If you are a follower of Christ, having received salvation through faith in His death and resurrection then you should be baptized. Just like a bride and groom show others their love for one another by wearing wedding bands, your baptism is your opportunity to show others that you have received eternal life in Christ and are now walking with Him. If you have any questions about how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please contact your campus pastor:
Eldersburg: Jono Contestabile (mailto:jcontestabile@crossroads140.com?subject=Baptism Questions)
Hampstead: Kevin Deming (mailto:kdeming@crossroads140.com?subject=Baptism Questions)
Westminster: Kevin Syes (mailto:ksyes@crossroads140.com?subject=Baptism Questions)
As soon as you place your faith in Jesus and receive eternal life you should plan to be baptized. It is a public profession of your personal relationship with Jesus.
We believe that parents should help their children decide when baptism is appropriate for them. There are no age restrictions. We encourage parents to consider an age that will offer a meaningful and memorable moment for their children to look back on. Crossroads family ministry staff can help in the process.
Although the method of baptism is not important (sprinkling vs. immersion), we immerse because we believe Scripture shows that Jesus modeled that for us as the way to publicly acknowledge our faith in him. However, in some cases, full submersion is not possible due to health issues.
Our Pastoral staff will be leading the baptism and available to baptize. However, anyone who is actively pursuing full-devotion to Jesus may baptize you.
Because Jesus instructed us to be baptized, baptism is an act of obedience. While it is not necessary for salvation, it demonstrates submission to God. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave one last command known as the “Great Commission.” He said, “Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” (Matthew 28:19-20) For the past 2,000+ years, baptism has been the way that Christians have publicly declared their love for Jesus and their devotion to follow him all the days of their lives.
No. Baptism is open to anyone who has accepted Christ as his or her Savior. While we believe it is important to be connected to the body of believers in order to grow in your faith, membership is not required for baptism.