Pathfinders 'Maximize Their Witness,' Get Baptized in Front of Thousands

Story by Ricardo Bacchus / Reporting by V. Michelle Bernard

Baptism, a special occasion in which candidates are celebrated for publicly giving their lives to God, can be intimidating for some; being the center of attention isn’t everyone’s forte.

Now picture getting baptized in front of 60,000-plus Pathfinders, staff and family members.

At the International Camporee’s meeting Wednesday evening, 83 Columbia Union Conference Pathfinders were unphased by the large crowd. Confidently, they committed their lives to God by bravely dipping into the cold, portable baptismal pools in Gillette, Wy.

Sisters Ashley and Sarah Solomon, members of Potomac Conference’s Seabrook (Md.) Seahawk Pathfinder Club, were among the many who proudly expressed their love for Jesus.

“This year, I kind of felt more closer to God than ever. So, together, [my sister and I] decided … how much fun it would be to get baptized at Gillette,” says Ashley.

Sarah adds, “I felt like I wanted to be more committed to God, and it felt like if I got baptized in [August], I would get more support.”

The night also provided the opportunity for parents to experience this monumental occasion with their young ones.

Christian Martin, pastor of Potomac Conference’s Living Hope church in Haymarket, Va., and a father to Moriah Jean, says, “My daughter, who is 14, was baptized when she was nine. It was very special, but in the last year or so, in her own personal walk with God, she recognized she made choices she didn’t want to continue making.” He says that she understood rebaptism wasn’t “necessary,” but it was her decision to make. After convicted to renew her commitment to Christ, he says she decided the best venue to be rebaptized would be at the camporee.

Understanding that the service would be seen by so many people, Mariah Jean, a member of the Living Hope Messengers Pathfinder Club, says, “I wanted to be baptized here so more and more people could learn about Jesus and they could choose to be baptized and rebaptized too. It was an amazing experience. I just felt joy in my heart.”

Christian adds, “She wanted to maximize the witness [beyond] our home church. We have significantly less people than are here today [and online], and she wanted to just make it known as far and wide as possible.”

Andrew Christiansen, pastor of Pennsylvania Conference’s Coudersport, Mount Jewett, Warren and Derrick City churches, also had the opportunity to be present with his child—in the baptismal pool.

Prior to baptizing his son, Malachi, Andrew said, “The schedule looked like this was the only time we could get family together. It's a privilege. And now I’ll have a connection—it's my kid! I baptized my daughter two years ago. Being able to [baptize] both is great.”

After coming up out of the water, witnesses could visibly see and feel joy radiating from the Pathfinders’ faces. 

“It's great to get baptized at a camporee,” says Andrew, “so that every five years you have a ‘birthday,’ so to speak.” With a smile on their faces, kids can forever state, “I was baptized there so many years ago!”
 

As a result of the Holy Spirit’s leading, a number of Columbia Union Pathfinders decided this week to get baptized at Friday night’s meeting.

Follow us on Facebook, where the baptism photos from the Wednesday and Friday night meetings will be posted.

 

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• Columbia Union Drill and Drum Corps Teams Stick to the Beat 
• Columbia Union Pathfinders Clean up Following Tuesday's Storm
• Forecasted Weather Shortens Camporee Programs, Clubs Plan Their Exit
• Pathfinders 'Maximize Their Witness,' Get Baptized in Front of Thousands
• WATCH: Videos and Photos From the International Pathfinder Camporee