Hi there! I’m glad you’re interested in being baptized - it’s an important step in being a follower of Jesus. If you have asked Jesus to be your Very Best Friend and made Him the boss of your life, then baptism is how you tell the world that you belong to God. Jesus was even baptized – and we want to be like Him. At Creekside, we baptize kids age 10 and older. If you’re already 10, that’s great! If you’re not quite there yet, don’t worry - just focus on growing in your faith and living for Jesus, and you’ll be even more excited to be baptized when you turn 10! Work through this workbook and answer the questions in your own words. When you’re done, you and your parents should come see me before or after church bring your workbook with you - so we can talk about the next step. If you have any questions as you are thinking about baptism, come talk to me! Pastor Kate Kate Thaete Kids’ Pastor Creekside Church 206.595.7297 [email protected]

What is Baptism? Baptism is a symbol - something we do on the outside that shows what has happened in our heart. Water is used for cleaning things. We baptize in water to show our sins being washed away. When we are put under the water, it is a symbol of our old selfish person being buried. When we come out of the water, it shows that a new person has been born.

Find this verse in your Bible and highlight it or underline it with a pen.

“By being baptized, we were buried with Christ into his death. Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father's glory. And like Christ we also can live a new life.” Romans 6:4

When Jesus comes into our lives, other people will be able to see that we are becoming a “new person”. We can see a good example of this kind of change in the things God has created, like when a lumpy old caterpillar builds a cocoon and comes out a graceful butterfly, the change is easy to see. Baptism is not what makes us a new person - Jesus Himself makes us a new person. When we ask Jesus to be our Best Friend, or let Him be the boss of our life, we begin to change for the better, because Jesus changes us. We’re only baptized after we ask Jesus to be our Lord - not before, because being baptized doesn’t actually do anything for us. So Why Should I Be Baptized? Baptism is a symbol. Being baptized is how we tell the world that we have chosen to live for Jesus.

Find this verse in your Bible and highlight it or underline it with a pen.

“Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Baptism is a time when we stand up for God and show we’re choosing to obey Him. If God is really important to us, we won’t be ashamed to tell others about Him and what He has done for us!

Find this verse in your Bible and highlight it or underline it with a pen.

Jesus said: "What about someone who says in front of others that he knows me? I will also say in front of my Father who is in heaven that I know him.” Matthew 10:32

What Happens During Baptism? The baptism tank is like a hot tub: it’s warm, and not very deep. The people baptizing you will hold on tight, you’ll get to plug your nose, and you’ll only be under water for a second. Before you are baptized, you will meet with a pastor who will explain the details. We’ll show you how to stand and hold your arms, so that those who are baptizing you can hold onto to you securely. You will probably be baptized on the same day as several other people, so there will be a list. You will be told where your name is on the list, and those you have chosen to baptize you will go into the tank with you, so you will not be alone. You’ll be with people you know and trust. You will get to help choose who baptizes you. It may be your parents, or a pastor, or another adult in our church who you respect and look up to. The people you choose should be Christians who are living their life for Jesus. Who would you like to have in the tank with you? Write out several names of people you might like to ask and talk with your parents about who you’ll choose. After you’ve talked with your parents, circle the names of the people you’ll ask to be in the tank with you. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Part of being baptized is sharing your faith story - how you came to believe in Jesus and why you’re choosing to follow Him. You’ll write this out before your baptism day, so that you can read it in the tank. We’ll talk more about that in the next section. After you have read your faith story out loud, and you’re baptized, one of the people with you will pray for you. As they pray, we are thanking God for His grace on your life and for your boldness in standing for Jesus in baptism. Following this prayer, you will be lead out of the tank to get into some dry clothes.

Baptism Day Checklist What to Wear to Church: Dark t-shirt Shorts (or swim trunks for boys) Swimsuit underneath (for girls)

What to Bring with You: Change of clothes for afterward Towel Faith Story, written out

Writing Your Faith Story A “faith story” is the story of how or why a person decided to live for Jesus Christ. Some people have very simple stories, others have more detailed stories. It is important to remember that God has given you your very own story – and you deserve the chance to share it with your church family. Your faith story doesn’t have to be long – a few sentences are fine, but it’s always a good idea for you to write it out ahead of time. This will help you think through what you want to say, so you’ll feel more confident when you speak. Once you’ve written it out, read it to someone you trust - your mom or dad, or even Pastor Kate. Use the space below to help you write out your story, and think of it as a letter to your best friend. Try using these questions to help you get started: 1. Why do you want to follow Jesus? 2. What has Jesus done for you? 3. How has deciding to be a Christian changed your life? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Remember that you are not alone and everyone listening is on your side! Your story will also encourage those who are still thinking about being baptized!

Kid’s Baptism Application Contact Information Name ________________________________ Birthday (with Year) __________ Address _________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Names ____________________________________________ Phone _________________________ Email ____________________________

Personal Spiritual “History” Tell how you started your friendship with Jesus: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ When did you ask Jesus to be your Very Best Friend? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Name 2-3 people you respect because of their love for Jesus. How are they like Jesus? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

Tell about some favorite books, songs, Bible verses or stories, videos or other things that have helped you learn about Jesus. __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ In what ways do you show that Jesus is “boss” in your life? What things are different about you now that Jesus is your Lord? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Do you understand clearly what it means to be baptized?!

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Do you have questions about baptism?! !

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Have you asked Jesus to be your Best Friend and Savior?! !

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Who would you like to have in the baptismal tank with you? ______________________________ and ______________________________ Once you’ve finished your workbook, including your faith story and your application, you and your parents should talk with Pastor Kate. Any time before or after church on a Sunday is fine - bring your workbook with you!

Where do I go from here? Getting baptized is only the beginning… Now that you’ve decided to live your life like Jesus – just HOW do you go about it? Just like your body needs good food to grow strong and healthy, your SPIRIT needs good food, too! Where do we find that good food? …in the Bible! There are many different styles of Bibles available. When you’re just getting started, it helps to choose one that’s easy to understand. Our favorite is the “Hands On Bible”, that we use at church. The Family Christian Bookstore carries them, and you can also order them online. Be sure to have a daily serving of spiritual food.

Find this verse in your Bible and highlight it or underline it with a pen.

“I have taken your words to heart so I would not sin against you..” Psalm 119:11

Filling yourself up with God regularly is very important in living a life for Him. What are some ways you can fill yourself up with God? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Make sure your list includes reading your Bible, praying and meeting together with other Christians - like going to church!