View Full Version : 65+ People Baptized in Jesus Name this weekend
Our church had it's quarterly "Praise & Worship Night" this past Friday. Our pastor also quarterly teaches a full lesson on baptism and these coincide with our Praise & Worship weekends.
We then incorporate a time for baptisms into the Praise & Worship night followed up by bapitsms at all three services after the baptism lesson the following Sunday.
This past Friday night 35+ folks were baptized in Jesus Name and then we baptized 30+ more between the three Sunday services for a weekend total of more than 65 people baptized.
This puts us at baptizing around 500 people in Jesus name during the 5 year history of our church. The pastor mentioned Sunday morning that we don't put a lot of importance on numbers at our church but baptisms are one number that we do because of what it represents - folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man.
FlamingZword
03-03-2014, 11:50 AM
Great, hope your church grows even more.
you are doing God's work, and we rejoice that you are getting results.
obriencp
03-03-2014, 12:11 PM
that's awesome CC1. BTW, I like your pic. I read that book less than a year ago. Good stuff, but I laughed at how much the author used the exclamation point.
MawMaw
03-03-2014, 01:18 PM
Praise the Lord!
Always so wonderful to
see people baptized in that
wonderful name of JESUS!!
Truthseeker
03-03-2014, 06:41 PM
Awesome, got a church website.
Disciple4life
03-03-2014, 07:03 PM
That's great CC1. I like your pic. I have that book ordered it should arrive any day.
The author better not use the exclamation point excessively. RHRHRHR!!! :foottap
KeptByTheWord
03-03-2014, 07:10 PM
Great praise report! Must have been a very busy and exciting weekend!
Just wondering though... :stirpot.... what if Jesus comes in between the quarters of the year when you baptize, and someone who wanted baptized, wasn't able to get baptized?
kclee4jc
03-03-2014, 07:27 PM
Great praise report! Must have been a very busy and exciting weekend!
Just wondering though... :stirpot.... what if Jesus comes in between the quarters of the year when you baptize, and someone who wanted baptized, wasn't able to get baptized?
Seeing that baptism is only "folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man" rather than "for the remission of sins" it wouldn't matter anyway. Typical of many churches with Apostolic roots that have adopted a Baptist theology with a slight OP twist.
Just finished listening to Bro. Stanley Chamber's message from 1968 UPCI General Conference. Looks like history has caught up with the greater Apostolic movement.
Seeing that baptism is only "folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man" rather than "for the remission of sins" it wouldn't matter anyway. Typical of many churches with Apostolic roots that have adopted a Baptist theology with a slight OP twist.
Just finished listening to Bro. Stanley Chamber's message from 1968 UPCI General Conference. Looks like history has caught up with the greater Apostolic movement.
Kleenex,
So are you saying that in your mind the baptism of these people is invalid if they don't believe that going down in the water actually regenerates them?
That's great CC1. I like your pic. I have that book ordered it should arrive any day.
The author better not use the exclamation point excessively. RHRHRHR!!! :foottap
I have not read the book in many years so didn't remember an excessive use of exclamation points someone on here pointed out. I will have to dig it up and check that out!
Although written a few decades ago now the book is still relevent.
Awesome, got a church website.
www.experiencecc.com
Click on the "Media/Lessons" tab for video's of Sunday lessons and the short opening videos for sermon series and worship nights. The clip on there labeled "Sinking Deep" was the video intro for this past Friday nights worship night.
In a few days the video of the Sunday lesson on baptism will be on there. The podcast is probably already up at itunes under Experience Community or Corey Trimble.
Great praise report! Must have been a very busy and exciting weekend!
Just wondering though... :stirpot.... what if Jesus comes in between the quarters of the year when you baptize, and someone who wanted baptized, wasn't able to get baptized?
KBTW,
We would baptize somebody anytime they want to in the nearest water. Our church does not have a permanent baptistry so we use two rubber / plastic giant cattle tanks we bring in for the occasion.
keep in mind that unlike three steppers we do not believe that ones salvation is contingent upon baptism so there is no issue with someone giving their life to Christ and dying before they are baptized. However we do place a big emphasis on baptism as it is a public outward act identifying one with Christ and burying the old and and putting on a new man.
