May 27, 2007

Thousands Of You Are Being Dunked - From All Over The Sanctuary

So I'm perusing the web this morning and visiting some church websites that I frequent and I come across this piece of news on a pastor's page:

Q: “I’ve heard we’re going to have a Sunday in the near future when anyone who wants to be baptized can come forward and be baptized immediately – right there on the spot! Is that right?”
A: Yes, and we’re calling it H2O Sunday. The date is "mm-dd-yyyy". It will be a Sunday like we’ve never had at "XXXX"! Here are the facts: There are many people who attend "XXXX" who have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, but for one reason or another have never been baptized. I’ve felt for some time a leading from God to provide them an opportunity to obey God by publicly professing their faith in Christ through believer’s baptism. Why do people hesitate to be baptized, even though they’ve made a personal commitment to Christ? For some, it ‘s fear of the unknown. They wonder what happens back there before a person comes out to be baptized. What about that “counseling room” that they hear the pastor talk about, where people are counseled after they come forward during the invitation? Well, on H2O Sunday we’ll do a video walkthrough of the prayer room, the dressing area, the baptismal pool, and everything else. You’ll discover it’s not as scary as you might think!
Now stop me if I'm wrong, BUT, wouldn't you think that a true conversion, one that is real and genuine, would at the very least seek out a pastoral team member to inquire about baptism and to learn more? Maybe the reason some have hesitated to be baptized is because their conversion wasn't real in the first place.

Also, what is going on in this church that folks who have been been converted have never been counseled, discipled, or engaged so that you have to have a "blanket baptismal service" to catch them? What is the world is wrong with our churches. Are we in such a hurry to do such mundane, unimportant, trivial stuff that we will allow converts to sit in our midst for years without following Jesus' lead in baptism. What are we doing in church today?

This is the first time I have ever heard of service of this type and in my opinion now begins to turn "hit and run" evangelism into "hit and run" baptism and before too long you are engaged in "hit and run" discipleship and teaching. With that approach, you will produce lame, uninterested, uncommitted, untested, and impotent church membership which is exactly the opposite of what the Spirit produces in the lives of true converts. You will not need to far to answer the question in this church 20 years from now "Where did we go wrong?"

1 comment:

said...

I agree with you, your choice of words was excellent describing our 'fast-food' mentality in the church.

Hi, I'm a missionary grandma in the Philippines, my home is in MN which I visit every year for a few months. I have a blog, which I don't know if anyone ever sees, but fun to have, and hit the word 'next' a few times and founrd yours! I looked at your church from the post down further, nice!!

God Bless you Richly today! Ps 103 for you. cfm-dunn.blogspot.com/ (I found it needs the / on the end!)

May you have many years powerful ministry. J