Today was a very momentous day for me and for our four Christman grandsons. I’ve shared before how I was able to lead the two youngest ones to Christ. But recently, I was talking to two of them and they expressed a desire to also be baptized. I checked with the others and they all said they wanted to be, but only if I participated in the ceremony.
I’ve been making arrangements with the pastors from our church – first with our Executive Pastor, Dave Schoen, then being passed on to Dave Schlonecker when Pastor Schoen realized he had a conflict because of a wedding of his nephew this weekend, then being passed on again to our Youth Pastor, Jared Burkholder, when Pastor Schlonecker had a stroke two weeks ago. Because there were not going to be any others being baptized today, I made arrangement with Jared that he would do the introductions and read the boys testimonies and I would be the one in the baptistry with the boys asking them the necessary questions and then immersing them.
It was an emotional time for me. I also realized afterwards that I may be the only non-pastor in our church who has ever performed a baptism. That’s not an issue since I’ve been an elder of our church for 38 years and am fully qualified to do so, but it’s still not typical.
I’ve copied each of the boys testimonies below as well as pictures from this morning. What a great day of celebration!
Ethan Christman Testimony
I became a Christian in 2015. I was on my bunkbed and my brother Isaiah was sleeping on the bottom bunk. My mother was in the room talking to me. I don’t remember everything about the conversation, but we were talking about the church and other related subjects. Mom asked if I wanted to pray, so she started and we prayed together.
I believe that the Bible is true and I want to follow Jesus’ example the rest of my life.
My favorite Bible verse is John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Isaiah Christman Testimony
I became a Christian in May 2018. I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed and decided that I needed to have Jesus in my heart so I could be part of His family. I just stopped right where I was and prayed to Him. It was just a private time between me and God, but I’ve never questioned my decision since then.
My favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 12:2, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.”
Caleb Christman Testimony
A few days after Christmas of 2018, I was in the living room with my grandpa and we were talking about church and spiritual things. I knew that God and Jesus loved me and that I loved them, but I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart so that I could be part of his family. So my grandpa and I prayed to God together.
Now I’m happy that I’m a part of God’s family and that he looks after me.
Asher Christman Testimony
When our whole family was at Pinebrook this summer there was one day that I wasn’t feeling well and so I was lying on my bunkbed instead of going to the evening children’s time. My grandpa stayed with me and was lying next to me on the bed. We were talking about God and Jesus. I asked if we could pray together and so we did. I asked Jesus to forgive me and let me live with him forever.
Now I have two birthdays just 5 days apart – my physical birthday and my spiritual birthday! I’m happy that I will get to live forever!
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