The Biblical priority of evangelism continues to resonate throughout our Florida Baptist churches. Reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and discipling new believers reflects the heartbeat of our churches. The baptismal waters of Florida Baptist churches continue to be stirred on a weekly basis with new believers professing their faith in a public manner. The celebration of new life in Christ elevates every aspect of the ministry of the local church.
The first step of obedience of a new believer is revealed in baptism. Baptism always followed belief in the New Testament church. Acts 2:41 states, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and about three thousand souls were added to them.” The experience of salvation was joyfully testified through baptism. The new believers were unhindered, unashamed and unleashed through their response to Christ.
Baptism provides a beautiful symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is not a saving grace, but a Biblical act of submission. The obedient act of baptism testifies of salvation and symbolizes the old person being buried in Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Baptism has no meaning apart from a salvation experience in Christ. Therefore, the biblical sequence of salvation in Christ followed by the immersion of baptism enables the testimony of salvation.
According to our preliminary report we rejoice with 25,158 baptisms for the 2015 church year in our Florida Baptist churches. This number reflects 53.8 percent of our churches reporting their baptisms. We celebrate the 50,000 plus reported baptisms for the year in Haiti, but we will report only the baptisms from our Florida Baptist churches. The baptisms from Haiti have been added into the total Florida Baptist baptism numbers in the past. The number reported for Florida for the 2015 church year will only reflect the baptisms from our Florida Baptist churches and will not include Haiti.
The following list reveals the leading 150 churches in baptisms for Florida:
1. Orlando First, David Uth, 1491
2 Church by the Glades, Coral Springs, David Hughes, 1210
3 Potential, Fort Lauderdale, Troy Gramling, 1025
4 Christ Fellowship, Palmetto Bay, Rick Blackwood, 600
5 Crossing, Tampa, Greg Dumas, 382
6 Idlewild, Lutz, Ken Whitten, 375
7 LifePoint, Tampa, Brad White, 374
8 West Palm Beach First, James H. (Jimmy) Scroggins IV, 325
9 Calvary, Clearwater, William E. (Willy) Rice, 309
10 Calvary, Miramar, Bob Franquiz, 302
11 Church at the Mall, Lakeland, Jay Dennis, 278
12 The Journey, Orange City, James Hilton, 234
13 Jacksonville First, Donald McCall (Mac) Brunson, 198
14 Panama City First, Craig Conner, 190
15 Olive, Pensacola, Ted Traylor, 183
16 CrossLife, Oviedo, Dwayne Mercer, 170
17 Hillcrest, Pensacola, James L. (Jim) Locke, 170
18 Indian Rocks First, Largo, Jeff Parish, 169
19 Bell Shoals, Brandon, Stephen Rummage, 167
20 Plant City First, Brian Stowe, 166
21 Naples First, Hayes Wicker, 164
22 Fort Lauderdale First, Larry Thompson, 159
23 Chets Creek, Jacksonville, Stephen E. (Spike) Hogan, 150
24 FishHawk Fellowship, Lithia, David A. Whitten, 143
25 Bonifay First, William Chandler, 142
26 Rethink Life, Orlando, Rodney Gage,132
27 South Biscayne, North Port, John Cross, 129
28 Church of God Revelation, Jacksonville, Jean Charles, 116
29 Hiland Park, Panama City, Steven L. Kyle, 114
30 Middleburg First, Bobby R. Lewis Jr, 110
31 City, Tallahassee, Dean Inserra, 105
32 Hibernia, Green Cove Springs, Scott Yirka, 103
33 Church at the Cross, Orlando, Clayton Cloer, 100
34 Umatilla First, Brooks Braswell, 99
35 Temple Terrace First, Paul S. Purvis, 97
36 McGregor, Fort Myers, Russell Howard, 97
37 North Jacksonville, Herb Reavis, 87
38 Bay Life, Brandon, Mark Saunders, 83
