Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"##

As a church we pray Sun Stand Still prayers all the time. We are constantly asking God to do something that seems impossible and then believing that he is going to pull through. Most recently we prayed and asked God to lead thousands of people to take a public stand in their faith in Christ through baptism. God blew our minds and in two weekends we saw 2 !" respond and be bapti#ed. $ou can see a highlight video from this ama#ing% Sun Stand Still% only&God&can&get&the& glory miracle here. $ou will also want to watch the sermon from the first week of 'ollow to see how (astor Steven cast the vision for people getting bapti#ed spontaneously here. )ncluded in this document is everything that we did to prepare the way for God to show up. *ecause like (astor Steven says in his message Sun Stand Still% +Sun Stand Still faith is active belief in God% ,oined with participation in his purpose.- So here.s how we activated our faith to pull off our part in God.s miracle/

Table o$ Contents
E%ecution o$ the Event Estimating the number o$ people who will get bapti&ed Estimating the age brea'down o$ people being bapti&ed Clothing si&e brea'down Supplies (ist )ther Considerations Training *olunteers +Areas , -esponsibilities. /etermining the 0ace o$ Baptisms Capturing the Baptisms and Stories

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"##

E%ecution o$ the Event1 Estimating the number o$ people who will get bapti&ed1 A. We needed to have a number to work from so we used the percentage of the adult attendance that had been bapti#ed from a previous Spontaneous *aptism event to get a baseline. *. 0he first chart represents the actual numbers from our first spontaneous *aptisms 1Awakening/ "23 4 "2 52255"6/ W7 Adult Attn 8 *apt 2:2; :!< ;"< <2 23#4 4!5 9 *apt "."9 <.:9 #6738 W7 2 Adult Attn 22!! "2: 2"95 8 *apt 3:2 <3 3#: 9 *apt !.29 ".;9 #27:8

Campus Campus 2 Total

=ur results for the latest spontaneous baptisms are considerably different. 0his second chart represents the actual numbers from our second spontaneous *aptisms 1'ollow/ "2> 4 "2 3225 6/ W7 Adult Attn :53: 2" < <5" 3 !#46 8 *apt <:3 >:! "3 3! 2:9 9 *apt ".:9 >.!9 .<9 2. 9 #47:8 W7 2 Adult Attn 3!2: 2<5 >!2 55; #59! 8 *apt 3"2 252 !> ;2 #62 9 *apt 5."9 <.!9 ".>9 ;. 9 5728

Campus Campus 2 Campus 3 Campus : Average

Estimating the age brea'down o$ people being bapti&ed1 A. =ur e?perience shows a >52:5&spilt women to men being bapti#ed. *. i.e. if you estimate that you will bapti#e 55 people% >5 will be women and :5 will be men based on our baptism numbers.

Clothing Si&e Brea'down A. We operate from a standard percentage when ordering clothing si#es/ ;omen <en

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"##

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"9 S M 2;9 A 9 @A :9 @@A 29

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Here are the supplies that we purchased A. $ou will want to calculate the number of each item to be purchased based on your pro,ection of how many people will be bapti#ed% the number of men vs. women% and the breakdown of si#es provided above. Supplies (ist $or Baptisms o Bark colored shorts 1we ordered from a t&shirt supplier6 o Bark colored 0&shirts 1we ordered from a t&shirt supplier6 o Sports *ras o Women.s underwear o Men.s bo?ers o 0owels 1buy about 259 more than your pro,ected 8 of *aptisms to allow for clean&up6 o Wash cloths 1buy about 259 more than your pro,ected 8 of *aptisms to allow for clean&up6 o Makeup Cemover 1disposable dollar store wipes6 o Combs2brushes 1disposable dollar store combs 4 brushes6 o Dair Bryers 1Bollar store% ! per campus6 o Dair&ties 1appro? >59 of your total baptism pro,ection6 Aotion Dair care products 1Dair gel% Dair Mousse% Dair spray6 Beodorant 1aerosol is best6 'eminine hygiene products Eip lock bags for ,ewelry 'lip&flop sandals 1 pair per person pro,ected to be bapti#ed6 Bollar store or Walmart ine?pensive flip&flops of various si#es Aarge address labels for bags and badges Sharpies Clipboards 0&shirt bags for wet clothing Aarge white plastic bags for wet towels

