Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Nanjemoy: Baptism Sunday

After Pastor Joseph Flippin finished preaching a couple of weeks ago during service, he extended his usual invitation to the congregation to accept Christ as Savior and be baptized as a public testimony of our faith and to fulfill all righteousness. "If you're recently saved and need to get baptized, I invite you to join us on the first Sunday in September. Maybe you got baptized as a kid and didn't really understand what it was about, I invite you to get baptized as an adult. Or maybe you got baptized because your friends were getting baptized and you didn't want to be left out. Or if you got 'sprinkled' as a baby, I invite you to join us because we believe in full immersion. Or maybe you've been a Christian for awhile but haven't taken the next step in your walk, I invite you to get baptized. Hey, we're a Baptist church, that's what we do: We baptize and re-baptize!"

In the book of Matthew, John the Baptist tells the people in 3:11, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire...." Later, in verses 14-15, Jesus approached John so that John could baptize Him. "But John forbad him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?' And Jesus answering said unto him, 'Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.'" In Mark 16:16, Jesus says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Romans 10:9-11,13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Baptism is a public proclamation that we are saved: We have admitted we are sinners, repented of our sins, and have asked Jesus to come into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior. Baptism is a way of saying, "I am a Christian!"

Several congregants stepped forward that Sunday to be baptized for the first time. Some wanted to be re-baptized, considering it a "re-dedication to the Lord," similar to a "vow renewal" between a husband and wife. Some wanted to show their dedication to God as well as their Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Whatever their reason, Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church had a great turn-out for baptisms on Sunday, September 4, 2016!

If you are looking to get baptized for the first time as evidence of your accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, or wish to get re-baptized as a symbolic way of "renewing your vows" to God, we encourage you to see Pastor Flippin, Reverend Gwen Warren, or one of the deacons for more information on getting this done. We welcome you into the Kingdom of God!