Your Baptism – Joining Christ’s Kingdom
Congratulations! This is a big step, accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior! The next step from here is a baptism. As Christ commanded all in the Book of Matthew, “Go forth and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matt 28:19.
Since this is such a major step in any Christian walk, seek to make it as memorable as possible. To do that, here are a few suggestions to help. Don’t forget the most important thing to do is pray and seek His guidance in all things. A clergy member can help if there are questions.
Talk to your specific clergy member who will be doing the actual baptism. This will help you ease any concerns or stage fright you may have. A bit of nervousness is normal and expected as a baptism is normally a public event. Arrange a day for the event, giving a few weeks to be ready.
Don’t overlook sending out letters of invitation to friends and family. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc are all potential invitees. A simple request of presence is enough, but including an RSVP is not a bad idea.
Ask that your baptism be mentioned before hand in the upcoming church bulletin. Nothing overly fancy, just a small bit about the day and time. Putting a quick reminder in a bulletin is not a difficult task. There is not a need to plaster it across the church bulletin cover, but a reminder about Christ’s personal baptism would be a nice touch.
Make plans to have the baptism videotaped. Many churches will have access to video cameras, or ask around to any church members who may have a video camera to film the event for you. Putting the camera on a tripod is also a good idea, as it will make a steadier platform. Certainly parents will be on hand to take pictures before and after, so be prepared for that.
As far as the big day proper, put yourself in the correct mindset and spend some time that morning in prayer. Be sure to thank the Spirit for speaking to you and inviting Jesus into your heart. As you get dressed, wear your best, but also be sure to pack a change of clothes. It is not a bad idea to have a small picture and possibly a short word of thanks in the church bulletin for that morning service. Of course, mentioning baptism should be on the church bulletin cover as well, but a gentle reminder the week before should not go amiss.
For your change of clothes, an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts is best. You will be wet, so it is not a bad idea to have a towel. If you want to be extra nice, pack an extra towel for the clergy member who will be performing the baptism. Such a small gesture may not be needed, but having the forethought to mention it will be appreciated.
After the baptism, be sure to smile and show some excitement. Expect pictures and hugs from friends, family and church members so standing in wet clothes may be necessary but remember, this only happens once so enjoy the extra attention.
Lastly, it may not be a bad gesture of appreciation to send a thank you card to those who perhaps made a special trip to see this important event, particularly if there are friends and family members who traveled to come see this.
It should go without saying that prayer should be high on the list of things to do, but with any luck this bit of information will help make a baptism special.