I was privileged be part of a service at Discover Church this last Saturday night at which 20 people were baptized. Several children, youth, and adults were baptized in Christ by full immersion in a large tank of water in the sanctuary. This was a first for me in 20 years of ministry.
The expressions on the faces of the baptized as they emerged from the water simply amazed me . Huge smiles broke the water streaming off their faces as we applauded and prayed and gave our praise to God.
This service was grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ- emphasizing that baptism is what God does to us and for us. God washes us clean of our sin as we are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Another impressive aspect of this service for me came with the wide age range. In my ministry experience I've baptized hundreds of infants and only a handful of adults and youth.
As others have noted, youth and adult baptisms truly are a sign of the church's mission and growth. Rather than evangelism by procreation, evangelism occurs in reaching the unchurched and those who have never been connected to the church.
Praise God for the newly baptized!
-Pr. Durk
2 comments:
Very cool, Durk! Thanks for sharing.
How wonderful!
Mark and I miss you tremendously! Are your preaching at any of the services at Discover Church? If so, we would love to come see/hear you. Please let me know!
Danielle Joseph
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