Bottom line is our point of view is that the question if one has to baptized to be saved is the wrong question. The question should be why would anyone giving their life to Christ not want to be baptized? Does not make sense.
kclee4jc
03-03-2014, 08:47 PM
Kleenex,
So are you saying that in your mind the baptism of these people is invalid if they don't believe that going down in the water actually regenerates them?
I'm not saying either way. That's not my call.
I would say that you have forsaken the Gospel that Jesus died to deliver.
MissBrattified
03-03-2014, 09:00 PM
Absolutely AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup
KeptByTheWord
03-03-2014, 09:08 PM
KBTW,
We would baptize somebody anytime they want to in the nearest water. Our church does not have a permanent baptistry so we use two rubber / plastic giant cattle tanks we bring in for the occasion.
keep in mind that unlike three steppers we do not believe that ones salvation is contingent upon baptism so there is no issue with someone giving their life to Christ and dying before they are baptized. However we do place a big emphasis on baptism as it is a public outward act identifying one with Christ and burying the old and and putting on a new man.
Bottom line is our point of view is that the question if one has to baptized to be saved is the wrong question. The question should be why would anyone giving their life to Christ not want to be baptized? Does not make sense.
Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation. So thankful to hear the good things the Lord is doing in your midst :)
MissBrattified
03-03-2014, 09:16 PM
Seeing that baptism is only "folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man" rather than "for the remission of sins" it wouldn't matter anyway. Typical of many churches with Apostolic roots that have adopted a Baptist theology with a slight OP twist.
Just finished listening to Bro. Stanley Chamber's message from 1968 UPCI General Conference. Looks like history has caught up with the greater Apostolic movement.
I'm not saying either way. That's not my call.
I would say that you have forsaken the Gospel that Jesus died to deliver.
I am flabbergasted that anyone would think that what a person believes baptism accomplishes would affect what God does for them when they are baptized. I think what is scripturally required is that they believe Jesus is God ("...I am He....") and that they call upon the name of the Lord.
I am flabbergasted that anyone would think that what a person believes baptism accomplishes would affect what God does for them when they are baptized. I think what is scripturally required is that they believe Jesus is God ("...I am He....") and that they call upon the name of the Lord.
I purposefully used the word "regeneration" in my response to him to see how he would react. Most Oneness theologians try to walk a fine line here and deny that baptism is regenerational. Apparently he believes it is.
I purposefully used the word "regeneration" in my response to him to see how he would react. Most Oneness theologians try to walk a fine line here and deny that baptism is regenerational. Apparently he believes it is.
Can a person be saved without obedience and is baptism a command or a suggestion?
MissBrattified
03-03-2014, 10:47 PM
Can a person be saved without obedience and is baptism a command or a suggestion?
That isn't the issue being raised here.
If a person is baptized in Jesus' name, having faith that Jesus is God, and out of obedience to the Word of God, does it lose its effect if they don't know, understand or believe that it is NECESSARY for their salvation and/or the remission of sins? (e.g., they believe it's a ritualistic act of obedience)
Aside from that, it is in VERY bad form to hijack a thread about 65+ people being baptized and make it into a debate. :foottap It's very disheartening. I wonder what Heaven's reaction was to all these baptisms on Sunday?
That isn't the issue being raised here.
If a person is baptized in Jesus' name, having faith that Jesus is God, and out of obedience to the Word of God, does it lose its effect if they don't know, understand or believe that it is NECESSARY for their salvation and/or the remission of sins? (e.g., they believe it's a ritualistic act of obedience)
Aside from that, it is in VERY bad form to hijack a thread about 65+ people being baptized and make it into a debate. :foottap It's very disheartening. I wonder what Heaven's reaction was to all these baptisms on Sunday?
I did not raise the discussion but seen some references to baptismal regeneration and oneness theologians. I am asking a simple question that does not have to hijack a thread.
Is obedience essential and is baptism a command?
