One of the guys getting baptized this weekend had an extremely long, but good discourse on his Facebook page after posting he was getting baptized Sunday. I figured since Forefront has quite a few people coming from a Catholic background, it would be worth sharing the conversation. It’s long, I left out the names, but my name is “Me, Or At Least I Think It’s Me.” And let me just say, in light of this conversation, when your parents sprinkled you as a baby- they had your best interest at heart. They were doing what they thought was best. They are to be commended for wanting to commit your life to God. The conversation below and the message link help clear up some of the confusion on this.

You can read the convo below, that went into the wee hours of 12:38 a.m.
Also, if you want to hear a great message on baptism, click here and scroll all the way down to the “Pictures of Baptism” message. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a shout at: jason(at)forefront(dot)org

FACEBOOK CONVO STARTS HERE:

Guy Getting Baptized:
gettin baptized on sunday….!!!! WHOOP WHOOP
11 hours ago · Comment · Like Unlike

Girl #1:
i should do that, when i’m like 60 and won’t be sinning any more hahaha
11 hours ago

4 Year Bible Study Guy:
Wait. What? How are getting Baptized!? I thought you were baptized as an infant? Where are you getting Baptized?
10 hours ago

Another Girl #2:
I’m with 4 Year Bible Study Guy on this one… weren’t you baptized as a baby? Or are you converting?
9 hours ago

Yet Another Girl #3:
yay!! ill be there
8 hours ago

Girlfriend of Guy Getting Baptized:
I can’t wait to dunk you! Thank you for letting me share and actually be involved in your new found (well re-found) journey!!
2 hours ago

Guy Getting Baptized:
I was baptized roman catholic, but having never really followed the faith of Catholicism or being confirmed a catholic, I have decided to follow a different path…I still love all my Catholics though!!!
about an hour ago

4 Year Bible Study Guy:
Uh.. You can only be baptized once… You can’t RE-wash away sins…

No Church, but the baptists, do multiple baptisms…
about an hour ago

Yet Another Girl #3:
you clearly dont know what youre talking about. he was a baby when he was baptized before, by his parents choice, not his. this is HIM committing HIMSELF to God.
about an hour ago

4 Year Bible Study Guy:
Well. Clearly you don;t know who you’re talking to. I studied for four years to be a minister, and I have degrees in early Christian Theologian.

Ever since the Early Church, the disciples and Apostles preached ONE BAPTISM for the forgiveness of sin and entrance into the Divine Kingdom, as a symbolic death in Christ.

As Christ entered the waters, symbolizing a Type of death, and rose out of them, a Type of rebirth, one can only die once, and be reborn once…

There may be different rites of acceptance into different denominations of Christianity, but that’s person claiming Christ. Christ already claimed Guy Getting Baptized when he was an infant, setting him apart for a dedicated life in Christ. Guy Getting Baptized’s just taking ownership of his vocation to holiness.

Jesus already took ownership of his soul.
about an hour ago

Yet Another Girl #3:
Well i Know God is happy that he is publicly rededicating himself.
about an hour ago

4 Year Bible Study Guy:
All I was saying that it’s the repetition of symbols, and this Sunday’s particular washing with water, will be PURELY symbolic, and not efficacious unto the remission of sin, which was done at his Original Baptism. So Go Guy Getting Baptized! for showing commitment!

NB: Only the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church and some members of the Anglican Communion have anything LIKE a second baptism, and that’s called Confession, or penance.
about an hour ago

Girlfriend of Guy Getting Baptized:
I agree with Yet Another Girl #3. I also think that it is great that Guy Getting Baptized has made the decision for HIMSELF to follow Christ. Not that I don’t agree with baptizing an infant, but I think it’s important for a person to make their own decision in their faith, not for someone else to do that for them. Either way, I am VERY VERY VERY excited for him =]
about an hour ago

Yet Another Girl #3:
like.
about an hour ago

Me, Or At Least I Think It’s Me:
I would agree with 4 Year Bible Study Guy, there is only one baptism. This is completely a New Testament, early church teaching. The point I would part ways with 4 Year Bible Study Guy is the mode of baptism.

