A Baptism Surprise at CC South Jersey
Photos by Kim Hiller, Maeve McGarry, and Nicole Walker
As 5-year-old David Walker is baptized in August, his father, elder Bryan Walker (left), and Senior Pastor Harry Pressley unintentionally take him deeper than they expected, revealing only David’s feet. Harry humorously applied Psalm 51:2 to the situation: Wash me THOROUGHLY from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. “Yes, we take our baptisms SERIOUSLY here in South Jersey. This little guy has assured us that he will behave in his kindergarten class, and I guess his dad just wanted to make sure!”
A baptism at Calvary Chapel South Jersey (CCSJ), NJ, literally turned upside-down on August 30.
“I want to be baptized,” 5-year-old David Walker declared as he approached his dad, Bryan, just before CCSJ’s churchwide baptismal service. Bryan Walker, a church elder, was about to enter the swimming pool to assist Senior Pastor Harry Pressley in the water baptisms.
Because the request was unplanned and unexpected, Bryan questioned his son, “You just want to get into the pool, right?” But David firmly insisted, “No, I want to get baptized.” As the two talked about the meaning of baptism, David boldly answered his father’s questions, assuring him he was serious.
David’s mother, Nicole, stood nearby, a part of the worship team accenting the service. “I saw them talking, but I had no idea what they were saying. Then I saw David get into the pool. Oh, my goodness, I did not see that coming at all,” she admitted. “I was crying, worshiping, whispering to people, ‘Get pictures for me!’”
It was a picture that her friend, Kim Hiller, snapped that took everyone by surprise and made this baptism different from others.
“Pastor Harry and Bryan prayed with him, and when they went to lay him back in the water, David did a little excited jump. So he lost his footing, and his feet just went totally up, full extension!” Nicole shared with infectious laughter. After just baptizing older, heavier children, she said, “they misjudged how light he was. He’s a little guy, maybe 30-40 pounds. He just went under; there was nothing holding him back. I don’t think anybody really noticed that he went that deep until they saw the photo.” Despite the deep dunk, she assured, David was unharmed and not upset.
As she and Bryan looked over Kim’s photos later in the car, they found the iconic photo of David. “We were laughing so hard. Kim captured the best photo of the day!” Nicole exclaimed. The photo started circulating. “I sent it to Pastor Harry, joking, What were you doing to my son? Were you trying to drown my kid?
The next morning, Sunday, Harry described the blessings of day before—besides the baptism, the church was celebrating the 10th anniversary in their current church building and the church’s 35th anniversary. He showed the photo of David’s feet, humorously adding, “I just want to show you guys, in case you have any difficult children, that this is what we offer at our church—full immersion baptism!”
David has an older sister and brother, both already baptized. “We have baptisms at our church a couple times a year. He sees it happening regularly.” Nicole described her youngest son, a kindergartener, as very serious and hardworking. David explained for himself: “I really wanted to get baptized because I love God all the way to the sun and back!”
“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30
Bryan and Nicole are active in CCSJ ministry, both having attended the church since 2001—and baptized in their teens by Pastor Harry. “We are so blessed to serve the Lord together as a family. It blows my mind when I look back that He has put all of this together,” she marveled. Nicole works at the church office. They serve in the young adult ministry and the youth group on Sundays and have taught children’s Sunday school. Bryan, a church elder, has been called to pastoral ministry, as well.
“Our lives are not our own; they are the Lord’s,” Nicole joyfully reflected.
Bryan (left) embraces his son after being an active part of his baptism. David testified, “I really wanted to get baptized because I love God all the way to the sun and back!” Both of his parents were baptized by Pastor Harry in their teens.
The Walker family from left to right: Evelyn, Bryan, David, Nicole, and Ezra.
At right, David, in a silly moment, sports a mustache like the one his favorite Sunday school teacher, Mr. Nick, has. He’s more serious in the right photo.
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