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As the multilayered meanings of baptism suggest, baptism in the Mennonite tradition is neither the beginning nor the end of the Christian journey. Like a wedding, baptism is a public statement of commitment offered before God and other witnesses reflecting a relationship that has existed long before the decision to make a formal and public vow. Like a wedding, it is an announcement of allegiances ("forsaking all others") clarifying that this relationship is now taking on a concrete and permanent character.
But just as the wedding is not yet a marriage, so too baptism should not be confused with what it means to be Christian. The wedding defines some crucial understandings for the marriage ahead, but the real adventure of marriage is learning how to make a life together. Marriage is what it means to grow in the relationship, to establish a home, to raise a family, to adjust to inevitable changes and unexpected challenges, and to practice daily the virtues of love, compassion, trust, forgiveness, and fidelity.
Mennonites understand baptism in much the same way. It is an event of utmost importance that gives public witness to our allegiances and celebrates God's transforming work in our lives. Yet baptism is really only a point of reference for the real adventure of Christian discipleship. Like a wedding, it is not the culmination of a relationship but a moment of conscious commitment that points ahead to a lifetime relationship with God and with fellow believers. This relationship is filled with further opportunities for confession and repentance, adjusting to surprising changes, and deepening in the love as the mystery of intimacy and the joy of relationship are renewed every day.
—"Mennonite Understandings of Baptism: A Summary," p. 73
