I Will, With God’s Help
An 8-Week Study on the Baptismal Covenant
Five promises. One answer. A slow, honest walk through the vows we make at the water’s edge — and what it means to live them.
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8 Weeks • 3 Persons of the Trinity • 5 Baptismal Promises • Reflection Questions • For Groups & Individuals
about the book
At the font, water marks a beginning. You go under, and you come up into a new life, one shaped by what you believe and the promises you make because of it.
The Baptismal Covenant begins with belief: Do you believe in God the Father? In Jesus Christ, the Son? In God the Holy Spirit? Before it ever asks anything of you, it asks you to know who God is. Only then does it turn to the five promises, to continue in the teaching, to resist evil, to proclaim good news, to seek and serve Christ in everyone, to strive for justice and peace. And to each one, the same quiet answer: “I will, with God’s help.”
I Will, With God’s Help is an eight-week study that walks through the whole of that Covenant in order. Three weeks spent settling into who God is, then five weeks spent learning what it looks like to live like you believe it, on this side of the water. Written by author and Episcopal deacon Dan King, each week pairs honest reflection with Scripture, discussion questions, and small, doable practices. Equally at home in a confirmation class, a small group, or your own kitchen table.
This isn’t a study that hands you more rules to keep. It’s an invitation to lean into the life you’ve already begun.
“Know who God is. Live like you believe it. A whole life of learning to mean it.”
I Will, With God’s Help
An 8-Week Study on the
Baptismal Covenant
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what you’ll explore over 8 weeks
Three weeks on who God is, five weeks on what it means to live like you believe it. Reading, reflection, and discussion for each session.
Week 1: God the Father
Do you believe in God the Father?
You begin where the Creed begins: with who God is. This week meets Him as Creator, the One who provides, who calls you into love, and who renews your strength when you’re worn thin.
Week 2: God the Son
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
The eternal Word made flesh, the Redeemer who gave His life, the risen Lord who reigns. This week traces who Jesus is from before creation to His victory over death.
Week 3: God the Holy Spirit
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
The Spirit can feel like the hardest Person of the Trinity to know. This week slows down to explore the One who dwells with you, gives life, forms the Church, and quietly transforms you from the inside out.
Week 4: The Rhythms That Shape Us
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?
Belief turns to practice here. This week looks at the four rhythms that sustained the earliest Christians, and asks where you’ve drifted, and where you’re ready to return.
Week 5: Resisting Evil and Returning to God
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
An honest promise, because it assumes you’ll stumble. This week walks through naming sin without shame, and discovering that what waits for you in return is mercy, not distance.
Week 6: Proclaiming the Good News
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
Sharing your faith doesn’t have to feel like a performance. This week explores what it looks like to live and speak the Gospel naturally, in your own voice and your own life.
Week 7: Seeing Christ in Every Person
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
Even the people who are hardest to love. This week asks what it means to actually see Christ in every person you encounter, not just the ones who make it easy.
Week 8: Pursuing Justice and Peace
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
The Covenant ends not with an abstract ideal but with one local, specific act. This final week moves justice from a cause too large to touch into something you can actually do, where you live.
who this study is for
small groups
Eight ready-made sessions with discussion questions built in.
confirmation & newcomers
A gentle, grounded walk through what we promise at baptism.
personal devotion
Reflective reading you can carry at your own quiet pace.
what readers are saying
Actual testimonial coming soon!
frequently asked questions
Do I need to be Episcopalian to use this study?
Not at all! While the Baptismal Covenant comes from the Episcopal tradition, the promises belong to the whole Church. Anyone exploring baptism, preparing for confirmation, or wanting a deeper faith will feel at home here.
Is it designed for groups or individuals?
Both. Each of the eight weeks works for personal reflection, with discussion questions ready to go for small groups, classes, or one-on-one study.
How much time does each week take?
Each week includes five days of Scripture, reflection, and a closing practice, designed to fit into your own pace, whether that’s a few minutes a day or one longer sitting. Ideally, spending 20-30 minutes with each daily study is ideal. Groups typically spend 60-75 minutes together each week working through the discussion questions.
Is this study good for beginners, or do I need to already know the Bible well?
You don’t need any background. Each week walks through Scripture passages with commentary that explains the context as you go, and the reflection questions are written to meet you wherever you are in your faith. Whether this is your first study or your fiftieth, the goal is the same: to help you know God more, not to test what you already know.
What’s the difference between this study and a regular Bible study?
Most Bible studies explore a book of Scripture or a topic. This one follows the Baptismal Covenant itself, the vows spoken at every baptism in the Episcopal Church, the same questions and answers Christians have prayed for centuries. The first three weeks ground you in who God is (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and the last five walk through what it means to live that belief out: in community, in repentance, in witness, in love of neighbor, and in the pursuit of justice.
Can I use this study during Lent or Advent?
While this study isn’t tied to a specific liturgical season, its themes of repentance, renewed commitment, and living faith make it a natural fit for Lent, a season of preparation before confirmation or baptism, or simply a fresh start at the beginning of a new year.
Is there a leader’s guide for small groups?
Yes. The book includes a full appendix with curated discussion questions for each week (chosen from a larger set so your group doesn’t have to work through every question) along with guidance on structuring a 60-75 minute group session, pacing the conversation, and creating space for honest discussion, even when the topics get challenging.
Does this study work for confirmation classes?
Yes. Because the study follows the Apostles’ Creed and the Baptismal Covenant in order, it pairs naturally with confirmation preparation. Many confirmation classes already teach toward these exact questions and answers, this study simply gives you eight weeks of Scripture and reflection to go deeper into each one.
about the author
Rev. Dan King
Dan King is an author, Episcopal deacon, and speaker who has been writing on Scripture, prayer, and service since 2007. His work lives at the intersection of ancient practice and everyday life — the same place this study invites you to stand at the water’s edge and answer, “I will, with God’s help.”
more from dan king
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