Infant Baptism:
The Sacrament of Baptism is an outward and visible sign of the grace of God. The promise of the gospel is not only to us but also to our children. Baptism with water is the outward mark of:
- A child’s acceptance into the care of Christ’s Church.
- God’s covenant care for them until such time as they personally confirm their faith by choosing to follow Christ as their personal Savior from sin.
We remind ourselves during this Sacrament that it is by God’s saving grace that we, through faith, are forgiven our sins and become partakers of Christ’s righteousness and inheritors of eternal life.
FCC does not do “drive-by” infant baptisms. In other words, the Pastors of FCC will baptize a child of Christian married parents, Christian single parents, or Christian grandparents who are committed to Jesus Christ as evidenced by regular church worship (at least 50% of the time) and active participation in Christian instruction/ministry. Furthermore, by baptizing their child, the parents acknowledge that they are committing to raise her/him in a Christian home.
At the direction of the Ministerial Staff, the parents of the child to be baptized are required to participate in one of the following:
- A meeting/conversation with an FCC Pastor.
- An FCC Baptism Class.
FCC pastors will baptize children of out-of-town parents with FCC roots who agree to fulfill their vows by providing FCC with a letter from their home church.
Adult Baptism:
FCC practices believer’s baptism for adults. That means that an adult (or child old enough to understand) has professed personal faith in Christ and is publicly confirming that faith through the baptism experience. Adults and older children are required to meet with an FCC Pastor or participate in a baptism class at FCC prior to baptism. They may choose to be sprinkled or immersed.