Last week I had the opportunity to baptize my friends, Rob and Nancy. They split time between their Bay Area home and the North Shore of Clear Lake. Each year their family gathers from all over the United States for the 4th of July. They wanted to use this time with family to have them as witnesses for their baptism. I agreed and we set a date to participate in baptism. We started off by each of them sharing their testimonies of how they came to know Jesus as their Savior and then we moved to the hot tub. Our hopes were to use the lake but with the algae blooms we opted for a cleaner alternative. After each of them declared their intent to live for and serve the Lord for the rest of their lives, they were baptized with the help of loved ones in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Hugs were shared, encouragement was offered, pictures were taken and then a song of praise to God was sung by all who were present.
Why do we announce this to the church? Baptisms are not to be done in secret or in private. They are to be a testimony of Gods goodness and faithfulness to all who witness them. Baptism is symbolic is what a person is experiencing but is also a major point of accountability to those who witness them. Simply put, when someone declares their love for the Lord and their intent to live for Him, we are to expect that from them and to help instruct, reproof and guide them towards Godly living. With all that being said, take notice of Rob and Nancy and when you see them, encourage them and invite them into your fellowship.
