Baptism Sunday: Southern Baptist Churches Fill the Tank, Celebrate New Life

All of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. On Sunday, April 12, churches across North America joined in that celebration, filling their baptismal tanks and witnessing hundreds publicly declare their new life in Christ during the SBC’s annual Baptism Sunday.

At Centerview Baptist Church in Marshville, N.C., five people were baptized. Pastor Aaron Griffin shared that a father baptized his two of his children, completing a moment years in the making. “He has now baptized his whole family,” Griffin said.

Griffin also noted that a brother and sister followed Christ in believer’s baptism, while a fifth-grade girl—the only Christian in her family—chose to make her faith public. “She wanted her family to see what it means to follow Christ,” he said. “It was a wonderful day.”

Across North Carolina, churches celebrated similar stories of life change. Balfour Baptist Church in Asheboro baptized three people, Oakdale Baptist Church in Rocky Mount baptized four, Crosslink Church in Mebane celebrated 20 baptisms, and First Baptist Church in Cary baptized five, including three young men and two women. In total, North Carolina Baptists reported more than 680 baptisms.

From smaller congregations to larger churches, Baptism Sunday served as a unified moment for Southern Baptists to celebrate the gospel at work. Each baptism is a visible reminder of the life-transforming work of Jesus and the ongoing mission to reach people who are far from God.

“I’m grateful for the faithful proclamation of the gospel and the powerful way the Lord has moved. On Baptism Sunday, we saw new believers take one of their first steps of obedience to Jesus through baptism, publicly professing their new life in Christ,” stated Tim Dowdy, vice president of evangelism at the North American Mission Board (NAMB).

“Every baptism represents a life changed by the gospel. It’s a powerful reminder that God is still saving people and that our churches are on mission to share that hope with those who are far from Him,” Dowdy shared.

Dowdy encouraged churches to continue sharing on social media how God is at work through Baptism Sunday using the hashtag #FillTheTank.

“We celebrate what God has done, but we’re also looking ahead. There are still so many people who need to hear the gospel, and we want to continue mobilizing churches to reach them,” Dowdy said.

Next year’s Baptism Sunday is scheduled for April 4, 2027. Pastors and churches can access planning guides, FAQs, and additional resources at namb.net/evangelism/baptism-sunday.