MissBrattified
03-03-2014, 11:15 PM
I did not raise the discussion but seen some references to baptismal regeneration and oneness theologians. I am asking a simple question that does not have to hijack a thread. Is obedience essential and is baptism a command?
No one is questioning whether people should get baptized. What is being questioned is whether their beliefs about what baptism accomplishes negates or validates its efficacy. What do you think about that?
No one is questioning whether people should get baptized. What is being questioned is whether their beliefs about what baptism accomplishes negates or validates its efficacy. What do you think about that?
Number one, I know there is a command to teach or make disciples that precedes baptism. Faith is indeed a vital part of one's new birth. Faith is more than mere acceptance as the definition of the term would bear out.
Number two, is an individual going to have a complete revelation at the point of their conversion, the answer is no. I do think we are obligated to let the convert know the purpose of their participation and it effects in their lives. In the cases we all reference in the book of Acts, obviously teaching the word always proceeded the individuals obedience.
Amanah
03-04-2014, 03:53 AM
It's awesome that so many were baptized. We can all rejoice in that.
I think baptism is more that a symbolic act though. I believe the bible teaches that baptism frees us from the sin principle that is at work in our lives until we are buried with Christ in Baptism.
When we are baptized in Jesus Name, we are baptized into the death of Christ. Become united with his death, and in His death we become freed from the laws of sin and death. Unless we are crucified with Christ, we cannot be freed from the sin/death principle at work in us.
Romans
6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
When we are baptized into Christ we put on Christ, we put on His death, we are in Christ and because we are in Christ, we are freed from the principle of Sin and Death.
Galatians
23 Before the coming of this faith,[j] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
In water Baptism, we are freed from sin, in Spirit baptism we receive the promise of the Spirit that brings newness of life.
Galatians 3:1414 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
kclee4jc
03-04-2014, 05:16 AM
I am flabbergasted that anyone would think that what a person believes baptism accomplishes would affect what God does for them when they are baptized. I think what is scripturally required is that they believe Jesus is God ("...I am He....") and that they call upon the name of the Lord.
Whoa whoa whoa!!
I did NOT say that these baptisms were not valid. For those that were baptized I rejoice. What is disheartening is the fact that the leadership of this church (who I'm certain are more learned in the scriptures than the recipients of water baptism) have diminished baptism in the Gospel to a mere symbolic ceremony rather than a salvational act. No, not regenerational. Regeneration is accomplished through the Holy Ghost.
I'm glad people are being baptized in Jesus Name. I'm irked that ministers are forsaking the Gospel and diminishing the importance of baptism in Jesus Name. Now I pray that God will send these people to a Bible believing church where they can grow in truth.
obriencp
03-04-2014, 06:39 AM
I have not read the book in many years so didn't remember an excessive use of exclamation points someone on here pointed out. I will have to dig it up and check that out!
Although written a few decades ago now the book is still relevent.
haha... i thought it lost it's effect because of over use. Still a very good book, it's just something i found humorous.
obriencp
03-04-2014, 06:46 AM
wow... I see it's getting heated in here. There are plenty of threads already covering this. Maybe we can be happy about souls being baptized and debate what actually happens during water baptism in the other threads. The search tool is our friend.
wow... I see it's getting heated in here. There are plenty of threads already covering this. Maybe we can be happy about souls being baptized and debate what actually happens during water baptism in the other threads. The search tool is our friend.
obriencp,
I appreciate what you are saying but as the author of this thread I don't mind the turn it has taken. I was pretty sure this would happen.
As a Oneness person who does not believe there are substantial differences in the views of trinitarians and Oneness folks (notice how I capitalize Oneness and not trinitarian to give us superiority? LOL!!) and who is a "one stepper" vs a "three stepper" when it comes to salvation I welcome these discussions.
Since leaving the UPC several decades ago I have been a part of 3 different churches with UPC connections. First sixteen years at one large ex UPC church then about 10 years at a second large ex UPC church when I moved. The last several years have been at a new church plant that is five years old and pastored by an ex UPC Youth Pastor.
