It depends on your definition of the word "church"…

If you are talking about one of the world’s denominations such as the Catholics, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, or even the United Church of God, the answer is no. However, if you are considering the word "Church’" as it has been translated in the Bible from the Greek word ekklesia, then the answer is yes.

You should be baptized into God’s ekklesia—which is a Greek word used to describe “those who have been called out.” The ekklesia of God is an assembly of believers whom God has called out of the world to learn to follow the teachings He sent through His Son, Jesus Christ.

A number of the references translated “Church” in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 16:18, Matthew 18:17, and many other locations throughout the book of Acts and the remainder of the New Testament come from this word ekklesia. So when Christ says, “I will build my Church” in Matthew 16:18, He is not referring to any specific worldly denomination, He is saying, "I will build my assembly of called out believers." God knows who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). He knows them because He called them, and they live according to His teachings.

God was clear as to who could become a part of this ekklesia. An individual could not just decide that they were going to become a part of it. John 6:44 states that God the Father does the calling, ultimately bringing that individual to Jesus Christ and beginning to open their mind to understanding. Once they begin to understand the truths of God, the importance of the Sabbath, the Holy Days, and other essential teachings that Jesus Christ taught his disciples, the individual begins to become interested in committing themselves to become a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ.

Throughout scripture, baptism is the vehicle through which that commitment is made.

Christ instructed His disciples to go out and teach as they were taught, making more disciples of Jesus Christ through their travels (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). They did—baptizing people in Christ’s name, and laying hands on those individuals so that they would receive God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 8:12-17).

The apostle Paul expanded on the understanding of God’s ekklesia,when he wrote that "Those who are led by the Spirit of God [received at baptism through the laying on of hands—Acts 19:1-6, Hebrews 6:2] are the sons of God … and if children—heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs of Christ” (Romans 8:14-17). The members of God’s ekklesia—those He has called out and to whom He has revealed His truth—are more than just a body of believers. They are a literal part of God’s family. They are children of God, heirs to the Kingdom and joint-heirs with Christ. That is, if they allow God’s Spirit to lead their lives.

If we are led by God’s Spirit, we will live our lives in accordance with Christ’s teachings exhibiting fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), so a good litmus test as to whether a denomination is baptizing into God’s ekklesia is, do they teach and encourage their brethren to live their lives in accordance with Christ’s teachings?

If you desire to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ, living your life in accordance with what he taught, becoming baptized and receiving God’s Spirit through the laying on of hands is essential. As a result, it is important to find a denomination that teaches as Jesus Christ taught, and whose ministers have the authority to baptize in accordance with His teachings as we see outlined in scripture.

So should you be baptized into a denomination? No. You should be baptized in God’s ekklesia, the very family of God.