When We Meet
Sunday Mornings
11:00am
Become A Member Virtually
You may become a member of Zion Baptist Church in any of the ways set forth below. Zion Baptist Church is committed to the followings of Jesus Christ. If you would like to join us and be supportive of our church, we passionately and warmly invite you to become a member.
To become a member you can:
1. Complete the New Member Form
2. Contact the church office
If you are led to join, you may call the church office at (803) 779-2809. You will be contacted by the Pastor or one of our Ministers.
3. Email Us
If you are led to join, you may email us at zionbaptistchurchav@gmail.com. You will be contacted by our Pastor or one of our Ministers.
The Membership Process
Express your desire to become a member through one of the following means:
1) Membership by Baptism
If you have recently accepted Christ as your Savior, making a public profession of faith is the first step in becoming a member of a Baptist Church.
Upon your public profession of faith in Christ and after your baptism by immersion, you are added to the membership of the church.
During this altar call you will be introduced and a baptismal service will be scheduled for you.
If you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and follow Him in baptism by immersion, we welcome you into our fellowship.
- What is Baptism?
Baptism is an act in which a person who has become a follower of Jesus Christ is immersed in water as a way of identifying with Jesus Christ. Just like wearing a wedding ring indicates a person is married, being baptized demonstrates that a person has committed their life to Jesus.
The believer humbles himself by putting on a simple robe, thereby disdaining any social status as a basis for salvation.
Then one enters the waters and confesses that "Jesus is Lord," this being the earliest known confession of faith.
The person is then put under the water trusting completely in the faithfulness of the administrant to raise the person up.
This symbolizes the death-drowning-of one's sin and selfish strivings in the baptismal tomb.
When the person is raised up again, it is a sign that God will give the person life again after death, just as Jesus was raised from the dead.
The water of baptism does not save. Baptism is an act of obedience to Jesus Christ and a public testimony of one's faith.
Baptism does not make a person a Christian; it is something we do to tell others we are a Christian.
- Who should be Baptized? The short answer is new believers.
In the New Testament, new believers were baptized soon after their decision to become followers of Jesus. Only persons who had already accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord are baptized. As stated above, this was for the purpose of marking themselves as followers of Jesus.
The question is often asked why Baptists don't baptize babies. There is no record in the New Testament of an infant being baptized. Zion does not practice infant baptism. Rather infants and children are nurtured and encouraged in the faith until such age as the child can make a personal commitment. We involve the child, the parents, godparents, extended family and congregation in a service of infant dedication. This meaningful service of blessing and commitment is conducted during regular worship services.
The issue is not infant baptism versus adult baptism. The issue is infant baptism versus believer's baptism. In the New Testament only believers were baptized.
- Why do Baptists Baptize by Immersion?
Baptists baptize by immersion instead of pouring or sprinkling for several reasons.
1) The New Testament word translated "baptize" in our English translations of the Bible means "to immerse, submerge."
2) Immersion better pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
3) It was the method practiced in both the New Testament and the early church. We refer to this as New Testament Baptism.
There are three different instances when a person will join Zion by this means:
1) When a person who has never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord decides to make this eternally important decision;
2) When a person has already accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but has not publicly confessed Him by being baptized;
3) When a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but was baptized by a method other than immersion or was baptized before they accepted Jesus Christ(such as when a person was baptized as an infant).
In each of these instances, we would ask the person requesting membership to be baptized at Zion.
If you have recently accepted Christ as your Savior, making a public profession of faith is the first step in becoming a member of a Baptist Church.
Upon your public profession of faith in Christ and after your baptism by immersion, you are added to the membership of the church.
During this altar call you will be introduced and a baptismal service will be scheduled for you.
If you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and follow Him in baptism by immersion, we welcome you into our fellowship.
- What is Baptism?
Baptism is an act in which a person who has become a follower of Jesus Christ is immersed in water as a way of identifying with Jesus Christ. Just like wearing a wedding ring indicates a person is married, being baptized demonstrates that a person has committed their life to Jesus.
The believer humbles himself by putting on a simple robe, thereby disdaining any social status as a basis for salvation.
Then one enters the waters and confesses that "Jesus is Lord," this being the earliest known confession of faith.
The person is then put under the water trusting completely in the faithfulness of the administrant to raise the person up.
This symbolizes the death-drowning-of one's sin and selfish strivings in the baptismal tomb.
When the person is raised up again, it is a sign that God will give the person life again after death, just as Jesus was raised from the dead.
The water of baptism does not save. Baptism is an act of obedience to Jesus Christ and a public testimony of one's faith.
Baptism does not make a person a Christian; it is something we do to tell others we are a Christian.
- Who should be Baptized? The short answer is new believers.
In the New Testament, new believers were baptized soon after their decision to become followers of Jesus. Only persons who had already accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord are baptized. As stated above, this was for the purpose of marking themselves as followers of Jesus.
The question is often asked why Baptists don't baptize babies. There is no record in the New Testament of an infant being baptized. Zion does not practice infant baptism. Rather infants and children are nurtured and encouraged in the faith until such age as the child can make a personal commitment. We involve the child, the parents, godparents, extended family and congregation in a service of infant dedication. This meaningful service of blessing and commitment is conducted during regular worship services.
The issue is not infant baptism versus adult baptism. The issue is infant baptism versus believer's baptism. In the New Testament only believers were baptized.
- Why do Baptists Baptize by Immersion?
Baptists baptize by immersion instead of pouring or sprinkling for several reasons.
1) The New Testament word translated "baptize" in our English translations of the Bible means "to immerse, submerge."
2) Immersion better pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
3) It was the method practiced in both the New Testament and the early church. We refer to this as New Testament Baptism.
There are three different instances when a person will join Zion by this means:
1) When a person who has never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord decides to make this eternally important decision;
2) When a person has already accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but has not publicly confessed Him by being baptized;
3) When a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but was baptized by a method other than immersion or was baptized before they accepted Jesus Christ(such as when a person was baptized as an infant).
In each of these instances, we would ask the person requesting membership to be baptized at Zion.
2) Membership by Letter
If you are currently a member of another Church, we will receive you as a member upon promise of a letter from that church.
Zion will contact that church to notify them of your decision and request your letter.
If you are currently a member of another Church, we will receive you as a member upon promise of a letter from that church.
Zion will contact that church to notify them of your decision and request your letter.
3) Membership by Christian Experience
If you know in your heart that you have previously experienced salvation by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord and you are currently not a member of another Baptist church, and You were baptized by immersion after you accepted Jesus Christ, you may become a member of Zion.
If you know in your heart that you have previously experienced salvation by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord and you are currently not a member of another Baptist church, and You were baptized by immersion after you accepted Jesus Christ, you may become a member of Zion.
4) Membership by Restoration
Any person who had been a member of Zion, baptized and has not been fellowshipping with the church, but now desires to restore that fellowship may join. A person coming under restoration also have the option to be baptized if they so choose.
Any person who had been a member of Zion, baptized and has not been fellowshipping with the church, but now desires to restore that fellowship may join. A person coming under restoration also have the option to be baptized if they so choose.