It was my privilege to baptize 11 new converts in India. When Karen and I were with Dr. Sam at Star Ministries, we baptized 7 (see earlier blog-post). After the Spiritual Life Conference, Pastor Moses asked me to baptize 4 new converts. It had been two years since their last baptism. Therefore, these 4 converts were the church's labor of love and evidence of God's continued grace and love. We began the Saturday baptism events by meeting at Grace Baptist Church, a small congregation of Christ followers that meets in a slum.
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| Ladies and children sit in the main section of Grace Baptist Church for baptism service. |
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| The men sit in their section during baptism service. |
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| Dr. Don praying over the believers at Grace Baptist Church - Pastor Moses interprets to Telugu. |
After I taught a Biblical message on the meaning and significance of Christian baptism, we prayed together before moving four blocks away to a small water cistern big enough for us to baptize four, obedient and courageous Christ followers.
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| This water cistern is 8 feet below ground level. The street is just on the other side of the top, left wall. |
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| People walking down the street peek over the cistern wall to see what is happening. |
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| Dr. Don waits for the first baptism candidate to descend into the cistern. |
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| Church members and baptism candidates look down into the cistern. |
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| Dr. Don questions baptism candidate on her desire to follow Christ by faith. |
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| The second baptism candidate goes into the water in obedience to Christ to command. |
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| Third baptism candidate says she is ready to follow Christ only, forsaking all other gods. |
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| Fourth baptism candidate publicly professes faith in Jesus Christ. |
Each baptism candidate publicly professed their faith in Jesus Christ and expressed their desire to be obedient to Christ's command to be baptized. The fourth candidate was a man who had experience a stroke a few year earlier - his right side was partially paralyzed. None-the-less, this did not stop him from being baptized. Men helped him to descend and ascend the steep steps on the side of the cistern. What a powerful picture of faith and obedience in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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| Cold, wet, and joyful after their baptism - praise the Lord! |
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| After the baptism, we all meet back at the church for a fellowship meal. |
