Jesus said "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me." He said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father except through Me." Hearing this and accepting it as truth is one step.
Humbling yourself is the next step, and for two reasons. One, because "whosoever exalts himself will be humbled, whosoever shall humble himself will be exalted." Letting go of pride and vainglory, and accepting that we are sinners with an absolute need for Christ, is another step.
Part two of humbling yourself is repentance. Turning away from your former lifestyle, and seeking the Kingdom of God in thought, lifestyle, action, and truth. Reading the Bible alone doesn't make one Christian, no more than looking at a map makes you a geologist. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic -- it's applying these things into your life that makes the difference.
You've got hear, believe, and repent. Now comes confession. We must confess our sins, and forgive those who've sinned against us, that we may be forgiven. But this is only two parts of the process -- we can't shun holy baptism. Christ came to this earth sinless, why was He baptized? Because if we're to walk in His image, we should do as He did. As Romans says, we are buried with Christ in a watery grave, that we might be resurrected in His likeness.
And if your baptism is true, meaning you've taken all of the appropriate steps thus far, and you've done it for the remission of sins, not for a 'public display of belief', the Spirit will descend upon you.
If you want to get to point C, you don't start with A and skip B.
Is baptism absolutely necessary? For you and I, yes, I humbly belief that it is. We have that ability, and that right, should we decide to take the walk in faith to get there.
Humbling, hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, baptism.
Not reading, respectfully.