By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
PINEVILLE – Kayla Jordan had not one but two extraordinary reasons to celebrate God’s gift of life at Lake Buhlow, Sunday, June 4: She had recently learned she was pregnant with her first child, due in January, and, she was among 18 people participating in a lakeside baptism service sponsored by HIS Church, Pineville.
Moments after coming up out of the water, Jordan told the Baptist Message that just a few months ago she had reached a low point and realized her need to be reborn in Christ.
She confessed her sins and asked God’s forgiveness, and was anxious to also make a public profession of faith through baptism. So Jordan did not hesitate to sign up to be baptized during the lakeside service.
“I’m terrified of the water but somehow it didn’t seem to matter on this day,” Jordan said. “To me, this day feels like I am starting a new life. Now, with my little one on the way in January, he or she will grow up understanding their mother has a relationship with Jesus.”
For Morgan Feazell, seeing her six-year-old daughter Ariel’s baptism was one of the most cherished moments in her life.
“Words don’t touch how I truly feel right now,” said a teary-eyed Morgan. “Since I had children, I asked God that they would follow Him. Ariel has God’s Spirit in her and is making this parent mighty joyful and proud.”
ADDING UP
The baptisms at Lake Buhlow were the first for the church in 2017, but are among 750 performed since 2006, when Pastor Steven Speer started the congregation with 22 members.
Two additional large baptism services are planned for later this year — at the Red River in Pineville — and Speer expects the combined total for all three celebrations to reach 75. If they do achieve this mark, it would be the fourth year in a row they have witnessed more than 70 baptisms.
NOSTALGIC APPEAL
The average age of the church membership is 27 years old, and this largely Millennial congregation appreciates nostalgia such as lake and river baptisms that were common in churches many years ago and even during biblical times, Speer said.
“Maybe we have attempted and come close to being successful at putting a grace message into a Millennial package,” Speer said. “The numbers and success reflect the Lord’s blessing. When we talk about the Lord at our church, we talk about Him in terms of ‘It’s not who we are; it’s who He is. It’s not what we’ve done; it’s what He’s done.’”
“The grace message from John is ‘believe in Jesus for eternal life,’” he continued. “The grace message from the Apostle Paul is that ‘salvation comes by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.’”
OLD FASHION COMMITMENT
Speer believes at the current rate of growth, the congregation could add its 1,200th member by July, just in time for the church’s 11-year anniversary.
He is quick to point out that the baptisms and the increase in membership are because of the congregation’s yield to God’s calling on their lives to share Christ with their neighbors. Members are committed to a goal of distributing 10,000 copies of the Gospel of John in Pineville and beyond, he said.
“It has become apparent to us when God starts moving, He just kind of gets it done,” Speer said. “It becomes pointing to Him and making sure HIS church is his church. When it is, great things are happening. When we take it away from him, much of what we have seen happen at our church will depart. That’s why we have intentionally made it about Him.”race message into a Millennial package,” Speer said. “The numbers and success reflect the Lord’s blessing. When we talk about the Lord at our church, we talk about Him in terms of ‘It’s not who we are; it’s who He is. It’s not what we’ve done; it’s what He’s done.’”
“The grace message from John is ‘believe in Jesus for eternal life,’” he continued. “The grace message from the Apostle Paul is that ‘salvation comes by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.’”
Steve Speer, left, baptizes Ethan Busby as his dad, Chris, stands beside him during a lakeside service June 4. Brian Blackwell photo