39 Church at Viera, Melbourne, Mark Ragsdale, 82
40 Fruit Cove, Jacksonville, Timothy Maynard, 80
41 Westside, Gainesville, David Chauncey, 76
42 Daytona Beach First, Mark A. Howell, 75
43 Journey, Boca Raton, Nelson Searcy, 75
44 Anastasia, St. Augustine, Walter West, 73
45 Leesburg First, Cliff Lea, 72
46 Coral Park Hispana, Miami, Alex Padilla, 71
47 Woodland, Bradenton, Timothy Passmore, 70
48 Set Free, Yulee, Mark Souter, 70
49 Agape, Jacksonville, Khual Deih Lian, 69
50 Crosswater, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jack Millwood, 68
51 Immanuel, Tallahassee, Rich Kincl, 66
52 Westside, Jacksonville, Keith Russell, 63
53 Black Creek First, Penney Farms, 63
54 Relevant, Tampa, Paul Wirth, 63
55 Estrella De Belen, Hialeah, Javier Sotolongo, 62
56 Parkview, Palm Coast, Greg Peters, 62
57 South Bay, Riverview, David Speicher, 61
58 Windermere First, Chuck Carter, 59
59 Brandon First, 59
60 Kingsley Lake, Starke, Zeb Cook, 59
61 Salut, Delray Beach, Esaie Jean Dieujuste, 59
62 Crestview, Lakeland, David Renfroe, 58
63 New Covenant, Orlando, Charles Jones, 58
64 Glen, Glen St. Mary, Randall W. (Randy) Williams, 56
65 Melbourne First, Scott Wilson, 56
66 Bronson First, Jeff Buchanan, 56
67 St. Andrew, Panama City, Michael Claunch, 56
68 Bethel Evangelical, Delray Beach, Evens Jules, 55
69 Brazilian First, Pompano Beach, Silair Almeida, 55
70 Trinity, Apopka, Kevin Goza, 55
71 Pilgrim Rest, Baker, Geoffrey Daniel Prows, 54
72 Wauchula First, Joe Butler, 54
73 Royal Palm Beach First, Dale R. Faircloth, 53
74 Myrtle Grove, Pensacola, Ron Lentine, 52
75 Sarasota, Mike Landry, 52
76 Bethlehem, Fort Lauderdale, Onelien Metelus, 52
77 Callahan First, D. Lynn Hyatt, 51
78 Orange Park First, David Tarkington, 51
79 Promise Land, Jacksonville, Tommy Mallard, 49
80 Fuel Community, Lakeland, Michael Harrell, 49
81 Gardenview, Jacksonville, Rodney Keith, 48
82 New Port Richey First, 48
83 Christ Fellowship, Tampa, Bruce Moore, 47
84 Living Truth, Milton, Norman Sullivan, 47
85 Canopy Roads, Tallahassee, Matthew Hall, 46
86 Emmanuel Haitian, Miami, Wilner Maxy, 45
87 Palmetto First, Phillip Hamm, 45
88 North Pointe, Land O Lakes, Steve Wells, 44
89 NorthRidge, Haines City, M. Myers, 44
90 East Thonotosassa, James Brady, 43
91 Gulf to Lake, Crystal River, Lloyd Bertine, 43
92 Pathways, Largo, Bill Losasso, 43
93 Pine Terrace, Milton, Michael Wiggins, 43
94 Celebration, Tallahassee, David Emmert, 42
95 Heritage, Fruitland Park, Sidney Brock, 42
96 First Haitian, North Lauderdale, Willem Philippi, 42
97 Horeb Haitian, Orlando, Pierre Belizaire, 42
98 West Pines, Pembroke Pines, Robey Barnes, 42
99 Emmanuel Haitian, Palm Springs, Gomere Charles, 42
100 Toute les Nations, Miami, Renel Sanon, 42
101 Cornerstone, St. Cloud, Nathan Blackwell, 40
102 Treasure Coast Community, Jensen Beach, Gordon Mularski, 40
103 Milton First, David Spencer, 40
104 Central, Sanford, Alan Brumback, 40
105 Summit, Fort Myers, Jim Hines, 40
106 Mandarin, Jacksonville, Mark Seagle, 40
107 Trinity, Keystone Heights, James Peoples, 39
108 Eustis First, Rick Pughe, 38
109 Southpointe, Leesburg, David Miller, 38
110 Aloma, Winter Park, Wesley Baldwin, 38
111 Estero First, Frank Brand, 38
112 Fort Myers Beach First, Shawn Critser, 37
113 Shindler Drive, Jacksonville, John T. Green IV, 37
114 Rafter Cross, Williston, William Keith, 37
115 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Curtis Clark, 36
116 El Shaddai, Fort Lauderdale, Albert Nordelus, 36
117 Chipley First, Michael Orr, 36
118 Countryside, Gainesville, William (Bill) Keith, 36
119 Core Community, Homestead, Steve Miller, 36
120 Coastal Community, Cocoa, Harry Kennedy, 35
121 Heartland Community, Winter Haven, Ed Kendrick, 35
122 Lynn Haven First, Tom Daniel, 34
123 Shiloh, Plant City, