A spontaneous baptism on March 10 at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just keeps going. Men, women, and children responded to an invitation to publicly profess their faith in Jesus. And many continue to request baptism or to dedicate their children.
“God is moving in and through his people. What incredible things there are to praise him for!” shared the church.
An Amazing 93—And Counting—Spontaneous Baptisms at Tennessee Church
Senior Pastor Bruce Chesser had been preaching a series on Luke and included the story of Zaccheus. As he explained that Jesus came to save, Chesser outlined the next step after salvation—a public baptism.
While the event felt spontaneous to the congregants, church leadership had been planning it for months. The church was prepared—providing swimsuits, hairdryers, and towels. As he gave the invitation, Chesser said, “We are prepared for you to be unprepared.”
Senior Associate Pastor Bruce Raley spoke with Baptist Press about the incredible event. He shared stories of those who were baptized—many of whom had been saved years ago but had never been baptized.
This baptism event was, by far, the largest such event in the church’s history.
First Baptist Hendersonville celebrated in a social media post that read, “Last week’s spontaneous baptism moved into this week as well with several adults (and children!) stepping forward to follow in obedience and be baptized.”
“Families dedicated their children, and First Baptist dedicated a missionary family who grew up in this congregation as they head back out to the mission field overseas,” the post continued. “God is moving in and through His people. What incredible things there are to praise him for!”
“We had been praying about this. We’ve had a lot of people who had no faith background or came from a different faith move here and begin attending our church,” said Raley. “They had never understood or heard why a person should be baptized and how baptism is an act of obedience that follows salvation.”
Soon after the spontaneous baptism, the church posted an update. “‘We are prepared for you to be unprepared.’ Pastor Bruce urged First Baptist this past Sunday to throw every hindrance aside,” the church said, “and walk in obedience-UNASHAMED-and declare that Jesus was their Lord and Savior through believers’ baptism. 93 people responded and God was glorified.”
The church plans to connect those who were baptized with others in small groups as part of discipleship and continued growth.
