“i don’t want to be a closet christian…”

I love baptism Sundays at NewPointe. Love to hear stories of life-change. Sometimes people ask, “Why do you do it that way? Do I have to do a video to be baptized? Can’t I just get baptized somewhere quietly?”

Here’s what I’d say to that: Sure there are other ways to be baptized. You don’t HAVE to be baptized on the stage at NewPointe in front of hundreds of people. You don’t HAVE to do a video that gets shown in the big room on Sunday morning. BUT…if you want to get baptized at NewPointe you do.

It’s just the way we do it. We strongly believe in going public with your faith. We want to give you an opportunity to share your story with others. In fact, I’ve said this many times, the whole rest of your life, you may never have a better opportunity to share your story and impacts more lives than you do when you get baptized at NewPointe.

Your story is probably more powerful and compelling than a thousand sermons. There’s just something about having a person on the screens who says basically, “This is me, my face, my words, my story…and I’m not ashamed of it.”

Do you have any idea how powerful that is? Do you know what that does for you? It helps you break through a barrier that maybe you’ve resisted and it frees you up to live and love boldy and passionately for Christ.

You don’t HAVE to do it that way. But we sure think it’s a good idea.

Take a look at this baptism video from my friend Jimmy Miller. Love his story. And I know it’s real because I know Jimmy and I’ve seen Christ transform his life:

Baptism 2009 James Miller from NewPointe Community Church on Vimeo.

I love when he says, “I don’t want to be a closet Christian.” That’s really what baptism is all about.

If you’d like to watch more NewPointe baptism videos, follow this link: NPCC Baptisms.