By Lisa Cardinal
Making disciples is not something Jesus suggested or recommended. Making disciples is something Jesus commanded. It was a direct order.
For 2000 years, making disciples has been the mission, duty, and privilege of Jesus’ followers. Here at Newday Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, we take Jesus’ words seriously. Making disciples is our mission, our highest honor, and our greatest win. Every single other thing we do is in support of making disciples.
When someone gives their life to Jesus, chooses to identify with Him through the act of baptism, and says yes to living life as a Jesus’ follower (disciple), we celebrate in a big way! In fact, based on what we know about the way Jesus did things when He was on earth, we like to imagine that if He were here today, He would celebrate very much the way we did on August 23.
After a powerful worship experience, we caravanned to a beautiful outdoor setting to first enjoy a picnic lunch together. While it was not barley loaves and fishes, the haystacks did seem to multiply, and a very large crowd had plenty to eat.
Six followers of Jesus were baptized: four elementary students, one high school student, and one college student. Another one was baptized a few weeks earlier at Glacier View Ranch in Ward, Colorado.
Because we live in a culture where it is no longer a given that kids raised in church choose Jesus, this is a big win for the Kingdom! Still dripping wet, these newly baptized Jesus’ followers were surrounded by their Newday family, friends, and guests and we prayed over them, “Father, fill them with your Holy Spirit. May they be disciple makers!”
—Lisa Cardinal is lead pastor at Newday Adventist Church. Photos by Jim Huenergardt.
