We practice adult baptism by immersion.

While most denominations practice the sprinkling of infants, the Disciples hold to the belief that faith, confession, and repentance have to precede baptism.

Since the Disciples attempt to follow New Testament practices, they turned to the New Testament to see how baptism was practiced. The form of baptism used in the New Testament was immersion.

Alexander Campbell (one of the founding fathers of the Disciples of Christ) had to face the issue squarely in 1812 when his first child was born. Upon careful study of the Scripture, he concluded that infant baptism was not really baptism at all, since the validity of baptism was related to the belief of the recipient.

The account of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip (Acts 8:26-39) became the basis for the adopted form of baptism.

Campbell developed the thought that the believer must truly repent of his/her sins in order to become a fit subject for baptism. There was no efficacy or magical power in the water itself.

Baptism was a step in the process, and the act becomes truly a baptism only if it followed one's belief that Jesus was the Christ, had repented his/her sins, and made a public confession of faith.

St. Peter's instruction: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38) was the Biblical basis for the view.

There was a time when an individual had to be immersed to be a member of a Disciples of Christ church. This is no longer true. At the Church at Shawnee Landing all forms of baptism are accepted: sprinkling, pouring, immersion; infant and adult.

No one is required to be re-baptized. Our baptism of choice continues to be Believer's baptism by Immersion. However, special circumstances and needs sometimes lead us in different directions. If you wish to talk about baptism, contact the pastor.