Hello, everyone, and welcome to this week's episode
of Trinity Talks. My name is Kyla, and I'm sitting
down with this lovely group of people to talk
all about something that happens sort of fairly
frequently in the church, which is this thing
that we call baptism. And there are lots of different
ideas and lots of different ways that this happens.
But I think we're going to really focus on, like,
what has this baptism, what has that meant to
each of us, and how does it sort of fit? into
our journey through faith with Christ. So thank
you all for joining me, folks. No problem. Yeah.
So I'm going to get you to start by just introducing
yourself a little bit and maybe giving us a sort
of brief intro to like, what is your experience
of baptism been like? have you been baptized
and like what led you to make that decision?
Yeah. So we want to start over here. Ooh. Okay.
Britain. Um, yeah, I got baptized. It was in
2008. Okay. I believe I have to look at my baptismal
certificate. Sure. Oh, you got one of those.
I did get a certificate. So I'm certified. So
I got baptized as a child and it was there was
like a special series happening at my church,
my childhood church. And during that time, they
would have altar calls every single night. And
I was starting to feel like the Holy Spirit was
talking to me. And so one night I got up and
actually got. Went up to the altar call. I accepted
it. They started doing Bible studies with me.
And then I got dunked. And it was, so I did like
the full immersion. And it honestly, there's
something like I was going to that church since
I was like maybe five years old. And at this
point, I'm like a preteen and I'm having this
like this this moment. I know these people, but
something shifted in terms of how I related to
them. Like I felt like I was a part of like this
song, this old song that says, I'm glad I'm a
part of the family of God. I felt that in that
moment. Like there's when I got dunked and then
I left the pool and walked away. Um, there were
folks that saw me and gave me high fives and
like, welcome to the family. And like, we've,
I've been a member here for a long time, but
also it's in a new way. So yeah, that's, that's
my experience. Fun fact. I was also baptized
in 2008. Get out. Okay. was it in october it
was in december oh so almost seasonal yeah yeah
look at the holy spirit yeah working overtime
that time i guess so yes yes yes so 2008 uh in
december um yeah also dunked uh grew up in a
baptist church so that's the way that that's
done um yeah but sort of similar that like i
had come and been part of this church for a really
long time um and yeah sort of i think would would
call myself like a Christian or a follower of
Jesus like for a while, but it was just sort
of this moment. Actually, I think at one point
my dad asked me, he was like, do you want to
be baptized? And I was like, I don't know. I
just like had never really thought about that
as a thing. Um, so spent some time sort of thinking
about it and be like, yeah, this like makes sense.
It's like, you know, another, the next like step,
I think. Yeah, so that's sort of how I came to
that. What about for you? Yeah, so I'm Melissa
and I was baptized when I was, I think it was
like grade 11 or grade 12. And this was like,
I think like sometime between 2014 to 2016. And
it's interesting. So the church that I was going
to at the time, I think it also is a Baptist
church, but it was just, it was kind of like,
you know, a church that came from the States
and then they had other kind of like, Planting
churches. And one was in Canada. And so that
was a church I was going to at the time. I actually
do not come from a Christian family. So my mom
and dad, they're not Christian. Maybe like a
few of my extended family are, but the majority
are not. And so when I wanted to be baptized,
my parents were actually like, why? What does
that mean? Like they were kind of like, but we're
not baptized. So why do you want to be baptized?
However, in my head, it kind of just makes sense
because I was like, yeah, I believe that Jesus
is God and I want to follow Jesus. So why wouldn't
I be baptized? I will say, though, that I the
church, they were kind of like, hey, like, if
you want to be baptized, please let us know.
However, I didn't do a course beforehand. I know
sometimes some churches offer a course so that
you truly understand what it means to be baptized.
So when I was baptized, I was going. solely on
the basis of I believe that Jesus is God and
I want to follow Jesus. I didn't understand or
really know some of the other things or just
I didn't have that, I guess, cohesive understanding
of salvation at that time. So I think that was
just one thing that even after I was baptized,
that throughout my life, I kind of learned afterwards
like, oh, this is why baptism is important. I
had questions of, should I be baptized again,
like re -baptized? This was actually a question
I asked Rob, and he gave me a really good answer,
which is like, you know, baptism, it's not about
youth. And choosing the time to be like, yes,
I think this is the moment for me to be like
saved or baptized. It is through Jesus's grace.
And if you were to be rebaptized, what if in
50 years you're like, actually, I want to be
baptized again because I think I wasn't truly
Christian then. And I want to be sure I am now.
And he was just kind of saying that it can get
into that slippery slope. Right. And so with
that in mind, I was like, you know, Jesus. is
the one who entered my life, who was like, you're
coming with me. Um, in which case, if that's
when I was baptized, that's when I was baptized.
And I kind of accepted that and just wait before
I got the chance. Yeah. No, I think that's really
helpful because it's like, it is about like what
God is doing in us. Yeah. And like, we're like,
okay, yes, but like, we don't have to do a thing.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So me, Ryan, uh, I was
double checking with my parents and my sisters
for some reason. They seem to know my spiritual
history, I guess. Great. I love that. Yeah, I
know. Baptized, also in a Baptist church, church
I was going to growing up. I think it was between
grade six to grade eight. Like middle school
kind of thing. Middle school, yeah. Yeah, I think
I just remember always wanting to, but I just
never kind of had the courage. Sure. Grown up,
introverted kid and still am an introverted adult.
But I think my mother was the one that was like
kind of spurred me on to the idea of, hey, you
should you should think about that. So give us
give us some thought. Came to the pastor when
there was like there's it pops up every so often
like, oh, you can have a baptism here at this
point in the year. Yeah, I reached out to the
pastor when it was time. We had like a couple
of meetings about. whether or not you wanted
to for sure, but I had the full dunk when fully
in, except it was weird. The, the, whatever the
tank, I guess was like above the congregation.
So it felt like even more, more like, Ooh, super
important. But yeah, so it had like a, the classic,
you know, read a, my favorite Bible verse and
then said why I wanted to, which I honestly don't
totally remember. I probably came up with something.
Uh, but yeah, but then after that, yeah, like,
uh, Brit said it was kind of like, like you're
part of a club now or something. Everyone thought
of you a little bit differently, which was cool,
but it also was like, I don't know. It's like,
I've always been here, but now it's a little
different. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We really
see you now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting.
So, cause like when Rob. gets up there and talks
about baptism, like he talks about it, you know,
we gain what he says is a new family, a new identity,
and a new mission. And like, in some ways, those
things aren't super new. Like if you're someone
who has is like, making the decision of baptism,
like after you've been sort of following Christ
for a while, in some ways, it feels like a continuation.
And other ways, it does, I think, feel like a
bit of a new start. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know.
Like, what do you think folks think about that?
Is there like in what ways do you feel like your
baptism was a continuation of something? And
in what ways do you feel it was like a new thing?
Yeah, I think for me, I know in those meetings
with the pastor, he did warn me that you're going
to feel more of a connection with the spirit
of God, but as well feel the negative side, more
of the temptation. from satan i felt definitely
afterwards i think it also coupled with going
from grade eight graduating into high school
sure started in a christian elementary school
moving into a public high school so totally different
world sure and i felt that probably amplified
that effect so i think that was but like like
you said continuation of yeah still a christian
but just kind of everything was like i don't
know amplified both the good and the bad yeah
yeah yeah for sure I got two points. One, when
you were describing it, I was thinking maybe
baptism is like a marriage versus like before
we were just dating. Sure. Okay. You know, when
you're dating someone and you introduce them
to your family, maybe you dated for a couple
of years. Everyone's really comfortable with
them. Like we know each other. Yeah. But then
you get married and it's like different, you
know, like now we're like. Yeah, they were kind
of a part of your family in a way before, but
like now, like really legally, like they are
a part of your family now. Yeah. So maybe baptism
is kind of like that. But I also I remember I
got baptized. I think it was the Saturday. And
then I go back to school on this on the Monday.
And I. got into a fight. I know it's hard to
believe that I would ever. You're so scrappy.
Yeah, I won't describe what the situation was,
but I got into a fight and I felt so guilty.
I felt like all of my baptismal vows, like I
was like, I just trashed them in the garbage.
And everyone else like writing lines and like.
the lines are really supposed to be like an apology,
like to the person, all this stuff. And I'm just
like writing to God. And I'm like, I'm just like
terrible. Like, I can't believe I did this. Like,
I'm ashamed that I got baptized and I still did
this. And I was just going off of it. But yeah,
like, I think maybe that's something, something
I feel like many people, when they feel they
get baptized, it's going to be like, I'm going
to be a totally new person. Like that identity
switch, they might feel like it's going to be.
like I'm going to become a spiritual robot and
I will no longer do the things that I used to
do. And even Paul wrestled with that, like that.
very infamous Romans passage where he's like
the things that I that I don't want to do I do
the things that I like he's just wrestling and
if Paul could wrestle with that and he was within
the church and like in high regard like then
like who am I not to wrestle even after baptism
but sure just throw that in there yeah yeah yeah
no for sure for sure I actually I feel like that's
um something I I kind of like see as well. So
when I was baptized, like again, like I didn't
really understand fully what it meant to follow
Christ at the time. I thought being a Christian
was just I believe in God. So I am a Christian
now. And that means that I'm following Jesus.
