you eat sweets before dinner when you know you shouldn t, your parents may discipline you. If you choose not to eat sweets before dinner, you get to enjoy a fun dinner and dessert with your family. Savior: A title or name for Jesus that describes what he does for us, he saves us from the consequences of our sins. Resurrection: Coming back to life; not staying dead Ask Jesus into your life: Choosing to be friends with Jesus at all times; becoming a Christian; a follower of Jesus; knowing that you need Jesus. Lord: Another title or name for Jesus. It means that Jesus is more than our friend. He is also our ruler, or king, someone who we should worship, obey, and follow.
What to expect during baptism You will get completely wet! Right before you get baptized you will hear (your name), we baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Then the adults will hold you and lean you backwards into the water. It s a good idea to hold your nose while they do that. As you come up from the water, you probably will hear your friends and family clapping and cheering for you. It s as easy as that! What to bring to your baptism 1. Wear clothes in which you want to get baptized, or just your swimsuit. 2. Your family and friends 3. A camera or video camera 4. A complete change of dry clothes 5. A large towel 6. Comb or brush 7. Plastic bag for wet clothes What a special day it will be when you tell your friends and family that you want to follow Jesus! Jesus loves you very much and He looks forward to walking with you as long as you live!
Ventura Vineyard Children s Baptism Registration Form (One form for each child) Child s Name: Parent s Name: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Parent s email: Child s Date of Birth: Child s Grade: If you have more than 1 child, are they being baptized together or separately? Testimony for Baptism Parent s, please have your child write about how and when they asked Jesus to guide their lives. Kids in your own words answer the following questions: When did you decide to follow Jesus? Who is Jesus and what does He mean to you? When has Jesus made a difference in your life? Please use the back of form if you need more room or feel free to attach a separate paper. Name: Age: