June 16, 2025 / by Tonya Southwood
The title for our next L.I.F.E. Club (an after-school Bible club for children in grades K-5 hosted at a local public school) lesson was “Jesus is Baptized”. Knowing that different churches have different understandings and practices regarding this symbolic ordinance, I spent a considerable amount of time in thought and prayer trying to decide whether or not I should skip this lesson.
Ultimately, I decided that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I would teach the lesson with a focus on what baptism looks like, why Jesus was baptized, and what it represents according to the Bible. In choosing this focus, my hope was that this basic lesson would lead to opportunities for the children to ask their parents further questions about baptism.
As part of my lesson, I sought to demonstrate visually what baptism by immersion looks like so I was planning to show the video of my daughter Kristyn being baptized at our church picnic in September of 2012. However, since I could only find still photographs of this special event in our family’s life, I immediately decided to reach out to Justin and Abigail Waples to see if their daughter Karoline would be willing to allow me to show the video of her baptism as well as come to our club meeting in order to share her testimony with our clubbers.
Karoline graciously, happily agreed to come and share her testimony and understanding of baptism with our clubbers on Thursday, October 17th, 2024. The children in L.I.F.E. Club seemed eager to listen as Karoline spoke and answered questions about her faith in Jesus and her obedience to follow Him in baptism. In fact, the very next week several of our clubbers asked if Karoline was going to be at club again! I believe watching the baptism video along with hearing from someone closer to their age group helped to clear up some of the mystery and misunderstandings they may have had regarding this very important symbolic ordinance instituted, commanded, and modeled by our Lord Jesus.
God has developed such a strong passion within me and the other L.I.F.E. Club volunteers to teach these precious children (with varying backgrounds, levels of Bible knowledge, and church attendance) about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In preparing and discussing each lesson, we are always encouraged by the fact that God’s Word is living and active, (Hebrews 4:12) and doesn’t return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). Indeed, one of the most inspiring verses that keeps me personally motivated to teach these clubbers faithfully each week is found in Luke 18:16… But Jesus called them to him saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such the kingdom of God belongs the kingdom of God.”
Tonya Southwood has served in Children’s Ministry for the past 20 years. She is married to Klayton, and they have 3 grown children. She is an elementary school substitute teacher who has a passion for teaching God’s Word to children in an after-school Bible Club at a local school. In her spare time, she enjoys taking care of her menagerie of farm animals.
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