Monday, August 19, 2002
HOW REFRESHING
I hope nobody takes this blog the wrong way.
But now that I'm Koinonia core chair and am a member of our English Ministerial Committee, I am no longer naive to all the inner workings of our church. Is this a bad thing? No, it's a great thing to be able to serve God through these committees and hopefully bring more people to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. But with this service, comes knowledge of the politics that occasionally comes into play and other things like that. It's not easy to deal with at times, but necessary.
So, I have to admit it was SO refreshing to drive to Valencia yesterday evening to witness my cousin Tammy get baptized. Yes, I had to drive an hour and yes, we initially felt uncomfortable being surrounded by white people, but it was so worth it to sit there with Karena, some other cousins, and Tammy's parents just to worship through song and celebrate together. And very quickly, our external differences didn't even seem to matter because I felt more like brothers and sisters.
They got baptized in this beautiful ampitheater that resembes a miniature Hollywood Bowl. There were beautiful trees everywhere and a brook/waterfall that runs all around it. In the back were three crosses as a reminder of why we were all there. In the front was a collection of rocks that forms yet another small waterfall/brook and the pool where they got baptized.
Again, I have to say it was so refreshing so see teenagers go up there to share their testimony and to be so "on fire" for God when answering directly why they wanted to get baptized: "Because it says so in the Bible and I want to obey it and follow God the rest of my life."
The feelings I had while watching this baptism were truly overwhelming.
I hope nobody takes this blog the wrong way.
But now that I'm Koinonia core chair and am a member of our English Ministerial Committee, I am no longer naive to all the inner workings of our church. Is this a bad thing? No, it's a great thing to be able to serve God through these committees and hopefully bring more people to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. But with this service, comes knowledge of the politics that occasionally comes into play and other things like that. It's not easy to deal with at times, but necessary.
So, I have to admit it was SO refreshing to drive to Valencia yesterday evening to witness my cousin Tammy get baptized. Yes, I had to drive an hour and yes, we initially felt uncomfortable being surrounded by white people, but it was so worth it to sit there with Karena, some other cousins, and Tammy's parents just to worship through song and celebrate together. And very quickly, our external differences didn't even seem to matter because I felt more like brothers and sisters.
They got baptized in this beautiful ampitheater that resembes a miniature Hollywood Bowl. There were beautiful trees everywhere and a brook/waterfall that runs all around it. In the back were three crosses as a reminder of why we were all there. In the front was a collection of rocks that forms yet another small waterfall/brook and the pool where they got baptized.
Again, I have to say it was so refreshing so see teenagers go up there to share their testimony and to be so "on fire" for God when answering directly why they wanted to get baptized: "Because it says so in the Bible and I want to obey it and follow God the rest of my life."
The feelings I had while watching this baptism were truly overwhelming.
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