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This memorial day will be one I will always remember and cherish. Not only will I remember hanging out with 30 amazing people on “America’s Best Beach 2005″, grilling up 44 burgers and 24 dogs, eating like a champ, and jamming with some talented dudes…but I will more importantly remember it as the day I got baptized…biblically!
Baptism is a term you hear Christians use a lot. It gets confusing for people, but it shouldn’t. Baptism is simply a public display showing people that you’ve become a follower of Jesus Christ through repentance and faith (Acts 20:21). Baptism doesn’t save you, or “make” you a Christian. Take me for example, I’ve been a Christian for most of my life…I had even been “baptized” as a baby, been “confirmed” in the Episcopal Church, and even re-dedicated my life to Jesus in high school. Despite all this, I had never done the biblical thing and get baptized by immersion.
We get the word baptism from a transliteration of the Greek word baptizo which means to immerse, to sink a ship. In early Christian history, when people would decide to turn away from their old lives, believe in and follow Jesus, immediately after this transformation they would get baptized. (Acts 16:30-33) Whole families would accept Jesus and then get baptized right their on the spot!
We also know that Jesus thinks baptism is important as is apparent in the last thing he said while on earth: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matt 28:19, ESV).
All that being said…getting dunked in the Gulf of Mexico was pretty cool. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t mystical, and it definitely doesn’t make me a better person…it does however mean that I love and follow Jesus as God, that I want to obey Him and value what He values (baptism), and that I want people to know that I am a Christian, a new creation!
So – I am going to be honest. While I like the idea of a blog…I am not really very big on writing – hense all of the pictures that generally make up my posts. Pictures I can do – any in depth updates will be left up to Graham:) In case however you are under the impression that all we are doing is decorating our house 24 hours a day haha – we are actually getting to be a part of some pretty amazing things that are going on here at the newest Aletheia Church plant at USF. Until Graham has a bit of free time to update with a post of his own I will just have to direct you to another blog that will do a much better job of filling you in on the progress of our new college church. This is the blog of Aaron Proffit, our friend and the head pastor of this new church plant. Enjoy! Here is what we have been up to in Tampa Fl !
