Baptism

Believer Baptism

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives the great commission to his disciples commanding them to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Orchard Hill celebrates Christians making the decision to publicly display their faith.

Infant Baptism/Dedication

Orchard Hill Church practices both baptism and dedication for children. Parents can choose, based on their own theological convictions.

Baptism - Baptism for children is celebrated through sprinkling as a sign and seal of a Covenant Relationship.

Dedication - In Dedication, parents bring their children before the Lord as an act of worship and commitment – a time to publicly declare a desire to raise children in such a way that they come to a point of personal faith.

If you have questions about anything related to believer baptism or infant baptism/dedication, click below.

Baptism Beliefs

Throughout history, people have tended to either elevate the importance of baptism or devalue it. It is commonly understood to be a sacrament of the church. Some call it an ordinance. These words will be used interchangeably in this section. So why do we practice the sacrament or ordinance of baptism? We baptize because Jesus instructed us to do so.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

Over the years, the church has practiced baptism in different ways. There are three primary views that have been adopted.

  1. View #1 - Baptism is a Means of Salvation (Unbiblical View)

  2. View #2 - Baptism is a Sign and Seal of a Covenant Relationship

  3. View #3 - Baptism is a Symbol of the Relationship between God and a Person

At Orchard Hill Church, we recognize the debate that has taken place around this issue and we practice both views #2 and #3. While this may seem incongruous to some, we believe that we can practice both views. We reject view #1 as we feel it is unbiblical.

If you would like a more detailed explanation of our beliefs on Baptism or answers to frequently asked questions, please reference pages 14-19 of our Statement of Faith document linked below.