And now that I'm older, I understand that there
is, you know, taking up your cross. There's a
lot of I guess being a Christian is more than
just believing in God. And so. When I was baptized,
it was kind of like I was living my life normally,
calling myself a Christian, but, you know, just
living life as I always have. And then I was
baptized. And then I just went back to living
life as I always have. You know, I wasn't reading
the Bible. I wasn't in prayer. I just was like,
yeah, I believe in God and I'm baptized. So now
it's like I'm an official Christian. And I think
just hearing Britt's story and even just this,
at the core of it all, like baptism, I think
sometimes you can think like, oh, like if I'm
baptized, that means that now I am the perfect
person, the perfect Christian. I'm going to get
into heaven for sure now. But really, like baptism
and just being a Christian is just all about
Jesus's grace, about God's mercy. And it's like
no matter who you are, whatever you do, like
whether baptized or not, we all rely on God's
grace. And we're all not good enough to get into
heaven, baptized or not. I don't know if that's
theologically correct. Please correct because
I'm not on that. It's all by grace. Yeah. Yeah.
And I think that's something that just. It's
the core of the Christian journey with baptism
and everything. Yeah. I remember I had this conversation
with someone one time where I was like, yeah,
I'm like hanging out with the Anglicans now.
And like maybe I'm one of them. As one does.
Yes. In my heart of hearts, I still think of
myself as Baptist because like I don't know that
I can like fully get on board with infant baptism
because it feels like like my baptism was such
a significant moment for me that like I chose
that I would like would want other people. to
be able to have that experience. But in this
conversation that I was having with this other
person, he was like, yeah, fair. Um, I chose
to have my infant children baptized because baptism
is about God's grace. And I want them to know
that they don't have to earn it. They don't have
to pick it. They don't have to like, you, you
do have to like kind of opt in and be like, I
do want to follow Jesus, but like God picked
you first. Yeah. Right. Right. And like that
I think is a really, powerful sort of symbol
of like what is happening it's not like that
yeah so then i guess like confirmation is that
moment where uh the individual at an older stage
can say yes i am confirming that what happened
to me as a child right is is like what i want
yeah yeah that is that is interesting one i know
we said we weren't going to get into like all
the technicalities sure deep yes but it yeah
i think it's like the i think one thing people
think is that like baptism is like my ticket,
right? And historically, part of infant baptism,
one of the arguments for it was that if the child
dies, this child can't get in because the child
wasn't baptized, which I don't necessarily believe
in. I think God is gracious. But yeah, I think
that's an interesting way to look at it, an extension
and maybe even a gift. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
No, I, yeah. I, like I said, I just sort of found
it interesting and like, it helped me sort of
think about baptism, not just as something that
I do to like prove my faith, but it's something
that it's a gift. Yeah. So now you can hang out
with the Amalekins longer. Might stick around.
I just, hearing that, I think also that kind
of. Feels good to hear as well, because I think
that's something I struggled with, especially
a couple of years ago when I came back to Christ
and I was like, you know, reading the Bible more
in prayer. It was like a switch just like happened.
And then I started feeling like, again, like,
you know, my baptism, it was invalid in some
way because I was like, well, I wasn't really
following Christ at the time. I wasn't reading
the Bible. I didn't know. I just thought I believed
in God and I would do this. was valid because
even if at that moment i didn't know like that
was still god choosing me that was still god's
grace um and even just from that baptism to where
i am now like there were so many moments and
even before the baptism too where i know god
intervened he was like always there i can say
that looking back now and um yeah i i think that
that's really cool yeah yeah so are there ways
that you think that your faith has like changed
since that moment of baptism. Um, like when I,
when I think about it for myself, I think like
I am a different person than I was in 2008. Um,
partly because like I have grown up and like
had lots of different life experiences. And I
don't know that I can say I'm a different person
because I was baptized. Like maybe, maybe not.
But I think what my moment of baptism gave me
was a moment where I can look back and say like,
something happened there. Like I felt this like
inexplicable feeling of joy and like connection
to God. And so now in the, you know, past 18
years or whatever it's been since 2008, I can
look back and say like today, God doesn't feel
real, but I know God is real because I know what
I felt in 2008. And it gives me this like thing
that, that sort of grounds me. Wow. That's really
cool. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. For myself, like
Callie said, growing up past baptism, I feel
like I've grown more, like questioned things,
thought about things that I was taught as a child
in church and revisited as an adult with more
brain power. And it's like, man, I don't know
if I totally agree with that segment or that
idea that they've taught. But yeah, during or
at the moment of baptism, maybe right after,
it was almost like, I don't know, like. maybe
i didn't initially think about it but then looking
back it was kind of like i took things a little
bit more seriously or like my spirituality a
little bit more in depth and gave it more thought
so yeah i don't know but like not to say i wasn't
thinking about before but of course in grade
six grade eight like sure i don't know what a
kid's thinking about sure not a whole lot about
god probably but what's for lunch yeah probably
yeah yeah yeah yeah i just i think like The one,
the anchor of baptism, it's a symbol, right?
And it's this moment where we accept, like, regardless
of all the theological arguments and how well
you can, like, say the names of the Bible in
order or in its written, like, whatever. That's
not the point. Like, the point is that we accept
Jesus and we invite the Holy Spirit into our
lives. I think that is like the anchor that makes
everything else that comes after possible. So,
yeah, I look back and I'm like, yeah, well, did
I grow? Did anything change? And I think the
one thing that did change was that I made this
public declaration to my friends, my family.
everyone that I knew. And I also took my baptismal
certificate to school to show everyone. Okay.
Very cool. Yeah. So proud of myself. But yeah,
all of that is like this anchor that I've accepted
Jesus. And I think that is, that's all we need.
There's, there's so much more that we can know.
I think many times we equate it with spiritual
maturity, which I think could be a dangerous.
place, like the argument could be dangerous.
Like if I know all of this, or if I can recite
all these scriptures, then that's the way to
show that like the Holy spirit is moving in my
life. Sure. And the fruit of the spirit actually
has nothing to do with academic, um, pursuits
or your Bible literacy. It has a lot more to
do with your actions, your behaviors like that.
That's what we should be longing for. So I think
that's why kids can kids gravitate to that. And
they, they hear the Holy spirit because they're
not, hell bent on all these other things right
there they can hear the pure voice of god and
and truly make sense of what is unexplainable
sure um yeah i'll stop rambling yeah no no that's
that's awesome like yeah i think we sometimes
get caught up in like i need to know all of the
things in order to like take the next step but
baptism is like god inviting us to take a step
and in faith and trust And just be like, yeah,
just like come as you are, because I picked you.
You get my grace now. Yeah. I love that. I love
what you said, Britt, about spiritual maturity,
because like, yeah, like it really shouldn't
be about spiritual maturity, because how do you
know right now that you are at that place of
spiritual maturity? And again, like when you're
150 years old, there's going to still be. If
you reach to that point. I receive it. I receive
it. Thank you. Amen. But it's like no matter
how old you are, there's always going to be more
growth for you to do. There's more sanctification
that can happen. And so then it's like, well,
when are you ready? And it's like, yeah, like
just come as you are. You know, God is waiting.
Sure. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah, so
I want to circle back a little bit to what Rob
has sort of said, like a new family, a new identity,
a new mission. Is there one of those things that
feels more compelling to you or that you feel
like, ah, I can see how that is true in my life,
that as you have walked through your faith, that
you feel called into a new family, a new identity,
a new mission? Initial thought? Yeah. it's hard
to pick between the three. Okay. Okay. So yeah.
Okay. Sure. Sure. Cause they're all so good,
but maybe like gut reaction. Yeah. I like the
sound of the new family. Cause then it's like,
you're getting that additional support from people
that maybe didn't know as much, or you're learning
to know them more. Sure. And then there's that
moment you have baptism where it's like, you're,
you're kind of being officially welcomed in,
you know? you should churches should always be
welcoming sure but then it's just kind of like
this yeah this like milestone of okay you're
part of this part of us now um read the benefits
yeah so to speak but yeah it's hard to pick between
those three but sure initial gut it's always
nice to have more friends, more family to help
you along in life. For sure. Whatever that may
be. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. It's that moment. Yeah.
I think like, I like what you said that like,
it's kind of an official welcoming and it's the
like making promises in that, that I think like
one of the things that I do really appreciate
about the Anglican tradition is like priests
and bishops will often talk about like our baptismal
vows that like in baptism, we promise to follow
Christ. We promise to reject the devil. We promise
to like, work together as the body of Christ.
And like, we make all of those promises. So it
is kind of like a wedding. Yeah. Right. Like
you make promises and you're like, I'm all in
now. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Got married
at eight. No, in 2008. Yeah. What, what about
for other folks? Like when you think about like
new family, new identity, new mission, what,
what stands out to you and all that? Well, Again,
it is hard to pick from the three, but I think
maybe this is a little bit superficial, but I
do think it's really cool to be like, yeah, I
am baptized to be a little like I am, you know,
even though it just it's not like you get like
a cookie, but. You put that on your email signature.
It says your name. This is baptized. It is baptized
in this year. But I think it is something that
there's that new identity aspect to where it's
like. You know, no matter what your life looks
like afterwards, maybe it's the same. Maybe some
things are different. It is just something you
can say, like, I have been baptized and this
is the decision that I've made. And as Christians,
I guess we're going to mess up. Yes, there's
going to be mistakes that we do. However, we
should show that we are Christian, that we are
followers of Christ through our actions. And
I guess it becomes. it does become a little feels
a little bit more real once you've been baptized.
Cause now you're like, okay, like I want to show
the world that I am a Christian. So then how
am I going to act? How am I going to speak? How
am I going to treat people now? Sure. And like
knowing that we don't do that perfectly then
all of the time. Um, but we get, we're like claimed
by Christ. And so like we get. to try and when
we fail we get to try again yeah and yeah it's
just all walking in that that direction yeah
yeah i guess i yeah all three are really powerful
i think they work in tandem for sure one thing
i often tell folks is that i regardless of what
church i go to i always step in as though i've
like Like this is my church too. Yeah. Because
I am a part of, we are a part of this, this larger
family. Yeah. Across denominations, across languages,
like we're all a part of that. Yeah. And so like,
I love that when I go to a new church and I like
walk in and I'm just like sitting down and everyone's
like, oh, are you a visitor? I'm like, no, I'm
not a visitor. I'm part of my first time in this
building building, but cousin. Yeah. Yeah. But
I think that's, that's one thing we can, we can
be confident in and maybe we just need to flex
that muscle more, like recognizing like we are,
we are siblings in Christ. We are, we're not
just like folks that attend the same club. At
the same time, like we are actually family. Yeah.
And that's something I think we should hold really
dear. And then the other piece is the identity.
It's like getting new clothes. Yeah. And not
because you had the money to buy it, but because
God gifted it to you. And you look swagalicious
because God has bestowed that on you. And that
should make us super confident. Um, regardless
of what room I'm in, regardless of who I'm speaking
with or what I'm going through, like I'm confident
in Christ. Yeah. Um, yeah. So I like those two.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. I think like similarly,
like those resonate with me and just this, like,
I'm someone who has sort of struggled a little
bit to figure out like where I fit in Christian,
in the like Christianity broadly, like denominationally,
like where, where do I land? And like, that's
an important thing to figure out, but. My baptism,
although it was in a Baptist church, is bigger
than that. It's like admission into the family
of God globally. And so we're all part of the
club. Yeah, and that's why for communion in most
churches, once someone identifies as a Christian
and has been baptized, they're welcome to that
table. Denominations forget that. The table is
for Christ's followers and for folks that are
part of the family of God. So that's an open
invitation to us. So yeah, like the denominational
part. Yeah, totally. I was in my vows. My vows
were definitely denominational heavy, but sure.
But God be praised because baptism is the work
of the Holy Spirit. Yeah. That has no bounds.
For sure. For sure. Yeah. And then just to sort
of bring the pieces together, like all of that,
having a new family, having a new identity, I
think allows us to live into our new mission.
Like this is a calling that God gives us. that
God gives to us in our new identity. I have a
new calling, a new mission, but I do that in
community with other people who are like all
doing that together. And I think that's beautiful.
That's great. That's a great tie in. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Well, thank you so much, folks. This has
been really helpful, I think, to unpack like
what baptism has looked like for each of us,
but more specifically what it means, right? That
it is, it can feel like a really daunting decision
to make. Um, but it's not something that we do
in our own strength and it's not something that
we do because we're trying to like earn a thing.
It's, it's that moment of accepting God's grace
and of, yeah, joining in this family in a like
real tangible way. And that's lovely, I think.
Yeah. So thank you all for chatting with me today.
And thank you for tuning in to this week's episode
of Trinity Talks. I hope that through this conversation,
you have also been encouraged, whether you are
part of the baptized family of Christ or not.
I hope that you are able to sort of see yourself
in this group, that you are able to see how God
is calling you to take whatever next step is
before you to be. closer and closer with Christ
and closer and closer with this beautifully diverse
family of God. And we will see you again next
week.