Baptism this Sunday
This Sunday, March 29, we plan to baptize Bobby Hohenstein. What a joy it has been to see the Lord’s grace at work in this man’s life over the last year. He is professing faith in Christ and desiring to walk as his disciple.
Our elders have witnessed Bobby’s profession of faith as he has gladly taken part in our baptism and membership process (meeting with an elder, Intro to Crestview, and a membership application). This Sunday, as a church, we will baptize Bobby and receive him as a Crestview member.
Baptism and Membership
In an effort to apply principles gleaned from the “Understanding Baptism” sermon series from this past January, I want us to be clear that when our church baptizes a believer, we are receiving them into church membership. Membership in the local church happens at baptism, not at a later members meeting. If this inclusion in membership has been unclear in the past, we hope to be clear about it in our baptisms going forward.
To provide this clarity, the elder leading the baptism will ensure that church membership is expressed in the vows made by the believer and the church during the service. If any member feels they might have reason to dissent from adding a potential baptized member, they should take the initiative to hear the believer’s testimony personally before the baptism and bring any clarifications or concerns to an elder before the day of baptism.
I suspect our church has largely understood the connection between baptism and membership, but this added clarity is beneficial for all. At least one benefit of this clarity relates to the Lord’s Supper. We should expect and encourage newly baptized members to begin eating the Lord’s Supper at their first opportunity, rather than delaying it until after the next members meeting.
Neighborhood Visits & Easter Outreach
Celebrating the saving grace of the Lord Jesus is something we enjoy doing together as a church every Lord’s Day. In our culture, Easter Sunday remains an opportunity when friends, family, and neighbors may be more receptive to an invitation to attend church with you. As they do, we pray they will experience the Lord’s presence in our welcoming, singing, praying, confessing, and preaching.
Paul highlighted how the speaking of the church as the gathered body of Christ can evangelize nonbelievers who are present: “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you” (1 Corinthians 14:24–25). Therefore, let’s extend invitations to witness the gathered church and hear the gospel preached on Easter Sunday, April 5.
Join us this Saturday, Mar 28, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, as we engage neighbors around our church campus with the gospel and invite them to our Easter Sunday gathering. We need as many members as possible to help this Saturday.
For His Glory,
Pastor Thomas