Matthew 28:19 — "Baptize in the Name"

Disciples of Christ affirm Matthew 28:19 as the scriptural basis for baptism and for the Trinitarian invocation. Disciples practice believer's baptism by immersion using the Matthean formula or simple Trinitarian language. The passage is understood as the risen Christ's command to baptize all believers and forms the basis of Disciples missiology and baptismal theology. Weekly communion and baptism are the two ordinances that define Disciples practice, with baptism being the initiatory rite that incorporates believers into the local congregation and the church universal.