MORE THAN WATER · PART 8 OF 9
Quick answer: It’s okay to still have questions about baptism. You don’t need to know everything, have a dramatic testimony or be free of fear to be baptized. If you’ve trusted Jesus, you already know enough to take this step, and our pastors would love to talk with you.
In this article
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
— Mark 9:24 (NKJV)
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Seriously. The fact that you’ve continued reading tells us something. You’re taking this seriously. Maybe you’re convinced baptism is your next step. Maybe you’re almost convinced. Or maybe you’re still wrestling with questions that haven’t yet found words. That’s okay. God has never been intimidated by honest questions.
Some of the greatest people in Scripture wrestled with uncertainty. Thomas doubted. Peter feared. Martha questioned. The father of a demon-possessed boy cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Jesus didn’t reject him. He met him there. Perhaps that’s exactly where Jesus wants to meet you today.
You probably don’t. Neither did the people baptized throughout Acts. They hadn’t attended years of Bible studies. They didn’t have every theological answer. What they knew was enough. They knew they needed Jesus. The Christian life isn’t built on knowing everything. It’s built on trusting the One who does.
Perhaps you’ve followed Jesus for decades. Maybe you’ve served. Led. Given. Raised children. Now you wonder what people will think.
Can we tell you something? No one whose opinion truly matters will think less of you. In fact, quite the opposite. One memorable baptism involved a man in his seventies. He had followed Christ faithfully for years but had never taken this step. When he came up out of the water, the congregation erupted. Not because they were surprised. Because they were inspired. Your obedience may become someone else’s courage.
Some testimonies include dramatic rescue. Addiction. Crime. Miraculous transformation. Others sound very different. “We grew up in church. Our parents loved Jesus. Over time, we came to understand the gospel.”
Consider this: The power of your testimony isn’t found in how bad your past was. It’s found in how good Jesus is. The greatest miracle isn’t that someone was rescued from a terrible life. The greatest miracle is that anyone is rescued at all. Every testimony magnifies grace.
Thank you for being honest. Fear is real. Standing in front of people. Sharing your story. Being vulnerable. It’s okay to admit that. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is trusting Jesus more than we trust our fear. We have repeatedly heard people say they wish they had not waited to obey.
Welcome to the human race. Peter denied Jesus. David committed adultery. Jonah ran away. Thomas doubted. The disciples repeatedly misunderstood. Yet God continued writing their stories. Your failures do not disqualify you from obedience. In fact… Perhaps today is exactly the day to begin again.
Can we encourage you with something? Faith has never meant having every answer. Faith simply means trusting the One who does. If you’re waiting until every question disappears… You’ll probably wait forever. But if you’re willing to trust Jesus… He’ll gladly walk with you through every unanswered question.
Some moments in life quietly shape everything that follows. Your wedding day. The birth of a child. The day you trusted Christ. Baptism becomes one of those moments. Not because it’s magical. Because it’s memorable. Years from now, you may forget much of this series. What we hope you never forget is the simple invitation Jesus extends today. “Follow Me.”
Sometimes that next step leads into deep water. Literally. And that’s okay. Because the One who calls you into the water is the same One who walked on it.
If we’ve never met, we wish we could sit down over coffee. We’d love to hear your story—your questions, fears and hopes. We’d tell you something we’ve told countless others: You don’t have to have everything figured out before taking the next step. You simply need to know the One you’re following.
If you’ve trusted Jesus, if you’ve never publicly identified with Him, don’t let fear have the final word. Let faith speak instead.
Before you continue, take a few quiet moments. Not reading. Not studying. Just praying.
Ask God:
This article is part of More Than Water, a series on the beauty, meaning and mission of baptism. Start with the complete guide to baptism.
Whether you’re new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, we’d love to celebrate this step with you. Register for baptism, email our pastoral team or call 952.944.6300.
Wooddale Church is a multigenerational, Bible-teaching church in Minnesota with locations in Eden Prairie, Edina and Minneapolis near the University of Minnesota. Whether you’re looking for a church near you, exploring faith for the first time or simply curious about what happens at church, we invite you to join us.
If this article has raised questions, encouraged you or helped you see baptism in a new way, we’d love to continue the conversation. Whether you’re exploring Christianity for the first time, considering baptism or simply looking for a church family where you can continue growing in your faith, we’d be honored to walk alongside you. Following Jesus was never meant to be a journey you travel alone.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
