A few weeks ago we celebrated baptisms at our Fearless Churches. We had an amazing day filled with incredible testimonies of young and old making a bold declaration to follow Jesus as Lord and savior. At the end of our final service, having changed out of my swimsuit, I walked into the hallway backstage to a small gathering of men talking amongst one another. One of those men was in tears. This man had recently suffered a tragic loss and was reeling from grief and sadness. His friends brought him to the back of church so he could sit and talk for a few minutes as the message of the sermon and current moment of his life washed over him.
After a few minutes of talking through his grief he said, “I’ve got to make a change. I’ve been thinking about baptism for a while now, but I think I need it. I need to do something different. I don’t want to live like this anymore.” As we talked through the reality of the resurrection and what it means to follow Jesus, it was clear to me that God was calling this young man to the water and to new life. So, we got him some clothes and I changed back into my swimsuit. While he changed, this young man’s friends went to find his family (his mother and grandmother were at church with him).
Thirty minutes after the services ended, on a dark stage, with a few friends and family, this young man declared that Jesus was his Lord and Savior. He stepped out of darkness and into a marvelous light and life of following Jesus. It was quiet on stage, but heaven was roaring. I was undone by God’s surprising timing and overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Spirit at work. Join with me in celebrating Jesus’ goodness and love toward this young man, the rest of us, and the world. God’s making a change – one life at a time – and we get to be a part of it as we Follow Jesus and Fearlessly Make Him Known.
Josh Zoerhof
Teaching and Chaplaincy Pastor
Fearless Family of Churches