o o o o o o o o o o o o

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"##

)ther Considerations SET-UP: Changing Areas: A. You should plan on having both dry changing stations (for people to change from their street clothes into the baptism clothes) and wet changing stations. B. We planned for 8 to 1 dry and 8 ! 1 wet changing stations men and the same number of each for women. ". We have used space in our buildings when we had room and we have also rented tents with walls to create our changing areas. Baptism tank and set-up A. We set#up the tan$s the day before and filled them to allow time for the water in the baptistery to warm up. B. We use a full si%e baptistery& model '(& from www.churchpools.com )http*++www.churchpools.com, . Training o$ *olunteers 0he role of each of our volunteers played a vital role in the smooth transition from a person making a commitment to God in the Auditorium to standing in the water ready to get bapti#ed. 0o e?ecute the event with e?cellence% volunteers were recruited to the following teams and2or responsibilities/
Area -esponsibilities

Celebration Team
0he team made up of the tank people% wet changing area people% media people and other volunteers on campus that day. General Info: 0he call for baptisms will happen appro? >5 minutes into the worship e?perience and (astor Steven will give the call week Ftbd week 2.

(eople2(laces
Audience 1 !6 gives the call. ! people will sit in the worship e?perience and be the first ones to move when (astor . 2. Boors 1:6 Sit in the auditorium and begin moving forward when (astor Steven says go. Move intentionally through the highest visibility areas and the longest walk.

(eople at the auditorium e?it doors directing people out of the auditorium. . Sit in the auditorium and begin moving forward and get into position during the call. 2. Act as human door props so people can go through the doors. 3. Smile and clap showing people you are e?cited they came forward.

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

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Dallway 135&>56 Dave enough to create critical mass as people are moving through the hallway toward registration area . Create an atmosphere of Celebration for those being bapti#ed as they walk toward the changing roomsFthis needs to be DGGH and over the top celebrationIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 2. Aeave 2&3 hallway people in the hallway at all times

-egistration Team
0eam that helps distribute clothing bags to people that are about to be bapti#ed.

25 vols% 2 handing out bag and " directing flow . 0here will be a men.s registration area and a women.s registration area/ As people come out/ i. Celebrate their decision ii. Birect them to the men.s area and the women.s area iii. Ask them their si#e and give them a bag that corresponds 2. After receiving their bags Birect the people to the +Bry Changing- Area b. Aet the group know that they can give their offering after the baptisms as they leave 3. *e ready to ,ump in and help in other areas as the traffic flow slows down. a.

/ry Changing Team

0eam that helps distribute clothing bags to people as they enter the changing room and directs them back into the hallway after they are changed. Bry Changing 1 5 vols% ! men and ! women6 . When people come to the area a. Celebrate their decision to be bapti#ed b. Birect them to the men.s area and the women.s area. 2. 3. :. !. 0he first people going into the changing rooms have got to be people who move Juickly% they must be changed and out in stage in a few minutes. (ick young energetic people% not necessarily those who are there first. 0hink of the room in terms of a KASCAC pit stop% it has to be a Juick in and Juick out Control the flow of people into and out of the changing area for a smooth interaction. 0hose being bapti#ed go into a changing room and put on the baptism clothes and

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"## place their clothes in the bag then make their way to the holding area. Women.s bags will contain the same si#e/ a. b. c. d. e. Bark shorts Bark t&shirt Sports bra and underwear 'lip 'lops Dair tie

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f. Eip lock bag for valuables g. Make up remover packet h. *racelet i. Kote card ,. (en k. Cegistration card Men.s bags will contain the same si#e/ a. Bark shorts

b. Bark t&shirt c. *o?ers d. 'lip 'lops e. Eip lock bag for valuables f. *racelet g. Kote Card h. (en i. Cegistration card ". Birect the people back into the hallway2holding areas with their bag in hand. ;. After the crowd has left% reset the room preparing for the ne?t worship e?perience. 5. 7eep some of the team in the room% the rest of the team can move into other areas and help people

Host Team
0eam that walks with the group being bapti#ed through the entire process from hallway to the locker rooms after being bapti#ed. $our main goal is encourage% smile% hug and be a huge source of support for the people being bapti#ed. Hscort 0eam 12 per group of 2& : people being bapti#ed6 . 2. 3. :. Start in the hallway smiling% clapping and creating an atmosphere of e?citement and help direct people to the changing rooms. As people come out of the dry changing area the team of 2 hosts gather a group of 2& : people and that group will stay together through the entire baptism e?perience. $ou ,ob as a host is to celebrate people% make them feel comfortable and prepare people for an ama#ing baptism e?perience. 0hings to do with your group/ a. Celebrate as a group and have people Juickly share their name with the rest of the group. b. As the group is sharing names% the host prints the name tags that are Aegible and places the name tag on the outside shoulder. Bepending upon

