A Church Making an Impact

I have been attending church my entire life (43 short years) and in all those years the churches I attended had baptism services seemed like an afterthought or something to tag on right before the offering.  

The very 1st step in obedience as a believer, a follower of Christ, is to be baptized.  Christ set the example for us.  When we read about the birth of the church in the book of Acts we find that the early Christians believed and were baptized.

Since baptism is such a major moment in the life of a believer, the opportunity to make your followship a public declaration, how come it becomes an afterthought or a "tag on"?

Yesterday I once again attended Blue Ridge Community Church in Lynchburg, Va.  This church has exploded in the past several years in growth.  BRCC is making an impact in their community.  They are reaching the lost, they are meeting needs in their community.  Blue Ridge is far from traditional.  The moment you pull onto their campus you can see that they are intentional in what they do and they know why they exist as a church.

This is the first church I've attended that take baptism to a different level, not just incorporating it into the service they build the entire worship experience around baptism.  Both times I have attended a baptism service they have had a couple folks share their story.  The impact is more powerful than a sermon preached by a pastor following a baptism because real people sharing their real story, their encounter with Christ, is powerful.  You can check out BRCC's baptism service here, I'm sure they will have it posted and available on video on their podcast page soon.  Yesterday over 40 new believers were baptized!  BRCC has baptism services like this several times a year.  (BRCC's team of volunteers have a system down to a science, something to behold)

Yesterday's baptism worship experience for me and my family was extra special because we got to hear my brother's story and watch him be baptized.  An awesome time for our family.

One of the coolest things they do is baptize in a tank that is placed near the front of the stage and then family and friends can gather around the tank on the stage to be a part of the moment in the life of this new believer.  The baptizee is baptized by a friend or family member or pastor who has played a role in their faith walk.  Again a powerful witness to show the church that it is our responsibility to share our faith and the love of Christ with those we come in contact with.

How does your church "do" baptism?  

Is it time to perhaps re-think, evaluate and change so this important step in the life of a believer can have an impact on those who perhaps are on the edge of taking a huge step of faith by trusting in Christ as their Savior?

Baptism Celebration Video

I blogged a few days ago about my worship experience at Blue Ridge.  I did some looking today and found the video from the celebration.   I only wish there was video of the folks getting baptized.  The video is the testimony portion which is powerful and encouraging.

http://www.blue-ridge.org/Podcast/Video/tabid/167/Default.aspx

Blown Away Today

This weekend our family was up in Lynchburg, VA.  I had a few students to take to College For A Weekend at Liberty U.  

Today we attended Blue Ridge Community Church with my brother and his family.  Originally we were going to go to Thomas Road just to check out a service in their new place.  My brother told me that they would be having their baptism service today and then went on to tell me it is one of his favorite times at BRCC.  I later picked up that he was going to attend both services.  Later I heard my niece say a few times that she didn't want to miss the baptism service.  I'm not a smart man but I knew something must be up at BRCC and the baptism service.

The worship gathering started off with some great music and even a David Crowder (love his music) tune.  Then Pastor Woody Torrence  got up and made a few comments about what was going on at their church.  The baptistry was a modified cattle trough sitting in the center of the stage.  The baptisms started off with a man giving his story of how his life was a wreck and spiraling out of control until he put his faith in Jesus Christ.  A powerful testimony of God's work in his life.  Then something happened that blew me away.  As he stepped into the baptistry out of the congregation came friends and family, people who had invested in his life, his small group, his new brothers in Christ, his family.  They filled the stage, I would guess around 40 people in all stood around the baptistry as he was baptized.  It was incredibly moving moment and powerful to witness God at work in this man's life.

The service went on as one after another were baptized and a second man shared his story which was just as powerful as the first of how God had totally transformed his life, a life on the brink of suicide.  Each person that was baptized was joined by their "family" on the platform.   

I have gone to church my entire life.  I have seen many baptisms.  There are a few church services that I can say were truly powerful moments.  Today is easily in the top.  This was the most powerful worship gathering I have worshipped in for a long time.  BRCC didn't tag on the baptisms to a service.  The theme, the central focus of the service, was the baptisms and the evidence of God's life changing work in normal everyday lives.  I was blown away today.

On the kids side of things.  Blue Ridge Community Church has it together.  A safe, secure check in process.  A children's ministry security guy walked us every step of the way, even waited in line to go back to the children's wing because we were early and he walked us all the way back to the room.  He spent time talking with our son and with us an obviously had a passion to serve in the ministry he is in.  My son's favorite part of the day, "dancing at church", and he told us, as he does each week, exactly what his lesson was about.  BRCC gets it.  Greeters in the parking lot (one of the things the guy who gave his testimony first shared was the friendliness from the moment he stepped out of the car), greeters at the doors, casual, fun and welcoming.  I love visiting Blue Ridge when we are in the Burg because it feels like home when we are there.