I understand the strong theological position when it comes to baptism and the three steps of salvation most UPC / Oneness folks hold but have found it ironic that for folks to whom baptism in Jesus name is so critical these non UPC churches I have been a part of baptized a lot more people in Jesus name than probably any of the UPC churches in their states.
While we are on the subject of baptism here is another aspect of my church when it comes to baptism that I think will be controversial and should bring some good discussoin.
We allow church folks to baptize other church folks. A husband might baptize a wife or vice versa, a father a daughter, Sunday School teacher a student, and on and on. The pastor on Sunday morning told a story about a baptism at the Friday night Praise & Worship. He said a High School girl was going to baptize another girl around her age and when he went to explain to her how to hold the girls hand over her nose, put her hand at the back, etc the HS girl looked at him and said confidently "No problem, I know what I am doing,I have done this a lot!". I consider that wonderful.
kclee4jc
03-04-2014, 08:33 AM
While we are on the subject of baptism here is another aspect of my church when it comes to baptism that I think will be controversial and should bring some good discussoin.
We allow church folks to baptize other church folks. A husband might baptize a wife or vice versa, a father a daughter, Sunday School teacher a student, and on and on. The pastor on Sunday morning told a story about a baptism at the Friday night Praise & Worship. He said a High School girl was going to baptize another girl around her age and when he went to explain to her how to hold the girls hand over her nose, put her hand at the back, etc the HS girl looked at him and said confidently "No problem, I know what I am doing,I have done this a lot!". I consider that wonderful.
That's cool.
Sister Alvear
03-04-2014, 09:52 AM
glad for any soul that goes down in Jesus name....
obriencp
03-04-2014, 10:20 AM
CC1, if you're good with it, i'm good with it. My views towards baptism have become less concrete. I grew up a very strict 3-stepper, but am certainly more liberal than i used to be. I welcome the discussion too, but didn't know if the wording you chose was intentional. It seems as though it was :)
I do find it ironic that some of the verses used to solidify the remission in the water stance could also be used to show that we automatically receive the spirit upon water baptism. I didn't know so many OPs were baptist... I kid, I kid.
justlookin
03-04-2014, 10:33 AM
What if nobody says anything and the person being baptized does it himself?
MissBrattified
03-04-2014, 10:10 PM
Whoa whoa whoa!!
I did NOT say that these baptisms were not valid. For those that were baptized I rejoice. What is disheartening is the fact that the leadership of this church (who I'm certain are more learned in the scriptures than the recipients of water baptism) have diminished baptism in the Gospel to a mere symbolic ceremony rather than a salvational act. No, not regenerational. Regeneration is accomplished through the Holy Ghost.
I'm glad people are being baptized in Jesus Name. I'm irked that ministers are forsaking the Gospel and diminishing the importance of baptism in Jesus Name. Now I pray that God will send these people to a Bible believing church where they can grow in truth.
Okay, I understand you. This is the part that threw me:
...Seeing that baptism is only "folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man" rather than "for the remission of sins it wouldn't matter anyway.
The "it wouldn't matter anyway" sounded like you thought their baptisms were ineffective.
kclee4jc
03-05-2014, 06:16 AM
No..sorry.
The original question was "What would happen if Jesus came before the people were batized?" because they only did quarterly baptisms. My answer was that because to this particular church, baptism is not for the remission of sins but rather a symbolic ceremony without any "saving" power, they would not consider it an issue if "Jesus came" before the individuals were baptized.They would still consider them saved even without the Name of Jesus applied in water baptism, so in essence baptism "wouldnt matter" to them if it was not administered before the individual would stand before God.
TyronePalmer
03-05-2014, 08:32 AM
That's good news! And how many were baptized with the Holy Spirit showing the initial evidence of speaking in other languages?
Jesus said one must be born of water AND Spirit in order to enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 :-)
That's good news! And how many were baptized with the Holy Spirit showing the initial evidence of speaking in other languages?
