LEAD THE WAY
Continuing Ed
BAPTISM

CONNECT

  • Connect through care, prayer and loving accountability for previous “I will …” statements

DISCOVER

Our hope and prayer is that as we join Jesus in discipling others toward Him, people will become disciples of Him. These disciples will need to be baptized.

1. Baptizing Them

Matthew 28:19-20 (ISV)

19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Get Personal and Go Public

Through repentance and faith, we make our relationship with Jesus personal. Through baptism, we make our relationship with Jesus public. You get personal and you go public.

Baptism, then, is a public declaration of your personal faith in Jesus and the gift of God’s righteousness. It’s an outer expression of the inner conviction of your heart.

The Reality Dramatized

The two main symbols communicated through baptism are 1) the washing away of sin (as water washes away dirt) and 2) the dying to self and coming alive in Jesus Christ (as drowning in water kills you and resuscitation gives you new life).

Acts 22:16 (NIV)

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

Romans 6:3-4 (NIV)

3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

The Ceremony

Here are the questions typically asked at a baptism:

  1. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior, the one who forgives your sins?

  2. Do you renounce the work of Satan, the ways of the world and the desires of your flesh and will you follow Jesus as your Lord?

  3. Will you join God’s family in seeking Jesus passionately, living life biblically, loving each other sacrificially and sharing the Good News of Jesus boldly?

  4. Do you want to be baptized to publicly declare that you are now Jesus’ disciple?

Here’s an alternative question:

  • Do you profess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and commit to follow Him from this day forward?

Here are the words typically used at a baptism:

Upon your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, and in obedience to His command, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The old you is buried with Christ, and the new you is raised to new life with Him. Amen. (Followed by immersion in water.)

2. Teaching Them

Matthew 28:19-20 (ISV)

19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING THAT I’VE COMMANDED YOU (emphasis added).

  • Baptism is just the beginning. Make sure the person being baptized is involved in a discipling relationship. Use Follow The Way to disciple them.

  • This value of ongoing discipleship needs to be impressed on the person BEFORE their baptism. And this discipleship relationship, once again, is best begun BEFORE their baptism.

  • Jesus’ commission is to BOTH baptize new disciples AND to mature them as obedient followers of Jesus.

DISCIPLESHIP AND BAPTISM

  • Should you disciple people before or after baptism? YES. And remember, baptism itself is a step of discipleship—an act of obedience to Jesus’ commands.

  • Consider this definition of holistic discipling:

Holistic discipling is a relational, Biblical and intentional process of helping someone toward Jesus by first becoming a disciple of Jesus, then maturing as a disciple of Jesus, including discipling others toward Jesus.

(From DISCIPLING: The Noun and The Verb)

  • This understanding of discipling is reflected in the life of the early church. The general practice in the book of Acts is that those who believed were baptized immediately upon a profession of faith. The church then discipled them to maturity in Christ. This pattern highlights both the urgency of baptism and the ongoing responsibility of discipleship.

  • While there is ongoing debate in the church about how much discipleship should take place before baptism—and practices vary today—we can agree that the beginning of discipleship is necessary to help discern genuine faith and a willingness to follow Jesus. This begins with hearing and responding to the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12; 28:31).

  • We are not looking for full maturity. Rather, we are looking for evidence of real repentance, faith, and a commitment to follow Jesus.

  • FOLLOW THE WAY is designed to help both reveal that reality and begin building that foundation.

  • Before baptism, it is recommended that a person complete FOLLOW and FAITH. It may also be appropriate to walk through key areas of FREEDOM—especially FORGIVE and CONFESS, and in some cases RENOUNCE and REBUKE.

  • FRUIT, FILLING, FOUNDATIONS, and the full FREEDOM study can be worked through after baptism as part of ongoing discipleship.

  • Leaders must maintain a healthy balance: preparing people thoughtfully for baptism without creating unnecessary barriers or delays. Baptism should not be rushed, but neither should it be postponed when genuine faith and readiness are evident.

Baptism Discernment Checklist

Before moving forward with baptism, ask:

1. Is there genuine faith in Jesus?
Can they express, in their own words, who Jesus is and what He has done for them?

2. Is there evidence of repentance and a desire to follow Jesus?
Do they show a willingness to turn from sin and begin living under His leadership?

3. Have they begun a foundation for discipleship?
Are they in a discipling relationship and engaging in a process like FOLLOW THE WAY—starting with FOLLOW and FAITH, and addressing any clear areas of FREEDOM (especially forgiveness and confession)?

It is also important to walk through the typical baptism questions (see above) prior to the person’s baptism.

Guiding Principle:
If there is genuine faith and a clear willingness to follow Jesus, do not delay baptism unnecessarily. Trust that growth and maturity will continue after baptism through ongoing discipleship.

Suggestions for Baptism

  • Turn the baptism into an evangelistic event. Encourage the person being baptized to invite family members and friends. Make the baptism into a Matthew Party.

  • Ask the person being baptized to share their testimony of coming to Jesus.

  • Ask the person being baptized to pick out a Bible passage and share why it is significant to him or her.

  • Use lakes, rivers, pools and hot tubs.

  • Ask the person who led the person to Christ and/or is discipling them to do the baptism.

  • Gather around the person being baptized, lay hands on them and pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit and the impartation of the Spirit’s gifts.

  • Give the person a baptismal certificate. Depending on the question(s) you ask from above, you can use these certificates - Certificate (1) / Certificate (2).

LIVE / LEAD

  • What did you discover in this training session?

  • What is your “I will …” statement flowing from this training?

Lead The Way

  1. Lead

  2. MicroChurch

  3. Worship

  4. Discovery

  5. Community

  6. Mission (Part 1)

  7. Mission (Part 2)

Continuing Ed

  1. Praying Paul’s Prayers (Lead)

  2. Replicate (Lead)

  3. Disciple-Making Movements (MicroChurch)

  4. Financial Giving (MicroChurch)

  5. Our Meal and His Supper (Worship)

  6. Baptism (Worship)

  7. Hermeneutics (Discovery)

  8. Mature Community (Community)

  9. Welcoming New People (Community)

  10. Spiritual Gifts, Prophecy and Tongues (Community)

  11. Doing the Stuff - 1 (Mission-Part 1)

  12. Doing the Stuff - 2 (Mission-Part 1)

  13. Doing the Stuff - 3 (Mission-Part 1)

  14. A Guide for Guides (Mission-Part 2)