*illy Smith

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Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"## the tank it could be right or left% but the shoulder that is away from the bapti#er so the tag is not obstructed during photos. c. Write the name in two lines and leave room for a tracking number to be written in the upper C)GD0 corner of the name tag. d. Dave them take the registration card out of their bag and fill it out% legible handwriting is important. e. Dave them take out their phones and tweet 8follow that they are being bapti#ed todayII f. $ou are looking for or 2 great stories in your group. When you )B those individuals% place a +black wrist band- on them so that the video crew can interview them after they are bapti#ed. After they are bapti#ed help ensure they go to the video recording area. g. Some of them may have given their life to Christ% have them stop by Ke?t level area. h. Aabeled clothing bag in hand. 1a label is placed in the upper C)GD0 hand corner of bag. i. Cemind them of their note card in the bag they can fill out. i. 0alking (t L +you have a note card in your bag and we wanted to give you the opportunity to thank someone that may have been instrumental in you being here today,. Give them instructions on what will happen at the baptism tank. i. Give the registration card to the announcer ii. $ou will be helped in and out of the tankFplease hold hands both ways iii. 0he person bapti#ing you will place the washcloth over you mouth and nose% grad their arm. iv. As you go back% sit like you are going to sit in a chair. =nce the group is ready you will walk them out to be bapti#ed. (lace their bags in a pre&determined secure location with security. 0alk with the people in line% assure them% love them and answer any last minute Juestions. After everyone is bapti#ed% take the entire group to the +Wet Changing AreaDug everyone person in your group as the e?it the wet changing area and remind them we.re doing baptisms week 2 and they should start thinking of who to invite back with them give them an invite card.

!. >. <. ".

Tan' Team
Delp people move through the baptism tank with safety and celebration.

0ank roles 1; per tank6 *=0D hands held getting into and out of the tankFgrab their hand% don.t wait for them to grab your handIIII . 126 ushers helping people into the tank% 2. 126 ushers helping people out of the tank 3. 126 ushers putting towels over shoulders :. 1 6 usher taking wash cloths from the person bapti#ing !. 1 6 usher collecting registration card% writing down their order 8 on the card and announcing name >. 1 6 person working with announcer and putting a number on the person.s name tagFput the number in the upper C)GD0 corner of the name tag. 0he number corresponds with their order number on their registration card for picture purposes.

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

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;et Changing Team

Delp people change back into their street clothes and send them out with a big hug and smileII

Wet Changing 0eam 1 5 volunteers% ! men and ! women6 . Birect people to the areas to be changed and provide a new dry towel. 2. 3. Assist people as needed a. (eople can keep the t&shirt% t&shirt bags are available to place wet items in. Separate wet clothing out into separate bags by si#e for laundry a. 0owels b. Shorts c. 0&shirts d. *o?ers and underwear Bistribute wet items to all volunteers at the end of the day for launderingFbring back to Matthews sometime the following week. Delp clean up after the day is over

:. !.

<edia Team
Gathering great stories and sharing them with the video team as well as working with photographers.

Media 0eam 13 or more6 and pushing tracking photo . 126 people working with hosts and circulating amongst the team mining great stories them up to the video crew. 2. 1 6 person work with photographer at the tank ensuring that we.re staying in order and numbers that correspond with the baptism number.

*H= Team
Creating a place to celebrate the volunteers that are making the day happenIII

MDN 0eam 1as many as each campus thinks6 . Create a place where people can grab something to eat% something to drink and rela? for a minute.

/etermining the 0ace o$ the Baptisms Bue to our prior e?perience% it takes us on average between 35 to :! seconds to bapti#e each person. 0his includes entry into the baptistery% the announcement of their name% baptism and e?it.

Spontaneous Baptisms How-To Guide

Content created by Elevation Church August !"##

Capturing the Baptisms and Stories A. (ictures were taken of each individual baptism% and photographs were later sent to each person. *. We created a hash tag on 0witter and tweeted individual stories. We had a crawl on our iMag screens of live twitter feed to build e?citement during the Worship H?periences. C. We selected individuals with great stories and captured video testimonies.

'or any Juestions concerning spontaneous baptisms event planning or about Hlevation Church generally please feel free to email us at infoOelevationchurch.org. God bless you as you plan and prepare to see God move in a powerful way in your church through spontaneous baptisms. We are believing in faith that your Sun Stand Still (rayer will be answered and that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ. 0he Hlevation Staff