Baptism, then what?

I had intended to blog today about the Foundations of Giving and Serving, but an email to me has set that post aside for a bit. I told you I have a heart for Baptism and this is one reason why…

Steve,
Thank you so kindly for my baptism this past Sunday.
I had struggled w/this step for over a year. It was a huge monkey on my back! I knew I had to do it, and wanted to so badly. I knew that I needed to be obedient to God and follow through w/this. He was calling me to get baptized, I heard Him, but I continually backed away at the last minute. It was sharing my salvation story that held me back. I am ashamed of the person I was before I became saved. I didn’t want to be looked at as that man. On that note, I do truly believe that it is the journey that I had lived that has led me to be the man that I am today; nowhere near where God wants me to be, but on the right path.
Sharing my testimony on Sunday morning was...relieving! It let out so much tension that I had about it. About halfway through I actually lost my train of thought.....I saw all the empty seats and wished that the room was overfilled w/people! That caught me off guard, b/c 5 mins beforehand I wished the room were empty!
I prayed a lot yesterday that there was one person out there that heard my testimony.... someone that could connect w/it and lead them to get saved, become baptized, or move a step closer to where God wants them to be. Yesterday was a huge step for me.......now I am ready to go further down this journey that God has for me, whatever that may be.
We were out gardening yesterday afternoon. My 7 year old daughter, while pulling out some hateful groundcover next to me, looked up and nonchalantly told me that she was so proud of me for getting baptized. What an emotional moment! Thank you Steve!
Stephen

Folks, I was totally pumped after participating in 18 Baptisms on Sunday morning. But this email sent me clean over the top! This is at the heart of Meeting & Moving. Yes, I love seeing people giving themselves to the Lord, trusting in Him alone for their salvation. But I’m equally thrilled when a believer takes a step of obedience. You see, all of us are on a spiritual journey. Let’s face it. Sometimes we stall out along the path. Occasionally, we even take a step or two backwards.

Do you want to run a good race and finish well? Want to know the secret? Want to know the missing element from many Christians’ lives? It’s biblical community! I don’t mean coming to church on Sunday morning for an hour. I mean living out the “One Another” commands that the Lord gave His church, living out the Gospel life-on-life with others who are also trying to finish well.

So, what advice am I offering to those who have been baptized this last weekend? Get into a good CONNECT group and continue to grow in the Lord.