Comments for The Quest http://garbcquest.org A Network of Young Regular Baptist Leaders Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:15:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Growing What Didn’t Get Zapped by Jerry Miller http://garbcquest.org/?p=1409&cpage=1#comment-5142 Jerry Miller Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:15:13 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1409#comment-5142 We had a retired pastor in our church named Rodney Benson. He was leading the VBS and asked me to teach a class. I had never done anything like that before, but he encouraged me and that is how I got my start in ministry. He has continued to be an encouragement throughout the years. I would call him from time to time as I was preparing for the pastorate, and I still call him now and then. That reminds me, I need to give him a call, its been a while. We had a retired pastor in our church named Rodney Benson. He was leading the VBS and asked me to teach a class. I had never done anything like that before, but he encouraged me and that is how I got my start in ministry. He has continued to be an encouragement throughout the years. I would call him from time to time as I was preparing for the pastorate, and I still call him now and then. That reminds me, I need to give him a call, its been a while.

]]> Comment on Baptism & Pool Party? by Mike Paris http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399&cpage=1#comment-5140 Mike Paris Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:26:39 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399#comment-5140 The holiness is not in the elements men. A pool party is appropriate family celebration at the pool in the same way that eating a meal after a communion ceremony would be okay. And just so we don't misunderstand the issues of elements and their significance, David did eat the showbread! While I am not about to suggest that our baptismal tank be filled with warm water, suds and a rubber duck creating the first baptist hot-tub, I believe the tank is just another piece of furniture, intended for special uses, but not holy. To be consistent, I do not shrink from using the communion table for a drama prop or a display table for missionaries, etc. It is after all just a table, just crackers and grape juice, just a building, just an internal gathering of "much water". SO... separate the baptismal service from the swimming with explanation, with a celebration song, an appropriate Scripture, a meal, or even prayer. Talk about the difference between just swimming and baptizing. Church planting gives both great challenges and great opportunities to teach. The holiness is not in the elements men. A pool party is appropriate family celebration at the pool in the same way that eating a meal after a communion ceremony would be okay. And just so we don’t misunderstand the issues of elements and their significance, David did eat the showbread! While I am not about to suggest that our baptismal tank be filled with warm water, suds and a rubber duck creating the first baptist hot-tub, I believe the tank is just another piece of furniture, intended for special uses, but not holy. To be consistent, I do not shrink from using the communion table for a drama prop or a display table for missionaries, etc. It is after all just a table, just crackers and grape juice, just a building, just an internal gathering of “much water”.
SO… separate the baptismal service from the swimming with explanation, with a celebration song, an appropriate Scripture, a meal, or even prayer. Talk about the difference between just swimming and baptizing. Church planting gives both great challenges and great opportunities to teach.

]]> Comment on Baptism & Pool Party? by Jim Kester http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399&cpage=1#comment-5132 Jim Kester Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:05:59 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399#comment-5132 For the past few years we have held an outdoor baptismal service at the Big Fish Lake in Ortonville, MI during one of the summer months. It is a First Baptist Church of Oxford event that includes a picnic, praise service, devotional and then a public baptizing of believers who have professed their faith in the risen Savior. Some attenders come early and some stay late and enjoy the water. For the past few years we have held an outdoor baptismal service at the Big Fish Lake in Ortonville, MI during one of the summer months. It is a First Baptist Church of Oxford event that includes a picnic, praise service, devotional and then a public baptizing of believers who have professed their faith in the risen Savior. Some attenders come early and some stay late and enjoy the water.

