What We Believe About Baptism

Who Should Be Baptized

Christians believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, salvation occurs only when a person places his or her faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for his or her sin. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are ready to 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 accepted Christ and are now walking with Him.

What Baptism Symbolizes

Baptism is a way of showing others that you have entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It symbolizes what took place in your heart at the time of salvation:

• Accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
• Shared in His death and resurrection, illustrated by going under the water (dead to your old life), then rising again (new life).
• Were symbolically washed clean, and sins were forgiven by His death on the cross.

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. We immerse at Heart for the World Church because we believe Scripture shows that Jesus modeled that for us as the way to publicly acknowledge our faith in Him.

“Baptism does not make you a believer, rather it shows that you already believe.”

The Baptism Process

The baptism process at Heart for the World Church has been designed to be both simple and meaningful. From the registration form to the baptism meeting, each step has been carefully planned with you in mind:

1. Register by filling out the Heart for the World Event registration form. Once we receive your registration form, someone will be contacting you to set up the baptism orientation meeting.
2. Attend a 30-minute baptism orientation meeting with one of the staff pastors. During this class we we will schedule your videotaping and baptism.
3. Read about making your video. We want you to be as comfortable and prepared for the video as possible.
4. Film your testimony. We will have our media team videotape your testimony.
5. Get baptized! Baptisms take place during one of the Sunday services and include a showing of your pre-recorded video.

Making Your Video Testimony

One of the most powerful aspects of baptism at Heart for the World Church is the video testimony shown right before your baptism. The video allows you to share how Christ has been working in your life. Pre-recording allows you to do as many takes as necessary, while sharing the message you have thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared ahead of time. Many people ask, "Do I have to do the video?" The answer is yes, if you want to be baptized at Heart for the World. Baptism is meant to be a public profession and it is an incredible opportunity to share God's message of redemption with hundreds of people. We have witnessed the life changing effect these videos have had on people's lives.

Another important reason we do a video is that we as a congregation grow in our faith by watching these stories. It allows friends, family, and even those you don't know to celebrate the amazing transformation God has worked in your life.

Some people are nervous about taping their stories, but we work hard to make the process both simple and fulfilling. We will have a meeting with two to ten baptism candidates and go over everything they need to know about the baptism process in general and the videotaping.

We want baptism to be a meaningful and enjoyable experience, and we look forward to walking through it with you! If you have any questions or need help preparing your testimony for the video, please contact Johnny Terrazas at (575) 523-1113 ext. 20 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

If you are ready to move forward and delcare your faith in Christ and be baptized register here.