I baptize people. For those of you who are not familiar with Baptist practices, we love to put people not just in the water but under the water. The word “baptism” comes from a Greek word, “baptizo,” which means “to sink or drown.”  It’s in my job description to make people sink just to the point of drowning. Just call me the Dunker-in-Chief. 

My non-dunking pastoral brothers and sisters have it much easier. Their baptisteries are small bowls of water, not overgrown hot tubs like ours. They fling a few drops of water on those professing their faith while I put on a pair of waders covered by a white robe. This might solve for you the mystery of how Baptist pastors are able to change so quickly after being in the baptistery. I actually knew one pastor, a scuba enthusiast, who put his wet suit over his pants, shirt, and tie and then emerged after baptism like James Bond, a little rumpled but ready for gospel action. 

Funny things happen in the baptistery. I’ve stood in the water and looked into the faces of people I have prayed for over the years. My brain then goes AWOL, and I can’t remember their names to save my life. It is beyond embarrassing. The Deacons begin to wonder if they need to call a special meeting to see if I still have the mental capacity to serve as pastor. 

People have different reactions to being baptized. One little boy, upon being baptized, turned, acknowledged the cheers of the congregation, and then swam out to the steps. I love the folks who get baptized and come out of the water and then raise their arms high like a victorious prize fighter. For some people, it’s a surprising moment, even for themselves. 

Then there are the people who are scared of water. I reassure them I have never dropped anyone. They look at me skeptically. After I pronounce they are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they often inhale just as they are going under. They come up coughing, usually giving me a dirty look.  

Some people lose their footing in the baptistery. When I lean them back, their feet fly up. This presents a challenge since, as a Baptist pastor, I believe in total immersion. That means I have to push down on the head with one hand and push down on the feet with another. Pulling them back up is lifting dead weight. When they finally get their feet back under them, these are the ones who are most likely to hug me. 

A couple of times in my career, we have scheduled a baptism, and the hot water heater has gone out. Ironically, each time it happened was in the month of February. We went ahead and baptized people in the cold water anyway. My teeth would chatter as I said, “I-I-I b-b-baptize you-you-you in t-t-t-the n-n-name of….”   

My first baptism was of a young man who was 6’ 7”. The baptistery was only 6’ 5” long. It went like this: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  Clunk. I hit his head on the wall. He told me later he felt really different after being baptized. His eyes were a little crossed when he said it. 

I’ll never forget the night I baptized the man who was 6’ 6” and 350 pounds – along with his wife, who was 6’ and pregnant with twins. She came into the baptistery first, and the water level rose to within six inches of the top of the glass. Then he came in, and the water crested over the top. When I baptized him, the water did not splash out of the baptistery; it tsunamied. The front row experienced a second immersion from above.   

What I see most in the baptistery are tears. The tears are from people set free from their guilt and their past. People are experiencing the great grace of Jesus, who loves and forgives. Sometimes the tears are expressions of joy. People cannot believe how much God loves them. 

Not to discredit any other mode of baptism, but I think this is why Jesus wanted us to be immersed. God’s love is not just sprinkled on you; you sink into a vast pool of infinite love and grace. Every part of you is touched by his forgiveness. Every part of you now belongs to Jesus.   

How different would this day be if you could just sink beneath into deep love, grace, and forgiveness? Jesus is waiting for you there.