]]> Comment on Baptism & Pool Party? by Greg Linscott http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399&cpage=1#comment-5131 Greg Linscott Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:59:42 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399#comment-5131 Think about it this way- how difficult would a pool party immediately following make it for people to focus on the baptism and its significance? If you are following the letter of the law, no, there would be no law that forbade it. That being said, nothing would expressly prevent scheduling a "kiss cam" segment every Sunday randomly interspersed as part of your morning services. If you have a bunch of kids who can hardly wait to do a cannonball as soon as the pastor finishes his last prayer, their minds have not likely been intent on the significance of anything that took place the last several minutes preceding. Now they may not have been anyway due to circumstances outside of your control- but this one is in your control. I say nix the pool party idea- or at the very least, make it very distinct- say, service, meal, and activities that might include a pool time later in the day (provided the obligatory hour after meal before swimming... :) Think about it this way- how difficult would a pool party immediately following make it for people to focus on the baptism and its significance? If you are following the letter of the law, no, there would be no law that forbade it. That being said, nothing would expressly prevent scheduling a “kiss cam” segment every Sunday randomly interspersed as part of your morning services. If you have a bunch of kids who can hardly wait to do a cannonball as soon as the pastor finishes his last prayer, their minds have not likely been intent on the significance of anything that took place the last several minutes preceding. Now they may not have been anyway due to circumstances outside of your control- but this one is in your control. I say nix the pool party idea- or at the very least, make it very distinct- say, service, meal, and activities that might include a pool time later in the day (provided the obligatory hour after meal before swimming… :)

]]> Comment on Baptism & Pool Party? by John Colyer http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399&cpage=1#comment-5130 John Colyer Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:30:00 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399#comment-5130 Wow, I would have a city wide celebration. Announce refreshments, free food, and a pool party, and invite everyone out. Baptism is a joyous celebration, public time to hear tstories of saving Grace. It is not a somber, funeral like service. Rejoice like the angels in heaven do when someone comes to Christ. The entire city could see this and hear the testionmonies of salvation. Then have some refreshments and open up the pool for swimming while you teach your people to mingle in the crowd and be "Jesus" with skin on. Never know, someone might get saved. Oh yea, bathe the event in prayer before hand, and watch what God is going to do. What an opportunity. Wow, I would have a city wide celebration. Announce refreshments, free food, and a pool party, and invite everyone out. Baptism is a joyous celebration, public time to hear tstories of saving Grace. It is not a somber, funeral like service. Rejoice like the angels in heaven do when someone comes to Christ. The entire city could see this and hear the testionmonies of salvation. Then have some refreshments and open up the pool for swimming while you teach your people to mingle in the crowd and be “Jesus” with skin on. Never know, someone might get saved. Oh yea, bathe the event in prayer before hand, and watch what God is going to do. What an opportunity.

]]> Comment on Baptism & Pool Party? by Mark Mincy http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399&cpage=1#comment-5129 Mark Mincy Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:02:41 +0000 http://garbcquest.org/?p=1399#comment-5129 I like the idea of holding a baptism in a public place. In fact, we have a baptistry at our church but I would seriously consider having a baptismal service in a more public place. I've read some on this in recent days and the aspect of identifying with Christ publicly (i.e. outside the walls of the church) stands out to me more than ever. Stories told of Christian baptisms in public places that resulted in strangers ultimately coming to Christ. Wonderful! Still thinking these things through. With regard to your question, I concur with both Jim and Jaime. Baptism is a joyous yet solemn occasion in my view. We are identifying publicly with Christ. We are publicly "taking up our cross and following Him". That isn't the time for a pool party. I believe the occasion calls for joyful sobriety. It is a time of serious contemplation and yet joyful testimony about the life-changing power in Christ. God bless you as you seek His wisdom on these things. I like the idea of holding a baptism in a public place. In fact, we have a baptistry at our church but I would seriously consider having a baptismal service in a more public place. I’ve read some on this in recent days and the aspect of identifying with Christ publicly (i.e. outside the walls of the church) stands out to me more than ever. Stories told of Christian baptisms in public places that resulted in strangers ultimately coming to Christ. Wonderful! Still thinking these things through.

With regard to your question, I concur with both Jim and Jaime. Baptism is a joyous yet solemn occasion in my view. We are identifying publicly with Christ. We are publicly “taking up our cross and following Him”. That isn’t the time for a pool party. I believe the occasion calls for joyful sobriety. It is a time of serious contemplation and yet joyful testimony about the life-changing power in Christ.

God bless you as you seek His wisdom on these things.

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