What I've been doing lately, It's a sin to not be baptized

a)

Things I have enjoyed lately:

- This thing they sell outside my house that is like a giant round youtiao with sweet stuff on it.
- Reading about Vietnam
- Niel Young and Bruce Cockburn
- Free Shepherd’s Conference audio
- Frozen Char Siew Bao

b)

(Not what you might think it's about)

So, I’ve wanted to encourage people over here to get baptized. I’ve lately been reminded that it’s a command, not an option.

But I can’t find many resources online to help. Maybe it’s just what I’ve been reading and seeing lately (in other words, Reformed stuff), but it seems that although many argue, rightly so, over how it should be done, few people are teaching why it should be done. I do not see many championing the truth that Baptism is an important part of the Christian life.

Out of forty years of preaching, John Macarthur has one single resource that explains why someone should be baptized (to be fair, in it he confesses that he has not given it as much weight as it should have). Capitol Hill Baptist Church’s extensive audio/resource page had no relevant resources at all. Finally, I found only John Piper (also a Baptist) to have a few resources available (very few, considering the impressive volume of resources on his desiringgod.org).

When you think about it, the pressure isn’t even on the Baptists. Almost every denomination agrees that if you are a convert who’s never been baptized or sprinkled as a child, you are commanded by the Word of God to be baptized. There’s no controversy! Therefore, even the interdenominational parachurch campus ministry I am a part of (or the other ones) should have some resources on baptism, especially given that they all claim to be committed to the Great Commission (“baptizing them…”).

Well, I am going to do my best over here to get people baptized (in a Church). I strongly encourage you to also do likewise. If you know someone who isn’t baptized, tell them it’s a sin. And tell your pastor that, whether he’s a topical or expositional preacher, his application point should at some point be “repent and be baptized”.

Note: A very famous pastor is trying to get 2000 people to get baptized and join his Church membership this Easter. His strategy involves giving an incentive package, including a free subscription to his magazine and a free photo of the event (where they will be baptized by the top dog himself!). The above comments do not endorse such marketing of Baptism.