Easter marks ‘Baptism Sunday’ in SBC: Churches urged to ‘Fill the Tank’ on Easter /// PREVIEWED ON COVER >> by Tess Schoonhoven
BAPTIST PRESS STAFF WRITER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), is calling SBC churches to participate in a nationwide focus on baptism this Easter Sunday, April 12. After the success of the first “Baptism Sunday” in September 2019, Greear and other SBC leadership hope to continue to focus on growing proclamations of faith through public baptism services. “We have heard some of the most amazing stories coming out of our Baptism Sunday in September,” Greear said. “We heard stories of family members, friends and even taxi drivers responding in baptism—many of whom had been prayed over for years. I believe last fall was just scratching the surface of what God wants to do, and will do, when we extend the call to believe and be baptized. Many sit in our pews that simply need to be instructed and invited.” Greear explained that a Baptism Sunday service is an opportunity for thousands of people in churches to immediately respond to the Gospel by taking that first step of obedience and faith. “Many of the people who will fill our pews on Easter will come as interested spectators,” Greear noted. “When we invite them to be baptized, we’re calling them to make a decision to be followers of Jesus—and that’s exactly what people who hear the Gospel need to do.” Ronnie Floyd, SBC Executive Committee president and CEO, said that while churches should baptize regularly, “emphasizing a day like Easter takes baptism to an entirely different level. “Challenging people to be baptized on this Easter Sunday makes this a memorable day they will never forget,” Floyd continued. “It also serves as a Gospel illustration in each worship service that a pastor can mention in his sermon as he calls people to follow Jesus, even into the public declaration of baptism.” Because of the large of amount of potentially unbelieving attendees on Easter, Greear said it is a powerful opportunity to present the true change the Gospel makes in the hearts of those who believe. “Believer’s baptism is the most meaningful, biblical, measureable indicator of the advancement of the Gospel,” said Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists. “As Oklahoma Baptists we have made one of our major goals to increase baptisms 20 percent by 2025. Having as many of the churches in our state as possible to observe baptisms on Easter Sunday would be a significant step toward advancing the Gospel in Oklahoma.” Ted Traylor, pastor of Pensacola, Fla., Olive, said seeing people respond to Jesus in baptism is powerful. “At Olive, we did this the last Sunday of the year and baptized 12 who responded on the spot,” he said. “Easter is a great day to invite people to obedience. The ordinance is a picture of resurrection. Make it come alive with baptism. We hope to participate at Olive.”
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Greear connected the “Who’s Your One” evangeequally vital call to prayer—prayer for a great number of souls saved, and for the Lord to lism initiative from the past year to the emphasis on baptisms in April. move in great ways in 2020. Randy Davis, president and “Over the last year, thouexecutive director of the sands of people in our pews 1 Tennessee Baptist Mission faithfully prayed for and shared the Gospel with Board, said the common their ‘one’ through the goals surrounding BapWho’s Your One initiatism Sunday are wontive,” Greear said. “We derful ways to create pastors ought to fill unity within the conour baptismal tanks vention. in faith, believing that “Nothing builds uniGod is calling many to ty like a clear and comsalvation and expectpelling biblical vision. ing a harvest of souls.” What greater vision than Church members and the spiritually lost being leaders alike are encoursaved, baptized and set aged to take the stories of on the road of discipleship,” changed lives to public platDavis said. “Tennessee BapPHOTOS: 1) PROVIDED; 2) VINCE FLEMING forms, sharing images and >> tists look forward to joining 1) Churches across the state of Oklahoma, like victories on social media us- Bethany, Council Road, will urge new believers Southern Baptists across the ing hashtags like “#Baptism- to follow in baptism as the first step of disciplecountry in seeing thousands ship this Easter; 2) “What an encouragement to Sunday” and “#Fillthetank.” of new believers baptized on Nathan Lorick, executive di- our churches,” says Greear on baptism. Fill the Tank Easter Sunday.” rector of the Colorado Baptist General Convention, said he plans to join the baptism emphasis. “Colorado Baptists are excited to join with others across the SBC to champion #FillTheTank on Easter Sunday,” Lorick said. “What an opportunity to encourage churches to put God’s redemptive grace on display for all to see through baptism. We are believing God will take this initiative and allow many to hear the Gospel in a powerful way.” Greear hopes the online focus on baptism decisions will spark real-life conversations about faith. Resources regarding Baptism Sunday have been made available through the North American Mission Board at www.namb.net/baptism-sunday-resources. These resources explain how baptism can be The Church Resources Group done in a biblical way, as well as in an inclusive way, not creating “extra-biblical barriers to obedience.” of Oklahoma Baptists is offering Jim Richards, executive director of the Southern to help individual churches deBaptists of Texas Convention, emphasized that on this particular Sunday the command to believers velop a customized strategy to remains the same—call people to Christ. ‘fill the tank’ and have a baptism “Some people will accept Christ. Others will follow the Lord in the first step of discipleship. Invite observance on Easter Sunday. people to repent and believe in our risen Lord Jesus, then be ready to baptize them,” Richards said. Contact Alan Quigley at Also included in the resources from NAMB are aquigley@oklahomabaptists.org to helpful guidelines on how to plan a baptism service for the church. begin developing this customBaptism Sunday is not a gimmick, Greear emphaized strategy for your church. sized. Rather, it is a statement of faith that God is drawing people to Himself in surrounding communities. The call to this special Sunday comes with an
Develop a Customized Strategy
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A major goal for Oklahoma Baptists is to increase baptisms 20 percent by 2025. This is ‘the most meaningful, biblical, measurable indicator of the advancement of the Gospel.’
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February 27, 2020 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com | Features
