By Brandon Westgate – Ward, Colorado … Every year at Glacier View Ranch during our summer camp program, some of our campers decide they want to begin or better solidify their spiritual journey with God through baptism. These campers may be divided into a few different categories.

Some of these campers come to camp already prepared to be baptized. They have studied and have talked to their parents who are excited for their decision. There are others who have been involved in their local church and have grown up in a healthy faith community who have an experience at camp that compels them to decide to be baptized. Then there are some who come to camp with very little exposure to organized religion. They have not grown up in a faith community, yet because of what they learn about Jesus at camp, they decide to begin a faith journey with Jesus through baptism.

Some campers don’t fit neatly into any of these categories, yet because of what they have experienced at camp, they desire something greater for their life. Some of them desire to be baptized as well.

Some may say that these young people are not ready for baptism because they have not been led through a series of doctrinal studies. To this, I would simply say that baptism is the beginning of a faith journey, not a graduation ceremony for having completed a theology degree. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said we should make disciples. We do that by modeling Jesus to the people we encounter. We endeavor to do that at camp for our campers. Matthew quotes Jesus as saying that we should then baptize them and teach them (in that order) which is why we recommend to our campers and their parents to connect with a spiritual leader who can guide them in their new faith journey.

Some may argue that these young people are having an emotional response to God. I would affirm this to be true. I would further submit that anytime we encounter a God who is for us, who loves us with WILD* love, who has done everything He can do to save us and who desires to be with us eternally, it should evoke an emotional response! Baptism is emotional in the same way a wedding is emotional. The person being baptized is entering into a covenant relationship with Jesus and that is reason enough to rejoice and to be overcome by His WILD love!

*WILD is a theme for the GVR 2022 camp season

Brandon Westgate, RMC youth director. Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski