Golden Gardens baptisms, July

In the providence of God, something worth cheering happened at Mars Hill Church on 9/11. With Mars Hill Albuquerque baptizing 23 people, the total number of people baptized at our church went over 1,000 so far in 2011. And, we rejoice at every one. In the early church, the impact of the Holy Spirit applying the gospel message about Jesus is followed by this report in Acts 2:47, "the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." And, they were baptized just as Jesus had commanded before he ascended into heaven. Since the days when Mars Hill was a small, new, broke church 15 years ago, starting in what was at the time one of America's least-churched cities, this has been our desire: We want to see people meet Jesus, experience life transformation, and witness to others about him in word and deed.

"We want to praise God for all the grace he has allowed us to witness. And, we want to rejoice."

At Mars Hill, before someone is baptized they are interviewed by an elder or deacon, their testimony of how they became a Christian is confirmed, and they are asked a handful of theological questions and if in fact they are committing to living the rest of their life as a Christian. We then baptize them based upon their profession of faith. And, we connect them in community with other believers via a Community Group that meets each week. We also invite them to our Doctrine class which covers the theological essentials of the Christian faith based upon the book I wrote with Dr. Gerry Breshears. To see God work in the lives of so many people in one short year is amazing. We want to praise God for all the grace he has allowed us to witness. And, we want to rejoice. In Luke 15:10 Jesus said, "there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Some have said that this refers to angels rejoicing when someone becomes a Christian, but a careful reading of Jesus words seems to indicate something even more amazing. It is God who rejoices while the angels look on when someone becomes a Christian! If this is what Jesus meant, then imagine God in all his glory cheering and celebrating every time someone receives his Son by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Albuquerque, September

Easter at Qwest Field

What to pray for this fall

I would encourage those at Mars Hill, and anyone else who is willing, to be in prayer for the following things as we come into the fall:

1. Thank God for saving anyone, including yourself.
2. Pray that those who professed faith in baptism practice faith for the rest of their lives maturing as Christians.
3. Pray for the hundreds and maybe thousands at Mars Hill who have yet to meet Jesus as Savior, that they would do so this year.
4. Pray for the many more people who God is working on and drawing to himself, that we would be able to be used of God to reach them.
5. Pray for our nearly 500 Community Group leaders who are on the front lines of our ministry doing life and community with people and vitally used of God to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
6. Pray for people you know who don't know Jesus and look for opportunities to share the gospel with them – who knows they may be the next people God saves.
7. Pray for all Jesus-loving, Bible-believing churches that you know to see people saved in increasing numbers.
8. Click here to see what happened when over 700 people were baptized at Mars Hill last Easter on one day and get some Holy Spirit joy infusion for yourself.

So, what is baptism?

Lastly, for those with questions about baptism, we do address it in the books Vintage Church and Doctrine. But, as a summary: Baptism is visible presentation of the gospel performed regularly by the church. Churches in every age and culture perform this special ceremony to celebrate the transforming reality of the gospel. Christians call them sacraments because they are visible symbols of invisible spiritual realities. We believe in the real presence of Jesus in these services, which are occasions of grace he ordained for his church when the Word is spoken and made visible.

Baptism is more than a simple rite. It is a visible declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While some faithful Christians would disagree with us, we believe that water baptism is for those Christians who have already received Spirit baptism making them part of the church.[1] In water baptism, Christians are immersed in water, which identifies them with the death and burial of Jesus in their place for their sins. Coming up out of the water identifies them with the resurrection of Jesus for their salvation and new life empowered by the Holy Spirit. Altogether, baptism identifies aChristian with Jesus, the universal church, and the local church. When we speak of baptism, we must remember that we are talking about more than a simple rite that people undergo. As a sacrament, it is a symbol of something far bigger. It is a visible declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit expresses the believer’s death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to a new kingdom life in Christ Jesus. Jesus and the apostles commanded that all Christians be baptized as an initial act of discipleship.[2] In the book of Acts and in the early church, baptism is administered upon conversion.[3] Practically speaking, we think it is best that believers be baptized immediately upon credible profession of faith in Jesus. For more on baptism, see previous blog posts, "What Does Baptism Mean? And Other Questions," and "Why Do We Baptize by Dunking People All the Way in Water?," [1] Rom. 6:1–10; 1 Cor. 12:12–13; 1 Pet. 3:2. See also 1 Cor. 10:1–4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12; Titus 3:5–6. [2] Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38. [3] Acts 2:38–41; 8:12, 36–38; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5.