Scott Fillmer

Late last week I posted about one of the most incredible baptisms I have ever seen (see Creative Chaos 27 // Skype Video Baptism from Innovate08 in Indiana), a video conference baptism. Most of the staff of our church went to the Innvate08 Conference in South Bend Indiana, while a requested baptism had to take place on that Friday, when they were all gone.  In comes Skype Video.  With the staff in South Bend, and all of us down here in Auburn hooked up the required links and away everything went.

To see the full slideshow of photos from the baptism, click Cindy Wall Skype Baptism gallery.

What was really amazing to me about this baptism, and what made it so special, had nothing to do with the technology at all.  The personalized value of this baptism, the people it affected, and the time that our Pastor was able to devote to an individual single baptism made it one of the most special baptisms I have seen.  It was a celebration, as it should be, something that was not rushed through, and a baptism that was reflective upon the meaning of our dying to self.  Instead of having to deal with time constraints of a Sunday morning worship hour, everyone was able to slow down and take a little more time.  Rusty read the following scripture was read:

2 Corinthians 5:14-19 // 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

After the actual baptism took place, we hung up with the staff in Indiana (see other posts wow and the baptism) and we were all able to share a meal together.  Later I talked with Cindy and told her that I understood this baptism was special to her, but what she did by doing this, was allow so many other people to participate in a great blessing.  There were perhaps 25-30 other people that made this event special, and I know that everyone that participated was greatly blessed by the whole thing.

What else could anyone ask for in a baptism.  It certainly was special.  If you would like to see the video (from the South Bend, Indiana end) you can view it below.