baptism

Sunday following our morning worship service we went outside to baptize three young people. We don't have a baptismal in our sanctuary--hopefully, we will add a portable one to our "wish list"--but we have a large metal container that we have fashioned into a baptismal tank.

Our candidates for baptism included a young teenage girl, a younger teenage boy and a young lady who recently came to Christ. It was meaningful for me to baptize these three young believers who seem serious about their ongoing relationship with Christ and followed in this step of obedience.

The setting was unusual--underneath an outdoor covered extension of our new facilities, surrounded by picnic tables and a congregation anticipating the potluck to follow. About 300-400 were shoulder-to-shoulder trying to get a glimpse of the baptism, some visiting, but others with their eyes and hearts trained on the moment. Baptism is a special moment. It is a moment of celebration for those who have come to know Christ and are making public testimony of that commitment.

Every member of the body of Christ rejoices...and on a day when people joined our church, leadership was prayed for and a picnic fellowship was enjoyed by everyone, the greatest moment of the day for me was the celebration of three young believers moving ahead in their spiritual life as we baptized them.

That, indeed, should be the focus of the church.