Diving into the Festival of Faith

I am not a diver. I have tried and failed enough times to take the plunge that the cannonball will have to do. I have learned through enough attempts that (1) I never feel as if I'm ready to dive. The closer I get to the water, the less willing I am to go. (2) I should have started learning to dive much earlier in life. (3) It's never too late to try to dive in.

When do we ever feel as if we're ready for renewal, refreshment, or challenge in life? As a young person, the youth minister did the hard work for us. He placed the event on the calendar, and the parents paid for the trip. But even then as a teenager, I was sort of glad all that remained in the woods or on a college campus. We never feel ready for revival; and when we do, we're usually thinking that someone else needs this more than us.

During times of change, life has a way of handing us gifts. Over the last couple of years, the people of God have sensed the need to return again to Christ and his work again to create us and shape us to become the people he intended us to be when he formed us in the garden. Seasons of renewal set aside 40 days to develop new habits, disciplines, and ways of living surrendered to "Jesus Christ as Lord."

I invite you to pray with me for the Festival of Faith Aug. 22-Sept. 26. During this season, we are going to ask people to make three steps of faith: to Believe, to Belong, or to Become.

To Believe in Jesus as Lord following that commitment with Baptism.

To Belong to the body of Christ of First Baptist Church as a member.

To Become the person that Christ created you to be through the work of First Baptist.

Pray for people who need to make public decisions about their relationships with Christ. Pray for families who are waiting for children to be baptized so parents can join them in the water. Pray for guests who will be contemplating decisions to join us on the journey of faith. Pray for the steps that you need to take to become the person Christ created you to be.And together, maybe we can take the dive.

For more information about the Festival of Faith or to register for a small group, click here.