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September 21, 2009

Baptisms, Gorom-Gorom, Sep 2009

While in Burkina, Lynne and I were privileged to be invited to take part in a baptism ceremony for 9 local Christians in Gorom-Gorom.

It was an inter-church baptism, out in a waterhole that had developed during the rainy season. The baptism candidates were mostly recent converts from around Gorom-Gorom, including several Fulani, and also one Tamacheq.

They were from Pierre’s church and Pascal’s church, and they asked me to join them in baptising these new believers as a small group of Christians, family members, and passers-by came to watch. Each candidate was asked about their faith in Christ as Saviour, and their commitment to follow him as Lord. The video shows some of them going through the waters of baptism.

I love these baptisms. It was also great seeing others we have baptised over the last couple of years coming along to encourage them, and to sing joyfully at the event. Often here, the step of baptism is seen as more significant than the moment of “praying the prayer of repentance” – it is a moment when the believer is daring to stand up and identify him or herself very publicly as a follower of Jesus. Often this comes at a cost, but it is a cost that they have counted and consider worthwhile. And little by little the church is coming to birth and the new-born are finding themselves not entirely alone, but enfolded in a family that loves and supports them. I love it.

Posted by Keith at September 21, 2009 05:21 PM