A CHINESE BAPTISM
One memorable day of Grady and June Lackey’s experience in China was a baptism service at Yangzhou Church on a snowy Sunday in November. It was the coldest day since they had arrived in China from Lubbock, Texas, as teachers with Cooperative Services International (CSI), Southern Baptists’ aid agency. Thirty people were baptized that day — eighteen from Yangzhou and twelve from rural churches that have no baptisteries. During the worship service, the Lackeys couldn’t help but notice the constant stream of people carrying Thermos bottles of boiling water and pouring it into the baptistery. Vapor from the hot water billowed around Pastor Wu as he preached. But he ignored it – – and the water brigade — and preached on. Since there is no heat in buildings in China — schools, churches, or homes — the Lackeys were used to seeing their own “breath” as they sang hymns in the auditorium. Also commonplace was the vapor from pastors’ mouths as…
To view this resource, log in or sign up for a subscription plan
