During our last board meeting we discussed the hundreds of seekers that had accepted Christ and were saved yet failed to be baptized.  Our senior minister, Jud Wilhite, stated that the weekend of May 3, 2009 would be a special day with the emphasis on the need to be baptized.  The message addressed every reason a person would not consider being baptized.  There was no legitimate excuse to not accept.

Each service was a short program and a 20 minute message on the need to be baptized.  After each of the shortened five services those wishing to participate were asked to come down front.  Outside portable pools were set up to be used for baptizing anyone who wanted to be baptized.  All who were not being baptized were urged to join as witnesses to those being baptized. a

Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, NV is quite different from most churches.  People come as they are.  Rarely would you see anyone wearing anything but casuals.  During the warmer times many wear shorts.  Those wishing to be baptized were told that a towel would be furnished and they would be given plastic to cover up their car seats.  The turnout was a “God Thing”—1,211 were baptized over the weekend and year-to-date from January 1 to May 10^th there have been 1,485.

I belonged to a denomination that placed very little emphasis on being baptized.  As a young person I was sprinkled but never understood the importance of baptism.  It was years later that I was submerged and completely understood the need and the reason for being baptized.

If you are a believer but have never been baptized let me give you just a few Scriptures to consider:

Matthew 3:16 – “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.”  (He went into the Jordan River and was baptized by John the Baptist.)

Acts 2:38 – “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Acts 8:12 – “But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

Acts 19:4 – 5 – “Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.”