All About Pocket Knives

I accepted Christ at the age of 14. When I went forward to answer the alter call I was followed by my brother David and good friend Mike. Our church didn't have a baptistry so we had to wait a couple of weeks to be baptized in a larger nearby church.

When it came time for the baptism, our minister, Bill, who was a young seminary student at the time conducted the ceremony. These were his first baptisms.

I went first and after afirming my belief that Jesus Christ was the risen Son of God who died for my sins, I was lowered into the water until immersed completely. The baptistry had a set of metal stairs leading down into the water on each side. We entered from the left and then after being baptized exited to the right. After I was baptised I made my exit and waited out of view watching the other two be baptized. My brother went next. The same ceremony was repeated and after he was raised from the water he joined me on the other side out of view to watch Mike be baptized.

Now all three of us boys were roughly the same age but Mike was a much bigger fellow at the time, easily as big as the young minister who was baptizing him. Mike gripped the metal handrail as he made his way into the water. The minister once again repeated the same ceremony, affirming Mike's faith. He then said "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" and leaned Mike back into the water. I guess he hadn't compensated for Mike's height because as he went to raise Mike back out of the water, Mike's head hit the end of the metal handrail with a resounding "BONG!!!" that could be heard throughout the church. At this point the preacher lost his grip and Mike plunged back into the water once again. He came up coughing and sputtering as the minister struggled to assist him.

Back in the changing room I noted a big ole not had popped up on Mikes forehead. He was, to say the least, more than a little embarrassed. At 14 it doesn't take much.

That was more than forty years ago now, but it's something I'll never forget. I still see Mike fairly often. I have teased him a few times over the years about that incident. I like to tell him I'm not sure what he had done, but God had to double dip him and knock a knot on his head to get him straightened out. I'm not sure, but I think he's finally starting to see the humor in that.

Phil

When I was baptised at age 12, it was at the only church my dad had ever pastored that had a baptistery (all other baptising I remember, was done at the river). I was baptised by my own father and is it just my imagination or did he hold me under longer than any of the rest that were baptised that evening.

Our churh is actually located on a lake but we do have a baptisty. Some years ago, a certain lady accepted Christ and she chose to be baptized in the lake rather than inside the church. On the day of the baptisim we all gathered down by the lake to witness this event, just like in the ol' days. As the preacher lowered this rather large lady into the water and as he was "raising her to walk in the newness of life", she panicked and began flouncin' and splashin' and ended up knocking the preachers toupee in the pond. All I remember then was he dropped her and he went after his hair piece, he looked like he had a wet rat on his head when he came out of the pond. Treefarmer

treefarmer wrote:All I remember then was he dropped her and he went after his hair piece, he looked like he had a wet rat on his head when he came out of the pond. Treefarmer

Great story Phil.

orvet wrote:

treefarmer wrote:All I remember then was he dropped her and he went after his hair piece, he looked like he had a wet rat on his head when he came out of the pond. Treefarmer

Great story Phil.

Those are both very funny stories.

Has anyone seen the YouTube video of the boy doing a cannonball into the baptistry at the time of his baptism? My mother would have absolutely killed me.

I was baptized in a local church, but my older sister, who is about five years my senior, was baptized in the Cahaba River, a scenic body of water that meanders around and through Birmingham.

Brenda had long blond curly hair. When the pastor lowered her into the water, a goodly portion of her hair remained floating on the surface, twirling round and round as the river's current slipped past.

He lowered her deeper and deeper into the river trying to get that hair into the cleansing waters, but just couldn't manage it.

I think Brenda was practically lying on the bottom before he finally brought her back up. She was somewhat short of breath when she emerged.

We've kidded her for years about being bald-headed in her resurrection body, as that sinful unrepentent hair would never be allowed in heaven.

Charlie Noyes

Here it is Charlie, I have laughed at that one several times. Enjoy (again).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5abEm1241kY

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Those are both very funny stories.

Has anyone seen the YouTube video of the boy doing a cannonball into the baptistry at the time of his baptism? My mother would have absolutely killed me.

I was baptized in a local church, but my older sister, who is about five years my senior, was baptized in the Cahaba River, a scenic body of water that meanders around and through Birmingham.

Brenda had long blond curly hair. When the pastor lowered her into the water, a goodly portion of her hair remained floating on the surface, twirling round and round as the river's current slipped past.

He lowered her deeper and deeper into the river trying to get that hair into the cleansing waters, but just couldn't manage it.

I think Brenda was practically lying on the bottom before he finally brought her back up. She was somewhat short of breath when she emerged.

We've kidded her for years about being bald-headed in her resurrection body, as that sinful unrepentent hair would never be allowed in heaven.

Charlie Noyes

LOL! I love those stories, all of them. As a pastor I can tell you that if something remotely funny can happen it will happen at the most "holy" occasions! I like to tell folks that I'm about to baptize that Grady Nut used to say that the word baptize literally means "put 'em under till they bubble." They get a funny look on their face when that sinks in. LOL

At one of the first churches I was pastor at I was going to baptize a lady one Sunday night who was no lithe little thing. Well, the deacon in charge of the baptistry had filled it up and turned on the heater, but bless his heart he never could get it right. It would be ice cold one time and boiling the next. This time it was HOT.

I got to church early, and so did she. She was going to sing that night too and was practicing her song on the piano. An older gentleman who always arrived early to talk with me got there and went up to inspect the water. He stuck his hand in, yanked it out fast and said, "Man! You could scald hogs in that water!" At which time she just about popped a crick in her neck slinging her head around to give him the look.

I thought O, Lord we're going to have a killing and a baptizing all in one night!

That's a hoot.

BTW did that big ole gal make some bubbles ?

Naw, she didn't bubble but I did get her under and back up without incident. And there was no killing either. Both good things in a church service!