A church in China’s southeastern coastal Guangdong Province hosted a baptism and communion service last Sunday.
Besides the nineteen followers of Jesus baptized at Pinghu Church in Shenzhen on November 20, individuals unable to move freely received baptism at home.
During the second Sunday service, first-time seekers and Christians were invited to the altar to introduce themselves. The congregation offered prayers for them.
Rev. Huang Chuxian of the congregation gave a sermon entitled "Reason of Baptism”. She preached that Jesus ordained baptism as a confession of faith. Baptism was a sign to show that believers had received God's grace and to demonstrate His favor. As a sacrament of the church, baptism declared to the world and the devil that Christians were no longer children of darkness, but of light.
Huang also pointed out common misconceptions about baptism. She argued against beliefs that a person must be baptized to be saved or that one didn't need baptism if one had a relationship with Jesus. She also argued that individuals didn't need to wait until they were spiritually mature before baptism. Huang emphasized that people were saved through faith in Jesus Christ - not through baptism. She declared that seekers needed to be baptized as soon as possible so as not to leave room for the devil and to declare that they belonged to Christ. She concluded that people could be baptized if they truly believed, repented, and followed Jesus.
Before the communion service, the pastor led the congregation in singing the refrain "Whiter Than Snow" after baptizing each catechumen. Each one received a baptism certificate and a Bible.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
