This weekend at Southwest Community Church we had 35 people signed up to be baptized. I had met with 5 middle school girls during the week and was all ready to lead them in this great step of faith and obedience. Awesome! Pastor Gerald, however, asked us to be praying that 100 people would be baptized. He did a brief teaching on baptism then invited anyone who wanted to be baptized to make their way to the baptismals. I loved what he said next: "This is a no-excuses Sunday. You might say, 'I didn't come prepared.' That's OK. We came prepared for you! We've got t-shirts, shorts, towels, and even garbage bags for you to put on the seats in your cars."
So, how many people got baptized? 299! That's right ... two-hundred-and-ninety-nine people! We ran out of t-shirts after 100 and there was a mad scramble for more towels. What an incredible day in the kingdom of God!
One back story ... my daughter Claudia came up to me with tears in her eyes, excited because her friend Julia Lamper, whom she invited to church this past year had accepted Christ and was baptized today! Invest and invite! God will use you!
Pray with me that fruit will remain!
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