12 Memories of Baptisms that Still Encourage Me

by Chuck Lawless

Church Answers Consultant

One of the things I miss most about being a pastor is baptizing new believers. I don’t believe baptism saves a person, but the act is nonetheless a powerful picture of the gospel. When I think about these stories from my pastoral ministry, I’m challenged to share the gospel even more so others can share in this joy.

1. 1. Baptizing 17 people at once. It was my first pastorate, and our little church didn’t have a baptistry – so we baptized once a quarter in a sister church. The first time I baptized anyone, we had 17 new believers lined up. That’s still a powerful day in my mind.
   2. Watching Brian dive headfirst into the baptistry. He was just a kid, incredibly excited about being baptized. Why walk down the baptistry steps when you can just dive in? 
   3. Baptizing “Pa” in his senior years. We weren’t sure his frail body could handle baptism, but he wanted to be obedient to the Word. With the help of others, we got it done.
   4. Hearing a mom holler with joy when her long-wayward son was baptized. I admit I almost dropped him (people didn’t holler at our church), but her joy filled the sanctuary with excitement.
   5. Watching my younger brother baptize our dad. Dad was 71 when he became a believer, and my brother had not baptized anyone before. It’s hard to describe all the emotions of that great day.
   6. Watching the eyes of a wife and Christian kids as I baptized their long-prayed-for husband and dad. They were in the front of the auditorium so they could see everything well, and all of us wept at the same time.
   7. Being soaked by the hug from the “meanest man you’ll ever meet.” That’s what everybody in the church called this man before God changed him. When God got hold of him, though, it was real.
   8. Baptizing an entire family. Mom, Dad, brother, and sister decided together to follow Christ, and I was blessed to be their pastor. All five of us were in the baptistry at once as I baptized each one. It made a full pool, but I’d do it exactly the same way again.
   9. Hearing a young girl sweetly profess her faith in Christ. Her voice was soft, but her heart was genuine. She’s now an adult, still walking with God.
   10. Stepping into frigid cold water and into steaming hot water. I’ve done both. My teeth have chattered as I spoke, and my breath has been taken away by steam rising from the water. The temperature didn’t matter, though – we rejoiced either way. 
   11. Baptizing my mom at age 79. My brother was in the water with us, and it was a glorious day! We had prayed for our mom for 47 years, and the Lord did a mighty work in her life. In fact, the picture above is of this great event.
   12. Being baptized myself. It happened a long time ago (now more than 50 years ago), but I still remember it. It was the same day I received my first Bible. I had no idea then how much the gospel would change my life.

What baptism memories do you have?

Posted on May 28, 2026

Dr. Chuck Lawless is a leading expert in spiritual consultation, discipleship and mentoring. As a former pastor, he understands the challenges ministry presents and works with Church Answers to provide advice and counsel for church leaders.
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