Children's Baptism

Baptism is a significant milestone in every Christian's life. It is a time when a new believer demonstrates their belief and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is also a time of celebration as the new believer becomes a part of the community of believers. This is a special time that should be understood and cherished in each child's life. In Kids' Community, we treat this milestone of faith with special care by providing a class to help children through this process. If you have a second through fifth grader who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and is interested in baptism, please follow the steps below:

1. Register for the Ignition Class.

   Our children's baptism class is called Ignition and is offered on Sunday mornings during the 9:00am service. It will be offered twice a year in the spring and fall. Parents are encouraged to attend Ignition classes with their child as part of their ongoing role to lead their child into a mature relationship with Jesus Christ. The purpose of the class is to provide new young believers with a biblical understanding of becoming a Christian, baptism and the Lord's Supper, what it means to be a church member, and how to develop a habit of daily Bible reading and prayer. Attendance is required at a minimum of three classes to be considered for baptism.

   Register for Children's Baptism.

2. Complete the Ignition Class.

   • Week 1 - Children will share what they understand about becoming a Christian. They will review the meaning of terms related to salvation and understand the steps in becoming a Christian. They will also begin to write their testimony.
   • Week 2 - Children will learn about baptism and the Lord's Supper. They will also have opportunity to share their testimonies.
   • Week 3 - In this session we will learn what the church is and what it means to be a member of a group of believers.
   • Week 4 - This session will emphasize the importance of having a daily time to read the Bible and pray. Children will also learn about sharing their new relationship with Jesus Christ and have opportunity to practice talking to others about it.

   In addition to attending the 4 week class, there will be homework assignments during the week that parents do with their child. Portions of these assignments will be reviewed in class so it is important that homework assignments are completed on time.

3. The baptism candidate will meet with members of the Kids' Community Staff.

   During the week 4 class, each baptism candidate will be interviewed by a member of the Kids' Community Staff. This is an opportunity for the child to share their story and for the Kids' Community Staff to discern their readiness for baptism. The staff member will recommend the child for baptism or encourage the candidate to wait. Parents will be asked to respect the recommendation of the Kids' Community Staff.

4. Participate in children's baptism.

   Children's baptism services occur the Sunday directly following the last class of Ignition. It is held during the 11:00 am Kids' Community activities and is followed by a reception to celebrate their special day. Please do not arrange for family and friends to attend this event until the recommendation for baptism from the Kids' Community Staff has been confirmed.