 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
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Religion
2008-04-01 11:22:00
Questions about baptism
Question: Must a person be baptized in order to be saved? If a person, who is already baptized in a Christian church, changes to another church, is it necessary for him/her to be re-baptized? If one is not sure whether he/she was baptized, should he/she be baptized again?
Answer: According to scripture, salvation is by grace alone through faith and it is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Peter makes the declaration of salvations equation to the jailor in Philippi, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31). Jesus in His marvelous declaration in John 3:16 said, “…whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Baptism is a symbol, an important one at that, of the inward work God does. Like the engagement ring (a symbol) I gave my wife pledging my love to her that was already inside, ring or no ring, in the same way it is with the sign of baptism, the symbol of what is already within. The ring is not necessary but it is an outward sign of a marvelous promise and pledge of love as is baptism. Not necessary for salvation, but what a tremendous affirmation of God’s love.
Now to some churches and denominations, their church’s instituted baptism is the only one they accept so they require a person who wants to join that body to be baptized with their baptism. Now I appreciate their desire to have it done properly, decently and with reverence to the Lord, but I wonder in God’s eyes if there is a difference. Is it like the problem that John had in Mark 9:38-41. A person did miracles in Jesus’ name and He told Jesus to stop him {38}“because he wasn’t a follower like us.” Jesus response was, {39}“Don’t stop him…” {40} “….For whoever is not against us is for us” I imagine a person can get baptized again, but as far as its necessity in God’s eyes, I don’t believe it is necessary. But in reality, one could make it as a renewal or reaffirmation of what is in their heart and already been done. When it is done in Jesus Christ, is it not the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” of Ephesians 4:5? Do we as humans sometimes split hairs and cause disunity rather than the unity Paul fought to preserve in verse 3 and our Lord prayed for in John 17:21. In heaven we will all be surprised at the lack of denominational and racial segregation that is now present in the church. Will we all just drop down before the same Christ with the 4 living creatures, the 24 elders, angels and living creatures singing and proclaiming His worthiness {Revelation 4:7 thru 5:13}? If one is unsure they have been baptized, why not. It can be a great affirmation to the person and the congregation of God’s work in the heart of the individual. It is also a great witness to loved ones who are not saved of God’s work in the life of that believer. It can be a great tool to witness of that believer’s death, burial and resurrection to new life in Christ {Romans 6: 4-14}. That the life of Christ is evident in the way they live {Galatians 2:20}.
