Every year, people all over the world observe Easter. Some observances take the form of attending a church service; some include Easter egg hunts and other secular symbols; some have a fancy Easter meal akin to Christmas dinner. No matter the traditions, Christians are used to commemorating Jesus’ resurrection from the grave three days after His crucifixion. However, not as many people take the time to observe Good Friday. This holiday focuses on the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross, allowing His body to beaten and His blood to be shed so that we can be reconciled to our Father. As part of Rebirth: Easter at WCCI, we hosted our celebratory Good Friday Block Party again this year. The party included food, fun, and fellowship in the form of a concert, comedian, and more. You can watch a recap video of our Good Friday festivities by clicking HERE. The most impactful portion of the celebration occurred early in the evening with water baptisms.

“I’ve been thinking about it for awhile and when he made the announcement, I felt like that was a sign that I needed to go ahead and take care of it...I feel refreshed.”

-Quantavius

Water baptism, also called the baptism of repentance, is a public declaration that a person has repented of their sins. Although not required for salvation, it is a significant demonstration of our love for Jesus. Being dunked in water as we celebrate our baptism symbolizes the submersion and death of our old lives and the birth of our new lives in Christ; it shows the world our permanent identity as God’s righteous children and affirms that we are blessed and forgiven of our past.

“I feel 100% now. I’ve been closer to God and reading the Bible more, so I thought it was time to step into the new journey.”

-Ajala

            It’s not unusual for believers to receive salvation, but not be water baptized, and WCCI makes sure to provide opportunities for those who choose to receive water baptism. Our Good Friday block party is one of those opportunities. Before the music and food of the party, water baptisms are conducted. Creflo Dollar and other WCCI ministers stepped into the baptismal pool to help these believers make their public declaration of trust in the salvation that Jesus brought them.

“I feel amazing and wonderful. I feel like a new person. I felt like it needed to be done; I’ve been through so much and God showed me so much that I really wanted to be baptized.”            -Quintis

            Family and friends were able to join the participants for the occasion. They took photos of the actual baptisms and anyone who couldn’t fit in the area near the baptismal pool was able to sit in the WCCI chapel (where the baptisms were taking place) and watch the entire event unfold live. At the end, each participant received a Certificate of Water Baptism. We thank God for all of these souls choosing to make a public declaration of faith and trust in their heavenly Father.