Posted on 01/21/2011 2:25:38 PM PST by wmfights
HOUSTON—When members of The Walk Church in Houston set up the baptistery for an outdoor service, they were excited by the prospect of celebrating what God had done in changing the lives of three people.
It turns out they were setting up to celebrate much more. Those three people were simply where God started.
Following the baptism of the three people who were scheduled to go through the ordinance, Pastor Jesse Shelton shared the gospel with the crowd who had gathered to see what was happening. A person came forward asking to be baptized as well. Then another. And another. And another.
Some came alone—others, in groups of two and three. But they kept coming. Each confessed Christ as Lord. And each was baptized in his name.
“It just kept going and going and going,” Shelton said.
The procession of people seeking Christ simply continued, Shelton said. People wanted a relationship with God. In the end, so many people were baptized that the church ran out of the 40 certificates it brought to give to those who were baptized.
“People just started coming,” Shelton said. “And they wouldn’t stop coming. We were out there until 11 p.m.”
The outpouring of people dedicating themselves to following Christ is the result of God moving in one of Houston’s toughest neighborhoods, Shelton said. Known as “The Hole” because “when you go in you never leave,” the area leads the city in violent crime rate, high school drop-out rate and teen pregnancy rate.
Christians began trying to start The Walk Church about one year ago, going door-to-door sharing the gospel, Shelton said. It was tough work, as many people were not initially open to the gospel, but Shelton and other Christians continued trying to minister in the area.
Residents became used to their presence and began opening up to them. In the process, Shelton built relationships and shared the gospel.
A small core group started The Walk Church with the aid of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Texas Baptists facilitate church starts with the help of funding through the Cooperative Program and gifts through the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions.
Lives were changing, Shelton said. Drug dealers quit selling. They committed themselves to Christ.
When their neighbors saw the changes, they became interested in hearing the gospel. Those living testimonies carried the hope of Christ throughout the neighborhood.
“That’s the biggest sermon,” Shelton said. “That’s more powerful than any words we can share.”
When Shelton stood next to the baptistery and gave people an opportunity to be baptized, individuals were overjoyed to take advantage of the opportunity. So, they came forward—all 40-something of them.
“It’s really been beautiful,” Shelton said. “People are being changed through repentance.”
Some came alone—others, in groups of two and three. But they kept coming. Each confessed Christ as Lord. And each was baptized in his name.
wmfights, I say Pastor Jesse Shelton takes The Word seriously! Great article, thanks!
Romans 10:14 “How, then, can they call on the ONE they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the ONE of Whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without SOMEONE PREACHING TO THEM?”
Amen, Amen, Amen! A thousand times Amen!
This is what we are called to do. I love reading about Pastors who "get it". He stood in the public preached The Gospel and the Holy Spirit moved people. I wish I was there.
public or private, i love when the Church baptizes for the forgiveness of sins and receiving the Holy Spirit.
these “first act of obedience baptisms” were unknown to anyone until the 16th century.
God Bless them.
Well, this is the heart-lifter of the day. Hallelujah, praise God! This makes my spirits sing for joy.
PRAISE GOD!
HIS WORD DOES NOT RETURN VOID.
in contrast to
rooms full of organizational pontifications and documents.
Tells us God loves even the most vile sinners, too. Stories like these regale my soul! It takes me back decades to my own baptism.
Amen!
That’s quite a story also SVCW.
Reminds me of a banner of a church archway, which you read on the way OUT of church:
“You are now entering the Mission Field.”
Interesting also is most people don’t see it as “obediance”....they are walking by faith knowing this will please the one who saved them.
My thoughts exactly.
I get inspired when I read about these things. This Pastor's mission field is here, but the same thing is happening all over the world. It's just fantastic what the power of the WORD is.
ABSOLUTELY INDEED.
INFINITELY MORE POWERFUL
than . . .
—kissing a plastic or marble Mary’s toes.
—vainly and in abject futility trying to earn one’s way into Heaven.
—vain repetitions of scripted prayers.
sigh.
All that other stuff is the world coming into a church and paganizing that church.
YUP
and the phenomenon afflicts all denominations to some degree . . .
That one just takes the cake.
INDEED. INDEED.
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