Baptism Service

Baptism is one of the most countercultural things a young person can do — it's standing up in front of everyone and saying, 'I choose Jesus.' In a world where it can feel risky to be open about faith at school or with friends, baptism is a reminder that following Jesus was never meant to be hidden. Your identity is not in what others think of you — it's in who God says you are. Whether you've been baptised or are still thinking about it, this is a moment to ask: am I living like someone who belongs to Jesus?

1. If you've been baptised, what do you remember most about that day? If you haven't, what's holding you back?
2. Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptised even though he didn't need to be forgiven? What does that tell us about him?
3. Romans 6:4 talks about the old self being 'buried' and a new life rising. What's one part of the 'old you' that you feel like God is helping you leave behind?
4. Is it hard to be open about your faith at school or with friends? What makes it scary — and what could make it easier?
5. Baptism is a public declaration. What are some other ways you can 'go public' with your faith in everyday life?

In your twenties and thirties, life is full of defining moments — starting a career, navigating relationships, working out who you really are. Baptism is one of those defining moments, and its declaration cuts straight to the heart of identity: you are not defined by your job, your relationship status, your achievements, or your failures. You are defined by whose you are. If you've been baptised, today is an invitation to reconnect with that anchor point, especially in seasons when life feels uncertain or overwhelming.

1. In a season of life with so many identity questions — career, relationships, direction — how does your baptism (or your decision to follow Jesus) shape how you see yourself?
2. Romans 6:4 describes baptism as a death and a resurrection. Are there old habits, mindsets, or ways of living that you still feel pull you back, even after choosing to follow Jesus?
3. Baptism is public. In your social circles, how open are you about your faith? Is there a gap between your Sunday self and your Monday-to-Saturday self?
4. What's one concrete step you could take this week to live more fully in the 'resurrection life' baptism declares?
5. Who in your life is currently where you were before you chose Jesus? How might you be a witness to them — not preachy, but genuine?

Baptism services are a powerful opportunity for families — both to celebrate and to teach. When children watch someone they love step into the water, they are witnessing a moment of extraordinary courage and faith. For parents, today is a prompt to ask: are we creating a home where faith is not just talked about but lived out? Are we helping our kids understand what it means to follow Jesus personally, not just as a family tradition? Baptism reminds us that every individual in the family has their own walk with God — and that walk starts with a personal yes.

1. How have you talked to your kids about baptism before, during, or after services like this one? How did they respond?
2. Baptism declares a new identity in Christ. As a family, are there habits, rhythms, or values in your home that reflect who you are in Jesus — and are there any that don't?
3. If your children asked you to tell the story of your own baptism or your decision to follow Jesus, what would you say?
4. How can your family practically support someone who has just been baptised and is taking their first steps in faith?
5. What's one thing you could do together as a family this week to celebrate and reflect on what you witnessed today?

As someone navigating life without a partner, it can be easy to feel like some of the biggest milestones of faith — like baptism — are more meaningful when shared with a spouse or family. But baptism is a profoundly individual act. It is your declaration. Your identity. Your covenant with Jesus. And the church community gathered around you today IS your family. Singles often have an incredible freedom and focus to go deep in their relationship with God, and today is a reminder that your yes to Jesus is just as full, just as celebrated, and just as powerful as anyone else's.

1. What does it mean to you personally to belong to Jesus — not as part of a couple or family unit, but as an individual?
2. Baptism connects us to a community of believers. Where do you most feel that sense of belonging in your church life right now?
3. Romans 6:4 speaks of dying to the old life and rising to a new one. What does the 'new life' look like practically for you in this season?
4. Is there anything in your current life circumstances that makes it harder to live out your faith publicly? How do you navigate that?
5. Who in your friendship circle or community could you invest in spiritually — maybe someone who is curious about faith but hasn't yet taken a step?

Baptism takes guts. It's a public act, and for many men, vulnerability and public displays of emotion or faith can feel uncomfortable. But Jesus himself stood in that water — and in doing so, modelled something essential for every man who follows him: that strength is found in surrender, and that real courage often looks like going public with what you believe, even when it costs you something. As men, we are called to lead not by dominance but by example. Today is a prompt to ask: what does it look like for me to lead with my faith out in front?

1. Be honest — does being publicly open about your faith feel natural or uncomfortable? Why do you think that is?
2. Jesus was baptised before he did any of his public ministry. What does it say about his character that he began with a public act of submission and identification?
3. Romans 6:4 talks about dying to the old self. In your life as a man — at work, at home, with mates — what does 'the old self' look like, and how is God calling you to leave it behind?
4. Who are the men in your life who model authentic, public faith? What is it about them you respect?
5. What's one area of your life where you know God is asking you to step up — and what would it look like to take that step this week?

Baptism is a declaration that your identity is rooted in something unshakeable — not in what you look like, what you produce, who you're in relationship with, or what others think of you, but in the love and calling of God on your life. For women, in a culture that constantly tells us to be more, do more, and prove more, this is a radical and beautiful counter-statement. You are already loved. You are already chosen. And stepping into (or remembering) the waters of baptism is a moment to let that truth sink in — all the way down.

1. Where do you most feel the pressure to define yourself by something other than your identity in Christ? How does baptism speak into that?
2. Think about the women in your life — past or present — whose faith has shaped yours. How has their example pointed you toward Jesus?
3. Romans 6:4 speaks of resurrection life. What does it look like practically for you to live as someone who has been raised to new life — in your relationships, your work, your inner world?
4. Is there an area of your life where you feel like you're still living in the 'old' rather than the 'new'? What might it look like to surrender that to God?
5. How can your group practically encourage and walk alongside someone who has just been baptised and is starting out in their faith?

For those who have walked with Jesus for many years, a baptism service is one of the most moving and meaningful things to witness. You are watching someone do what you once did — step into the water, leave the old life behind, and rise into the new. Your role in a moment like this is irreplaceable. You carry the memory of what faith costs and what it grows into. You are the living proof that the resurrection life is real, sustainable, and worth every sacrifice. Today is an invitation to reflect on your own journey and to recommit to the legacy you are leaving for those coming behind you.

1. Cast your mind back to when you were baptised or made your first clear decision to follow Jesus. What do you remember? What has changed since then — and what has held firm?
2. What have you learned about God over the years that you wish you had known at the beginning of your faith journey? How might you pass that on?
3. Romans 6:4 speaks of a life lived in resurrection. Looking back over your life, where have you most clearly seen God bringing life out of what felt like death or loss?
4. How can you actively invest in the spiritual life of someone who has just been baptised — practically, prayerfully, relationally?
5. What do you hope people will say about your faith when they look back on your life? And what are you doing today to make that legacy real?