The story of a baptism at a country Baptist church in the 1940s: It was Easter Sunday and everyone was dressed in their finest. It was a proud, puffed-up congregation that day. And they were not happy this Easter Sunday.
The creek was up a little bit and running a little swift. The baptismal candidate was called Big Bob. He was the former community drunk. He owed some of the church business people money. He had even lied and stolen from some of the church members. He had been a vile and evil man. He was dirty and nasty. He was mean to his wife and children.
The church was offended that they would baptize a man like that because they just didn‘t trust Big Bob. They didn’t like Big Bob at all and were convinced this was a big mistake. But with the pastor’s insistence they had no choice but to accept him as a candidate for baptism.
The pastor was concerned about his congregation’s prideful and resentful spirit not only towards Big Bob but to others as well. He was afraid they might not ever accept Big Bob. Before the baptism he prayed, “Lord I leave this man and this church’s attitude in your hands.”
Just before the baptism the deacons made the excuse to the pastor that because the water was so cold and muddy, instead of the deacons helping with the baptism he should go ahead and baptize the candidate by himself. Besides they said, “We didn’t bring a change of clothes and we are wearing our best suits.”
As the preacher and Big Bob got into the cold, dirty, running water the preacher got confused and turned Bob’s head, instead of against the flow of water, with the flow of water. As the preacher lowered Bob into the water he slipped out of the preacher’s hands and began to move downstream. The deacons standing with the congregation on the bank dressed in their Sunday finest had to jump in to save Bob from being washed away. Then others had to jump in to save the deacons. When it was all over, just about every member of the congregation was in the water.
Big Bob, totally unaware of what really happened, came out of the water rejoicing and said to one of the deacons, “I thought you guys weren’t going to help the preacher today.” One of the deacons, standing there with his ruined suit wet and muddy, replied, “The Spirit moves in mysterious ways sometimes to get His point across.”
Everyone in the congregation looked like drowned rats. They laughed. They all hugged Big Bob and began to cry and repent of their attitude of pride and arrogance.
The pastor said later, “God was not going to let me baptize Bob alone. God was going to make sure everyone helped. We were washed of our pride and hate and filled with love and compassion. Bob represented the kind of people we needed to identify with and touch if we were going to make a difference for Jesus in our community.”
Of course the church never forgot that day and it was the talk of the community for many years. Big Bob and the baptism brought the church together.
Big Bob went on to be a faithful, much loved and respected member of the church. He became a deacon himself and helped lead many people through the baptismal waters.
They placed a permanent sign there that says, “The Baptism of Big Bob, where the Lord baptized the whole congregation and made a new church.”
Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on the way to church every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on 98.9 WSIP FM. To read more of Pastor Jack Ward’s articles and hear his sermons at Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church go to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Watch his sermons on his Facebook page. Find him on Rumble, Bitchute and Brighteon video platforms.