Baptism is an essential "first step" for a believer who seeks to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. In taking it, he/she reveals that a coup has taken place in the secret recesses of his/her soul. The government of self has been toppled and overthrown. In its place, a new authority now reigns and rules. It is Christ, the living Lord!

We at Hutto Bible Church uphold the act of baptism as a sacred, uncompromisable injunction of the Scripture. Every believer, serious in his or her faith, will also be serious about baptism. It is the "badge" of our identity with Christ. In many ways, baptism is to Christianity what a ring is to marriage.

Our method of baptism is the method of immersion. We feel strongly that this mode is the one presented in the New Testament for the following reasons:

• The Greek word for baptism means "to submerge, plunge, drench, saturate, dip" (Arndt and Gingrich Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament p.131). * Immersion followed the Jewish proselyte practice.

• Immersion most practically pictures the symbolism intended in baptism. See Romans 6:4.

• The practice of the early church was immersion.

WHY should you be baptized?

The command of Scripture is "be baptized." By it we both please the Lord and declare His reality in our lives to the world (Matt. 28:19-20).

A picture is worth a thousand words. The picture portrayed in baptism declares a variety of scriptural truths:

• It proclaims Christ's death and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

• It serves public notice to the world of one's new life in Christ (Matt. 10:32).

• It pictures a believer's death to sin and his/her resurrection to a spiritual life and lifestyle through the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:3-7, 10-11).

WHO can be baptized?

Hutto Bible Church believes scriptures teaches that one must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to be baptized.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..." (Rev. 3:20)

A believer is someone who has asked Jesus Christ to come into their life, to become their Lord and Savior.

WHEN can one be baptized?

Baptism is an essential "first step" for a believer who seeks to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. In taking it, he/she reveals that a coup has taken place in the secret recesses of his/her soul. The government of self has been toppled and overthrown. In its place, a new authority now reigns and rules. It is Christ, the living Lord!

It is very important that a believer be able to verbalize this newfound faith with others! Because the sharing of a testimony is part of Hutto Bible Church's baptism process, we would like anyone who desires baptism to be able to share personally how they received Christ, and what He has done in their life.

Young children need to fully understand the importance of what baptism signifies and how it relates to their Christian walk. Waiting for the time when they understand this would be more meaningful to them as new believers.