ShareThis
Chip Martin, pastor of Celebration Church in Montrose, had the privilege of baptizing 10 people on Sunday, March 27. Chip, for some years now, has been burdened for his congregation to experience geniune discipleship. He admits that his efforts were probably in haste at the time, but is trully blessed to have had 10 people make decisions for Christ with the real desire to follow Him completely.
Several months ago, Chip started challenging his folks to "count the cost" and be sure they understood salvation and what it meant to be a disciple.
The first folks were Margaret, Betty Ann and David. When Chip met with them on February 10 about baptism, he had a sense there might be others wanting to make the same decision. He would simply pray and wait.
Just a little over a month passed when he got a call from Matt, one of the young men in the church. Matt shared that his brother, Mike, and sister-in-law, Becca and Becca's sister, Mandy, had been praying and wanted to be baptized. Chip met with them over Denny's and had the chance to share the Gospel and what is meant to be a disciple. They were all excited to commit, but Chip wanted to give them 2-3 days to think their decisions over. He encouraged them to attend church that coming Sunday (they had never been before). Again, Chip simply prayed and waited.
Matt called upon Chip again the following day and said his dad, Ken, who has never attended church anywhere, also wanted to be baptied. Chip took the time to meet with Ken over coffee and shared the Gospel. Chip asked Ken to also take some time to think about it and attend church that Sunday.
Sure enough Mike, Becca, Mandy and Ken showed up that Sunday. After the service, they all said "yes" when Chip asked if they were still wanted to commit to Christ and follow Him in baptism.
God continued to work in the lives of others because later that week Chip was approached by Teresa, a lady in their Tuesday evening Bible Study. She had pulled Chip aside after study that week and asked to be baptized. Chip followed-up with Teresa to share the Gospel and what it meant to be a disciple. She too desired to follow Christ and be baptized.
Then the next day, a member of Celebration Church went into an office in Montrose and the lady asked him if his church "did baptism". This member immediately put Pastor Chip in contact with the lady, Maria. After explaining to Maria that baptism would not save her but was an outward picture of an inward work of Christ, she too accepted Christ for salvation and desired to follow Him in baptism. Chip could only pray and wait.
As details were coming together for this time of baptism celebration, Chip had a therapy visit with Harold, a 91 year old gentleman. When Chip entered Harold's home, he quickly noticed his bible, devotional materials, Christian tapes and music. Pastor Chip asked Harold when he got saved. Harold shared his story of salvation and then said, "but something has been bugging me?" Chip asked him what that was. Harold responded, "I have never been immersed with baptism". Chip had not shared, up to this point, about their scheduled baptism service that coming Sunday, but did not wait any longer to say, "Celebration Church is planning to baptize 9 folks..." Harold stopped Chip in mid-sentence and said, "Make it 10!"
It was nothing that Chip Martin did, but what God did through him. What a blessing it will be to have
Matthew 28:19 discipleship in 10 lives. There was a cause for celebration at Celebration Church on March 27!