Jesus said one must be born of water AND Spirit in order to enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 :-)
You are born of water in your natural birth and of the Spirit when you repent and accept Christ as your savior. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation and an empowerment to living for God. Now that should set off a firestorm! If it does please make it another thread since this one is strictly on water baptism at my church.
navygoat1998
03-05-2014, 06:46 PM
You are born of water in your natural birth and of the Spirit when you repent and accept Christ as your savior. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation and an empowerment to living for God. Now that should set off a firestorm! If it does please make it another thread since this one is strictly on water baptism at my church.
:thumbsup
You are born of water in your natural birth and of the Spirit when you repent and accept Christ as your savior. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation and an empowerment to living for God. Now that should set off a firestorm! If it does please make it another thread since this one is strictly on water baptism at my church.
So Jesus was emphasizing in John 3 unless you are born of the water (which you say is physically) and of the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom? Would it be necessary to for him to say unless you are born physically you cannot enter the kingdom?
Surely Peter was not saying of the household of Cornelius, can any man forbid a natural birth...which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? No, water here was baptism.
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Did the Eunuch see natural birth and then ask what doth hinder me to be baptized? Acts 8:36?
Maybe Peter should have said, repent and be natural birthed everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ...?
So Jesus was emphasizing in John 3 unless you are born of the water (which you say is physically) and of the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom? Would it be necessary to for him to say unless you are born physically you cannot enter the kingdom?
Surely Peter was not saying of the household of Cornelius, can any man forbid a natural birth...which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? No, water here was baptism.
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Did the Eunuch see natural birth and then ask what doth hinder me to be baptized? Acts 8:36?
Maybe Peter should have said, repent and be natural birthed everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ...?
There is nothing in Acts 10 that contradicts what I wrote. Clearly baptism is important and a Christian should be excited about the opportunity to do so. The question is whether ones salvation is contingent on it. I can't imagine why one calling themselves a Christ follower would not be baptized.
BrotherEastman
03-06-2014, 09:36 AM
Our church had it's quarterly "Praise & Worship Night" this past Friday. Our pastor also quarterly teaches a full lesson on baptism and these coincide with our Praise & Worship weekends.
We then incorporate a time for baptisms into the Praise & Worship night followed up by bapitsms at all three services after the baptism lesson the following Sunday.
This past Friday night 35+ folks were baptized in Jesus Name and then we baptized 30+ more between the three Sunday services for a weekend total of more than 65 people baptized.
This puts us at baptizing around 500 people in Jesus name during the 5 year history of our church. The pastor mentioned Sunday morning that we don't put a lot of importance on numbers at our church but baptisms are one number that we do because of what it represents - folks identifying themselves with Christ and symbolically burying their old man.
That's great news cc1 !!!!!!!!!! Kudos to the church for doing what was commanded!
There is nothing in Acts 10 that contradicts what I wrote. Clearly baptism is important and a Christian should be excited about the opportunity to do so. The question is whether ones salvation is contingent on it. I can't imagine why one calling themselves a Christ follower would not be baptized.
Repentance AND remission of sins preached in His name Luke 24:47
For the remission of sins (everyone of you) Acts 2:38
Having your sins washed away Acts 22:16
Doth now also save 1 Pet 3:21
Believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16:16
Commanded them to be baptized Act 10:48
Baptized into Christ put on Christ Gal 3:27
Were all baptized 1 Cor 10:2
What buries into and with Christ Rom 6:3-4, Col 2:12
FlamingZword
03-06-2014, 05:57 PM
Repentance AND remission of sins preached in His name Luke 24:47
For the remission of sins (everyone of you) Acts 2:38
Having your sins washed away Acts 22:16
Doth now also save 1 Pet 3:21
Believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16:16
Commanded them to be baptized Act 10:48
Baptized into Christ put on Christ Gal 3:27
Were all baptized 1 Cor 10:2
What buries into and with Christ Rom 6:3-4, Col 2:12
here are some more
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto the remission of sins. (Codex Bezae)
Barnabas 11 Now concerning the water it is written in reference to Israel, how that they would not receive the baptism which bringeth remission of sin… Blessed are they that set their hope on the cross, and go down into the water
Disciple4life
03-06-2014, 06:03 PM
here are some more
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto the remission of sins. (Codex Bezae)
Everybody is going to start using the Codex Bezae! :highfive
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