Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 As followers of Jesus Christ we take this command to baptize every believer seriously because he asked us to. What is baptism? Baptism is a symbol of our identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ where He identified with our sin and provided the remedy. It symbolizes the inner reality of our death to the old life of sin and proclaims our resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ. Romans 6:4 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Baptism does not add to our salvation nor is it necessary for our salvation.  When the thief on the cross placed his faith in Jesus, He told the thief, Luke 23:43 “…today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Baptism is a public testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ and of our membership in the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." We ask that every person attend a class in preparation for baptism. Questions will be answered during this class and opportunity given for you to share about your faith in Jesus Christ. We encourage every person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ to be baptized and not wait. You do not have to be baptized to have Christ in your heart any more than you must exchange rings to be pronounced man and wife. But if the inner commitment to trust Christ alone for salvation has been made, then the outward symbol of Baptism should be as valued and as visible as the gold or silver ring on a newlywed’s finger. Sign-up for our next baptism class on October 12 (baptism will be on October 19) or feel free to e-mail us at mhbc@mhbible.org or call the church at 408-778-5083 for more information