Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

P ART III: P LANTING U RBAN C HURCHES • 457

The Service of Believer’s Baptism Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

The following is a model of a Believer’s Baptism Service. The general outline is as follows:

Opening Prayer and Invocation Hymn, Chorus, or Anthem Brief Explanation of Baptism Scripture Reading Presentation and Examination of the Candidates The Baptismal Covenant Personal Words of Testimony and Affirmation Prayers for the Candidates Baptism of the Candidates Hymn, Song, Final Word of Exhortation, and Benediction

Depending on the church tradition, certain items as the Baptismal Covenant (a recitation of the Apostles’ Creed by the congregation) may be omitted, and other elements may be arranged differently. Still, these above essential elements of invocation, song, Scritpure, examination, personal testimony, prayer, baptism, and benediction are used in various forms throughout the Church of Jesus Christ today.

An Outline for a Believer’s Baptism Service

O PENING P RAYER AND I NVOCATION

H YMN , C HORUS , OR A NTHEM

B RIEF E XPLANATION OF B APTISM The Celebrant (i.e., minister officiating the service) provides a brief explanation of the role and significance of Baptism in the life of the new Christian, and its place in the Church of Jesus Christ. Example: Believer’s Baptism is the act of obedience commanded by Christ on all who come to him in faith. When we are baptized we acknowledge our repentance from sin, our faith and trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf, and testify to those present our commitment to follow Christ as Lord and Master. Through our act of obedience to Christ through water baptism we confess our faith in Jesus, ask for the strength of his Holy Spirit to glorify God in all we are and do, and