Public profession

We had our first baptismal service at Bay Life last Sunday. For a baby church, this is kinda like cutting your first tooth, or taking your first steps. We had been looking forward to it with great anticipation....and we really prayed for no rain! Now I know for most USA churches, rain might mean a drop in attendance. In Jamaica, it means almost nobody shows up because they say that the rain makes them sick. (We haven't quite figured out how taking a shower every day doesn't also make them sick) But beyond that, we have our baptisms outside. Yep, the old fashioned way. So it really WAS important for the rain to stay away. The day arrived and the Jamaica sky was as blue as its' beautiful ocean waters. After we said the benediction we all "squoze" in to several members vehicles and headed for "dump up" beach. No, I'm not kidding, it really is called "dump up". Fortunately the name comes from the loads and loads of sand that were dumped there when the bay was reconfigured a few years ago. Somehow the name dump up just conjures up lots of nasty trash. In Jamaica, that too is all too common as well. Anyway, we all arrived at the bay and congregated around the seaside singing songs as our two Pastors (Cletis and Andrew) entered the water. One by one our precious people were baptized, six of them in all. Most have come to know Christ since Bay Life started back in October of last year. There are no words to describe the emotions I felt as I watched the new believers enter the waters of baptism. It was the culmination of lots of planning, praying, sowing the seed, and reaping God's harvest. During the service there were other people swimming at the beach that stopped their play to watch the baptismal service. Some even sang along with us as we sang songs of rejoicing. At the conclusion, one lady approached Andrew to inquire of him what church we were and where our church is located. It dawned on me....isn't that really what baptism is about? Isn't it supposed to be a public display of our decision to follow Christ? How public is it when we confine it within the walls of our church? Maybe I am just partial since this is the way I grew up seeing baptisms done...in the ocean in front of all to see as they pass by, sail by, or swim by. Maybe that is part of our problem these days as Christians....all of our christianity is confined to the four walls of our church. I hope that isn't the case. I pray that we are willing to walk out of our buildings and walk into a world that needs Christ and LIVE like it is our last chance to tell the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a blessed day indeed for Bay Life Baptist...it was precious...and it was public. This has been another rambling of one tired Jamerican...SELAH!