A TOTAL of 41 candidates have given their lives to Jesus and undergo spiritual transformation by going through the water of baptism recently at Gizo, Western Province.
Gizo Island District of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church conducted the baptism on Sabbath (Saturday), 21st September.
The baptism was conducted at the Gizo GF Jones Memorial Adventist Church.
The ceremony came at the conclusion of a ten days of Gizo Island District Evangelism Campaign.
Pr Neil Watts a guest speaker from the South Pacific Division (SPD) based in Australia conducted the outdoor evangelism series each evening at the GF Jones Church compound.
Throughout the evangelism, he presented various Bible topics which resulted in then candidates committing their lives to Jesus by joining the Adventist Church.
The campaign commenced on Thursday 12th September and concluded on Saturday, 21stSeptember with the baptism.
The baptism was conducted by Pr Vernon Peter Area Church Pastor (ACP) of Gizo Island District and Pr Leslie Zebedee.
Two separate pools were constructed at the GF Jones compound allowing members of the congregation to witness the baptism.
The candidates who underwent the baptism comprised of pathfinders, youths and adults. Majority of them females.
Of the total, close to ten candidates are from other denominations who decided to follow the Bible truth after listening to the presentations.
The newly baptised candidates were then formally welcomed by the church officials after ceremony.
Pr Watts on behalf of SPD and General Conference welcomed the new members as they join the Adventist movement world-wide.
He also congratulated the candidates for deciding to give their hearts to the Lord.
He said, leaving the old ways and entering into a new life is not an easy decision to make.
“Theres rejoice in heaven over one sinner that repents.”
As the ACP for Gizo Island District Pr Peter also welcomed the candidates as new members of the church.
He was grateful to see history being created by the District to see a good number of people making a decision to leave their past ways and making a change to follow God’s will for them.
He said, despite the challenges they face in terms of getting support to organise the ten days evangelism program, he was grateful with the support coming from all the Gizo Island District members through their positive response throughout the program.
Pr Neil in his final sermon that Sabbath preached to the packed GF Jones church for the last time.
He encouraged the members to strengthen their relationship with God given the spiritual warfare that is currently going between good and evil.
A bung lunch was held after the main service to welcome and celebrate with the newly baptised members.
ACP Pr Peter on behalf of the Gizo Island District thanked Pr Watts for coming out to support the evangelism program.
Pr Watts has returned to Australia early this week.
