Michael Hernandez
NEWBURY PARK—Godspeak Pastor Rob McCoy baptized Savannah Lee Padgett and Kyle Mackenzie Loftus during Saturday’s 31st livestream “Fireside Chat” in an emotional sacramental celebration called “essential” as a testimony of our commitment to follow Jesus Christ.
“I stand by these sacraments that are critical to lift up the name of Christ,” said Pastor McCoy. “Baptism is considered one of the two Protestant sacraments (the other is Communion which we celebrated on Palm Sunday). These are critical. Christ commanded them. He participated in them and He commanded us to do likewise and we do. So we stand by these sacraments. They are critical. They lift up the Name of Christ.
“Baptism is a public profession of faith. In Romans 6:17 you can read that we are dead to our old life. We die with Christ. We are buried with Him and then are raised to a new life. The water in baptism represents the grave.
“In Calvary Chapel—our tradition—we are more Anabaptists which means we believe in a public profession of faith that comes after you have declared Christ as your Savior. We believe that Christ was baptized as an adult like the Ethiopian eunuch.
“The beauty of America is that we do not force a religion on anyone. We do ascribe to the laws of nature and nature’s God. We do recognize in the Declaration of Independence that we were created and recognize our Creator is a divine being, God. We also recognize that our rights come from Him and not from man. We contend for truth and we do so in a manner that’s civil. We are a welcoming nation to those that would understand that never do we rescind or stop anyone’s practice of faith.
“We wanted to do a baptism on Easter Sunday but because of Covid-19, we didn’t. But the two tonight were so emphatic about wanting to be baptized. Baptism is so essential to our First Amendment rights. Christ said in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
“By baptism, Christ seals His name upon and calls to new life the person baptized. It depicts the joining of the person to Christ and is the outward sign of the inward work of the Holy Spirit who cleanses all those who believe by the blood of Christ (Romans 6:4). Baptism itself does not wash away a person’s sins but rather is a sign of the salvation in Christ applied to the believer by the Holy Spirit through faith.”
Pastor McCoy continued with his baptism celebration by recounting the baptism by Philip of the Ethiopian eunuch who had charge of Queen Candace’s treasury (Acts 8:26-40). “He was a wealthy political official in a government role and was on his way back to Ethiopia” and Philip found this man reading from the Book of Isaiah 53:7-8 and explained the scriptures to him so that “he might understand.”
Upon understanding the eunuch asks Philip: “What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Phillip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may” to which the Ethiopian answered: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
At this point, Pastor McCoy asked Savannah Padgett and Kyle Loftus if they wanted to share why they wished to be baptized?
Savannah: “At 12 years-old, I became a drug addict. Life was miserable before knowing the Lord. I can say that in my younger years and in high school and my early 20s, life was dark. It felt like a living hell. Looking back, it was Satan working in my life. Satan had me living in darkness.
“I had an abortion already but then I got into an abusive relationship in which I had a child but I couldn’t bring myself to do another abortion. I knew I needed to find some faith. I needed to become the best Mom I could be. I was told about this church and this is the constant that brings me peace. God is the only (one) that keeps me strong. Now, I fight for what is right. I am so hungry to learn everything about God because I knew everything about darkness.”
Kyle: “I started drugs at 11. I never stopped. I did a lot of bad things. I was in bad situations. I didn’t believe in God for a decade of my life. A lot of hate ran through my veins.”
Pastor Rob: “Would you consider baptism essential?
Savannah: “It is essential. Our First Amendment rights are being attacked. We love our country.”
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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