How do I call people to an immediate response of baptism?

At the core, the invitation to be baptized is a call to respond to Jesus by surrendering to His commands. Start by clearly articulating the gospel and how to respond in faith to that news—don’t assume even those who have grown up in church understand that. Explain the symbolic nature of baptism as a public symbol of a commitment to follow Jesus, in the same way that a wedding ring is a symbol of a marriage commitment. You may want to proactively address common objections to baptism (see additional FAQs on this page).