We just had our first Baptism in the new baptistery on Sunday. It was special because we also observed Holy Communion. Our church observes the Lord Supper on the Second Sunday of each month normally but this month we joined with several other churches to celebrate “Worldwide Communion”. It was significant because the candidate and new member is eleven years old. He represents new life. The term is biblical in itself but our church in whose very name holds “historic” remains in the past. I as a planter hope to be used by God to return this stump back into tree.
The sermon that I taught was doctrinal on Baptism. That was important because if Baptist people are to be effective witnesses for The Kingdom they should know what the core beliefs of their church is. Without that knowledge it is easy to get confused, manipulated, or led astray. The Jehovah Witnesses are effective because they know what they believe. Black Muslims can sell bean pies in the streets because they know what they believe. And even young elders of the Church of Latter Day Saints can ride bicycles in Barry Farms (SE Washington, DC) because they know, what they believe.
On the back of our church bulletin it reads that the mission of this church is to:
- To touch the heart of God
- To teach the Word of God
- To equip the people of God
In order to spiritually equip the Baptist of Historic Berean church they needed to know what we believed about Baptism. Our doctrine is that baptism is the immersion of a believer in Christ in water in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
Unfortunately, we had some issues, with personalities and egos but the work of the Lord managed anyway.
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