This Sunday, we are doing an ‘impromptu’ baptism service. We will have it under the south breezeway right between our morning services – 10 AM.
Have you made a decision to follow Jesus and not been baptized yet? Let’s get this thing done! You can drop me an email, call the office, or just show up on Sunday morning.
Let me be clear about a couple of things concerning baptism.
What It Isn’t
There’s nothing magical about being baptized. It’s not being dunked in healing waters to cure sickness. It doesn’t ‘save’ you or make you a better person, nor will it secure you a better place in heaven. It’s not a Christian Good Luck Ceremony.
What It Is
It is a phenomenal step of obedience. It’s a public act of identifying with Jesus. It’s a spiritual marker on your road of following Jesus. It’s a visible act of an invisible condition of your heart: yielded to Jesus. It tells the story of Jesus and of us. We are crucified and buried with Christ (dunked under water). We are raised to walk in new life.
Jesus was baptized, and He instructs us to be baptized for all of these reasons. But there is one more reason why I love this act…
It gives the church an opportunity to celebrate your walk with Jesus.
Following Jesus gets difficult, and it was never designed to be something that we do alone. Never. It’s why He created and formed and gifted this thing called “The Church.” We were created to be in relationship with each other on this journey with Jesus. Baptism allows us to celebrate another brother or sister on that journey with us.
It reminds us that we are not alone. That we are called into something larger, more meaningful than just an individualized existence. It’s why we ask people, “Who has been significant for you on your journey? Can they baptize you or at least pray for you?” It’s why we gather around the water together as a family, and not just watch as observers. It’s why we cheer and make a lot of noise.
So if you’ve never follow Jesus in baptism, here’s your chance. It’s going to be awesome. It will be a significant marker for you.
The only question left is …
What exactly are you waiting for?