{"id":3552,"date":"2019-10-02T06:44:25","date_gmt":"2019-10-02T06:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/2019\/10\/02\/disabling-disease-no-hinderance-to-baptism\/"},"modified":"2019-10-02T06:44:25","modified_gmt":"2019-10-02T06:44:25","slug":"disabling-disease-no-hinderance-to-baptism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/disabling-disease-no-hinderance-to-baptism\/","title":{"rendered":"Disabling disease no hinderance to baptism"},"content":{"rendered":"

2 October 2019 | Katerini, Greece [Yiannis Samaras]  <\/p>\n

Becoming ill with a rare spinal-cord disease was not going to stop John getting baptised. Despite being restricted to a wheelchair, his father and another church friend carried him into the sea for the very special ceremony on Monday, 2 September 2019. Adding to the joy of the service, his father also joined him in being baptised at the same time, along with another friend.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"John's<\/a>What helped these three individuals make a choice for Jesus? They are all members of a Bible Study Fellowship that has been meeting for over a year at the Seventh-day Adventist Church community center in Katerini, northern Greece. <\/p>\n

Postmodern people, they were attracted to study in a group that is free from the formalisms that are often to be found in an organised church structure. While meeting in this way, they found themselves motivated by love for the Lord and a growing closeness with other members of the fellowship. <\/p>\n

Every Saturday afternoon they engage in Bible study, discuss, raise questions and seek answers while on a common journey of spiritual growth and maturity. This led three of the group to make a choice for God. <\/p>\n

Meeting on Katerini beach, and joined by friends, including a film maker from a Greek Christian TV channel, Bible Media TV<\/a>, they officially and publicly gave their hearts to Christ. <\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/Gr3SYO9CStQ<\/p>\n

\"John<\/a>The Bible Study Fellowship is just one part of the service offered by church members in Katerini. At the other end of the spectrum, Messy Church is very popular with parents and children across the community, while members are also connected with community projects and the work of ADRA in the country.<\/p>\n

All members rejoiced with the newly baptised, praying for them on their continued spiritual journey, for healing for brother John, and for continued opportunity to share God\u2019s Good News in this beautiful coastal town, where the small Adventist church serves a community of around 86,000 people \u2013 an hour\u2019s drive south of Thessaloniki.<\/p>\n

\n

ted<\/em>NEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, editor; Deana Stojkovi\u0107, associate editor
119 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: tednews@ted.adventist.org<\/a>
Website: www.ted.adventist.org
ted<\/em>NEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division. Readers are free to republish or share this article with appropriate credit including an active hyperlink to the original article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2 October 2019 | Katerini, Greece [Yiannis Samaras]  <\/p>\n

Becoming ill with a rare spinal-cord disease was not going to stop John getting baptised. Despite being restricted to a wheelchair, his father and another church friend carried him into the sea for the very special ceremony on Monday, 2 September 2019. Adding to the joy of the service, his father also joined him in being baptised at the same time, along with another friend.<\/p>\n

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