This Is Why We Do It

These 50+ people went to the river today to be bapitzed and publicly declare that they were following Jesus. They waded into the water to stand beside one of our pastors. When asked, "What is your testimony?", they replied, "Jesus is Lord" or "Jesus is my Savior".

Then they dipped back into the water and came up drenched.

Some of these folks I know well. Some of them have shared their stories with me.

Some of them are acquaintances only; we worship together each week.

But we share the same community. We are brothers and sisters. And today, we celebrated together in the most amazing bonus I could ask for.

Glen Titus came up out of the water with a fishing hook stuck to his sandal. The line and a weight trailed out into the water. He unwrapped them and declared, "I'm keeping this! It's a sign! Fishers of men!"

Jesus is Lord. There is no greater thing.

Raised Into a Light-Filled World

David and Austin are best friends.  They have a rare ability to get along with one another extremely well almost 100% of the time.

Sunday marked a unique day in each of their lives - and they shared it together.  They were two of twenty-four people who were baptized in the James River that afternoon - adults, students and children who stepped out to acknowledge publicly that they wanted to follow Christ.

It's hard to know exactly what nine-year-old boys are thinking, but I can't help but believe that each one of them knew that this was a very special day.

It was special for all of us in attendance.  This year, Powhatan Community Church has baptized sixty-one people - a one-year record for this church.  Here's how Kevin, our Community Care Pastor, interprets that number:

...not that the number in and of itself is important, but the fact that it is not simply a number - it is PEOPLE.  People whose lives are different today than they were before

Austin and David are two of those people.

Listening to final instructions.

Waiting patiently for his turn.

Another one of those people:  Kelley - one of MY best friends - being baptized with Austin, her son.  The look of sheer peace and beauty on her face is a transparent glimpse into her heart.  She is in the process of being transformed by Jesus in an incredible way.

Coming up out of the water with his dad; it is especially meaningful that Lonnie was here to participate.

Moving quickly; I think the water was a bit chilly!

"That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country."  Romans 6.3-5 The Message

What I Did Today...All Day...

Baptism Facts - Powhatan Community Church from Beth Brawley on Vimeo.