Frequently Asked Questions About United Methodist Beliefs What is required of me to be a United Methodist? How is Baptism done in the Methodist Church? If I have already been baptized into another denomination, must I be rebaptized? What is the difference between baptism and confirmation? Baptism ushers you into the Christian church universal, the family of Christ. If you have not been baptized you will be asked to repent of your sins and profess your faith in God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Christian faith as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. You will also be asked to promise to “keep God’s holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as a faithful member of Christ’s holy church.” Your pastor may require that you participate in a membership class before being baptized or taking church membership vows. Back to top Sprinkling is most commonly used, but pouring and immersion are also permissible. To sprinkle, the pastor’s hand is dipped into water and placed on the head of the person being baptized. For immersion, the person being baptized is completely dipped beneath water. The third option is simply to pour water from a pitcher onto the head. United Methodists are more concerned with the symbolism and meaning of the event than the exact form that might have been used in early times. If the mode of baptism were essential to our Christian belief and practice, it is believed that the New Testament would be clear-cut in saying so. Back to top No. Your previous baptism will be accepted and you will only take vows of church membership. Back to top One can be baptized any time after birth. Confirmation is the time when individuals confirm the vows that they took or that were taken by their parents at the time of baptism. Confirmation marks the time when a person is actually received as a member of the United Methodist Church. Generally, young people completing the sixth grade participate in a membership training class before they are confirmed. Back to top | 