Catholic sprinkling, anointing, etc. is not in line with the early church teaching and practice. The Greek for the word baptize is ‘baptizo” which means to immerse, plunge, dip, or bury in water. The very Greek word itself excludes it from meaning “sprinkling.” Sprinkling in the Greek is “raino” and to pour is “cheno.” These are practiced by the Catholic church and other denominational groups, but is not the same as the New Testament teaching. The instances where baptism is mentioned in the New Testament, it uses the Greek word “baptizo.”

Also, the example of Jesus, which is what every person who chooses to follow God should aim to emulate, was done by John the Baptist as full immersion.

Acts 8:26-40 is a clear example of how someone responds. He hears the message, comes into knowledge, makes a decision based on that knowledge, and is baptized. As an infant, we are making no choices. Someone is making a decision for us and doing so in a mode that is not Biblical. Every instance of people receiving Christ is through full water immersion and it’s after they come to the knowledge that they are in need of a Savior.

A great resource on this is “13 Lessons on Christian Doctrine” by Denver Sizemore.

Guy Getting Baptized, you are doing what God is leading you to do and I believe you are making a wise choice based on scripture. You were never baptized before. You were “raino” or “cheno.” God’s plan is “baptizo.” Get it brotha.
44 minutes ago

Me, Or At Least I Think It’s Me:
Also, I would refer you to this case study/outline of “Baptism: Immersion or Sprinkling?”
http://executableoutlines.com/ba/ba_11.htm
37 minutes ago ·

Girlfriend of Guy Getting Baptized:
Thanks Me, Or At Least I Think It’s Me…I was getting kinda confused so thank you for your explanation. And again, YAY Guy Getting Baptized!!!
31 minutes ago ·

Me, Or At Least I Think It’s Me:
Just to clarify, I am not at all hating on ya 4 Year Bible Study Guy. You seem to have a pretty solid love for Jesus. I love that you are pushing Guy Getting Baptized to live for God. I know sometimes discussions on a FB page can get pretty misconstrued. I’ve got nothing but love for you.

And, on that note, I apologize if anyone came at you in a negative way during this discourse on Guy Getting Baptized’s page. It would be a shame for people who love Jesus to come at one another personally.

Also, if you are not a Christian and kick it on Guy Getting Baptized’s page… you’re probably going, “What the crap are these crazy looney tunes talkin’ about?!?” I don’t blame you. I used to think the same thing. Hit me up with a direct message if you want to dialog about any of this stuff in modern day language without Greek Lexicons, big “christianese” words, and feelin’ like you have to have everything together for God to even look at you.

Alright, it’s late as crap. I’m out, Guy Getting Baptized. See you this weekend.
10 minutes ago ·

Well, actually… there is nothing special about the water or the hot tub, but man it’s had a lot of use lately. Every Sunday for the last 7 weeks, people have been asking to get baptized & turn their lives over to God. It’s been amazing to be a part of and to catch you up, here are videos from the last two Sundays…
(viewing from a mobile device? see the videos here & here)

Easter Sunday:

Week Before Easter:

Every week someone else is coming to us asking to get baptized.
It is such a humbling thing to see people’s lives changed.
Thanks God for the way You move.
Thank you Forefront for being a community of people who accepts every person, no matter what their struggle, and showing them what it means to love Jesus.
Here’s what happened after service last Sunday…

What about you?
Has God been pulling at you to make a decision?
Are you looking for every reason NOT to experience His love by making excuses, ignoring Him, etc?
I’d love to talk to you about it…
Hit me up

Jason *over and out

Between the challenge laid down this past Sunday (post coming tomorrow), the Women’s Retreat and the Baptisms on Sunday… it’s be a terrific week for celebrating how God moves through the people of Forefront Church.

Check out the videos from things happening this past week:

Women’s Retreat: March 4-6, 2010:

Baptisms: Sunday, March 7, 2010

We had an awesome backyard style baptism service Sunday. Posted this video on the Forefront Blog and figured I would share what is going down at Forefront. God is moving and I feel humbled to be a part of it. Enjoy.