Believing in Jesus

 What does it mean to be a Christian? Some people think you become a Christian by joining a church. Others think you are born a Christian. Still others think you are a Christian if you believe in God. But what does the Bible say?

In the Bible it is written, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”  Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

So the Bible says that we have sinned, and the result of our sins is death – eternal separation from God. But according to the Bible we can be reconciled to God and have eternal life because of Jesus (God’s Son).

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath no life.”   1 John 5:11-12

No amount of good deeds or religious activity will remove our sins from us. Only Jesus has the power to bring us back to God and forgive us of our sin. He did this by suffering and dying on the cross in our place, taking our sins upon Him. Will you receive God’s gift of salvation today? You will never be a true follower of Jesus Christ until you do. There are three things you must do:

Admit you are a sinner and have done wrong things 
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

Believe that Jesus died and rose again for your sins 
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  Romans 10:9

Confess (acknowledge) Jesus as your Lord and Saviour 
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Romans 10:13

If you want to be a true follower of Christ, you have to surrender your life and your rights to Him putting God in control. You can do this right now by just talking to Him – that’s the simplicity of prayer. Tell Him you are a sinner. Ask Him to forgive you and thank Him for offering the gift of forgiveness and life through Jesus Christ. If you do make this decision, let us know. We delight in helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ! 

Baptisms 

Why is it important for a believer to be baptized?

First, baptism is an act of loving obedience to our Lord as Jesus commanded His disciples to be baptized. Secondly, baptism is a public testimony of one’s faith in Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, when a person received Christ, the person gave public testimony to that fact through baptism. Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:41; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33

Who should be baptized?

Baptism is only for those who have made a personal declaration of faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. People who are genuine followers of Christ are to be baptized. This is what is meant by “believer’s baptism.” Acts 2:41; 8:37-38; 10:43-48; John 10:27; 2 Corinthians 7:10

What is the meaning of baptism?

First, baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. God’s great redemptive event of all history – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – is pictured and reenacted in the water baptism of every believer. Secondly, baptism symbolizes the present death, burial, and resurrection of the believer. Through baptism the believer shows that he has died to sin, that his old life has been buried with Christ, and that he has been raised to walk in the newness of life. Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 52

How should a believer be baptized?

Immersion is considered the scriptural mode of baptism for several reasons: First, the word translated “baptize” in the New Testament (Greek, baptizo) means “to dip, to plunge, to submerge, to immerse.” Secondly, the two New Testament accounts of baptismal services clearly indicate that immersion was the mode of baptism employed (Jesus, Mark 1:9-10; Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:38-39). Thirdly, immersion is the only method of baptism that pictures a death, burial, and resurrection.

How old should a child be before they are baptized?

Many parents struggle with this question. Simply stated, those who are considered for baptism should be old enough to make a believable profession of faith. It is impossible to set a precise age that will apply to every child, but when parents see convincing evidence of genuine spiritual life, and also some degree of understanding regarding the meaning of trusting in Christ, then baptism is appropriate.

Why is baptism called an ordinance?

Baptists have consistently used the term ordinance rather than sacrament because the latter term conveys the idea that baptism has saving power residing in the very act itself. Baptism, however, is never to be regarded as a means of salvation. The English word ordinance is derived from the Latin “ordinare,” which means “to set in order” in the sense of something being authoritatively ordered or decreed. Thus, baptism is a symbolic act divinely ordered and commanded by the Lord. Matthew 28:19-20

What if a person was baptized in another denomination?

A person may be received into membership at Willow Hills Baptist Church by statement if the following conditions are met:

1. The person has trusted in Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior
2. The person has experienced New Testament baptism by immersion

Join the Church

Many churches today have no formal membership process. Perhaps it’s because they don’t see church membership taught in the Bible, or they’ve been hurt by a church in the past, or maybe they’re confused by denominations and other ministries.  Whatever the case, they are missing something very important to their spiritual growth and to the advancement of the gospel.

Church membership provides an avenue for responsibility and accountability as it’s a tangible way to express commitment to a family of believers.  It encourages active participation in the work of the Church and it prevents us from trying to live out the Christian faith on our own.

A candidate for church membership must be a professing Christian, affirm our statement of faith and by-laws, and be presented to the Church body at a regular worship service.  A pre-requisite to church membership is the class entitled Discovering Willow Hills 101, which is offered at various times throughout the year.

Members at Willow Hills are entitled to voice and vote at business meeting and may hold ministry leadership positions. 

We encourage you to contact the Church office to learn more about membership at Willow Hills Baptist Church.

Connect with Others

It is our desire that those calling Willow Hills Baptist Church their home be involved in either a Sunday School class or a Life Group.  God designed us to be in a relationship with Him and with others as we undertake our journey of faith. 

Adult Sunday School classes are offered at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am throughout our campus. 

More information on classes can be found here:

Sunday Classes

Life Groups are available both on and off campus, and new ones are always on the horizon! For information or to join a Life Group, please call the church office.

Start Serving

 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…”  1 Peter 4:10

There are many ways you can join Willow Hills on our mission of: Leading the lost on a thriving relationship with Christ.”  Please complete the form below, and a ministry leader will be in touch with you!

Request Prayer

A group of prayer warriors meet each Wednesday afternoon at 3:45 PM at the Church for intercessory prayer.  This is open to all!