Churches of Christ emphasize Matthew 28:19 as Christ's explicit command for believer's baptism administered in the name (singular in Greek: 'the name') of the Trinity. Baptism is the act by which individuals publicly confess Christ as Lord and are added to the church. The formula prescribed — 'in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' — represents the Trinitarian nature of the salvific event and the unity of the Godhead.

For Churches of Christ, baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus (understood as equivalent to the Trinitarian formula) is not merely a symbol of faith but the point at which God grants the gift of the Holy Spirit and remission of sins (Acts 2:38). The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 is thus foundational to ecclesiology, soteriology, and the practice of the sacrament. Though some conservative Churches of Christ have debated whether the precise formula matters, the overwhelming consensus is that immersion 'in the name' of the Father, Son, and Spirit is essential.