My parish congregations in the US were predominantly comprised of retirement age folks and beyond. I did far more funerals than I could have ever imagined realistic, but only what seemed like a handful of baptisms (and fewer weddings!). So baptisms are an exciting thing for me still.
Which is good, because James was excited for his baptism as well, even if a bit stressed trying to pull everything (and everyone) together at the last minute.
But stressed or not, the big day arrived. After years of searching through various church denominations and traditions James discovered Confessional Lutheran theology through resources posted by various pastors as well as podcasts online. He reached out to the LCMS in Southeast Asia and I was given his contact information. We met for the first time a year and a half ago, and began catechesis online and in person last summer and fall. I continued to urge James to be baptized since he had come to faith in Jesus Christ as a teenager. But he struggled about where to get baptized – in which church tradition or denomination since none of the ones he had tried matched the theology he saw in God’s Word.
Finally I asked if he would like me to baptize him, and he agreed almost immediately. And so I was in Kuala Lumpur this time not transiting through to another location (well, not exclusively so!), but intentionally there to baptize James. He invited friends and held the event at his family home so they could be a part of this exciting moment in his life of faith.
I was impressed with the seriousness his friends treated theology and God’s Word. Almost all of them are very dedicated and active Christians, something that is a bit trickier in Malaysia than it is in, say, Milwaukee. Or perhaps it’s just as tricky but looks and feels a little different.
We opted to use a cooking pot and the primary text I preached from was 2 Kings 5 and the story of Naaman the Syrian who was healed of his leprosy by the power of the Holy Spirit at the instruction of the prophet Elisha. It’s a beautiful text that highlights the importance of obedience to God’s Word, and emphasizes the reality that it isn’t the quality of the water or font but rather the water combined with the Word of God the Father.
I was able to chat before and after with several of his friends who were curious to learn more about Lutheran baptismal theology. Please be in prayer that we can start a theological study group in Kuala Lumpur this year, and that not just Christians but others might be drawn to it to hear God’s promises to them in Jesus Christ!
The Nelson Family Indonesia 