Baptism Class 101

Missionary Donna Fort has been passionate about teaching God’s Word to others since she was young. “My younger brothers used to have to put up with my “Sunday School Lessons”. As I grew older, I was given the opportunity to teach in Vacation Bible Schools. God has continued to open many more doors for teaching God’s word to people of all ages since we came to Zimbabwe.” Earlier this year, a new opportunity for teaching opened up for Donna. The Baptist Seminary of Zimbabwe has been undergoing some radical changes, and she was asked to fill a part time teaching position. Donna taught two classes from January to May. The six students she taught were in their final term before graduation. Five of the students were present for graduation and they are pictured below with Mrs. Fort.

This current school term Donna has been teaching five new students a total of four classes. “It has been such an amazing experience teaching men who are hungry to know more about God’s word and who desire to be equipped to be ministers of the gospel.”

The Forts were heading to the Mberengwa Resettlement Area for a baptism with Pastor and Mrs. Mabvumba, so Donna made the arrangements for her five students to go as well. They left early Sunday morning and after a 2 ½ hour drive arrived at the place where the people from the Matotse area had gathered to worship. Members from Zvikombe, Gumbalo, and Nyezi Baptist Churches traveled by foot to be part of this joyous occasion. Pastor Mabvumba invited three of the seminary students to help with the baptism. Then he took the time to give them a few important pointers to help them know how to baptize.

Then everyone walked down to the “pond” where the baptism was to take place.

Each student in turn was given the opportunity to baptize about 11 people each. (Altogether 35 people were baptized. Pastor Mabvumba did several first as an example for the students.)

After the baptism, everyone returned to the two large shade trees where the “worship center” had been set up. The people danced and sang in joyous celebration while another student helped write out the baptismal certificates. Then they were distributed as part of the worship service.

Pastor Mabvumba gave a brief message while his wife prepared the elements for the Lord's Supper.

Then Missionary Gregg Fort spoke and administered the Lord’s Supper.

By 2:30 p.m. the worship time was complete and soon after that the visiting guests were served lunch. By 3:30 they were on the road home and got back to Gweru about dark. The students expressed their appreciation to Mrs. Fort for helping them be part of this extraordinary day. Then one student commented, “It is one thing to be taught about baptism and what it means, but quite another thing to be the one who does it! It is not as easy as it looks!” Another student gave his testimony a few days later in chapel at the seminary: “Pastor Mabvumba did a good job teaching us how to baptize. He was very patient with us to show us how to do everything before we got in the water. Then he baptized several people so we could see and hear him do it.” Praise God for this opportunity for seminary students to learn a new aspect of carrying out the Great Commission. . . “Go ye therefore. . . baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)