583 people Baptized at Fellowship Church

Down in Grapevine, Texas, Fellowship Church baptized 583 people in one day! (Thanks to Todd at Monday Morning Insight for the story.)

Their senior pastor, Ed Young, is, perhaps, the most creative pastor in America, and has certainly taken his share of criticism.
Creativity breeds animosity from those who wish to maintain the status quo.

When one marches to the beat of a different drummer, criticisms come with the territory. It's just the law of the whale: When you rise to the surface and spout, you'll get harpooned!

I had the privilege of meeting Ed a couple of years ago, when he graciously agreed to have lunch with a few Wesleyan senior pastors. I was astonished at his ability to pull a hundred unrelated ideas together into one powerful, razor-sharp, convictional laser of truth.

A couple of weeks ago, Ed preached a pre-taped video message from a baptism pool, explaining in detail, this step of obedience. At the conclusion, hundreds of people responded.

Now, some will howl at the 583 baptisms -- "How do we know if all those people were sincere?"

But the truth is, the only hounds howling are the ones who haven't caught a rabbit in years.

Meanwhile, I'll bet Ed and his staff are resting their sore arms with joyful hearts.