“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16
Baptism was one of the greatest moments of my life and it can be that way for you also. When I was in the third grade, I surprised myself by going forward at a church camp in the Cascade Mountains. The preacher finished explaining that if we wanted to be certain we were going to heaven we needed to individually choose to let Jesus Christ come into our lives. They had a musician singing about 45 verses of “Just as I Am” and after every verse, they asked people to come to the altar and kneel to confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and start a new life. No one was coming forward, that is why they kept singing “Just as I Am” so many times. Finally, the young man sitting next to me was bored with the whole thing, so he whispered out loud, come on somebody if you don’t go forward, we are never going to be able to leave. So, I went. It was a long embarrassing walk up there as many exclaimed out loud, oh good, look Timmy White is going forward-he really needs it.
When I finally got up there, I was the only one. The preacher came down to me kneeling at the front. There is a lot more to this story that I will share sometime with you but suffice it to say, I was ready for this moment. The preacher used the microphone to ask me if I was a sinner. I answered yes as the crowd affirmed Amen. He asked me “What are your sins, Timmy?” I was so nervous that I could not think of a thing. My mind went blank. That was when members of the crowd helped me out by sharing a few with everyone. There was plenty to choose from. Then he asked me if I would pledge to God that I would never smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs as long as I lived. (This was not necessary as you probably know and a lot of this was off as to how we understand salvation; but this was my honest experience). I prayed the sinner’s prayer with him as people yelled hallelujah at parts of my prayer. When I stood up, I looked at the teenager who had been sitting next to me. He winked at me as if he was saying good job buddy, and this crowd is a bunch of suckers. But I did not wink back at him because something profound had really happened to me, something so powerful that I would spend the rest of my life trying to understand. I went to school for 26 years trying to understand it. I have gone 69 years without smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.
When we went back home, they had a baptism for adults. When I went forward, they told me I was too young. So, I went back to sit by my mom; she took my hand and walked me to the front telling the usher that if I wanted to be baptized, they had better let me or else. I was baptized that day at the Kennewick Evangelical church.
When I was 21, after I had graduated from college and was a youth Pastor, I baptized a lot of high-school and college people in the Columbia River. One day after I had baptized the last one, I asked my dad to baptize me by emersion. And practically every time someone asks people to come to the altar, I lead the way. I did this one time at seminary and the Dean asked me if I had ever accepted Christ before and I said it seems like a million times but I really, really want to follow Christ. He looked at me with a tear in his eye and said that’s good son.
A lot of what happened to me was not necessary but for me they have been the greatest moments of my life. You can be baptized by Pastor Mark this Sunday and make it one of the greatest moments of your life too. If want to participate, just reach out to Pastor Mark or Pastor Jackie to be a part of this amazing celebration.
Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White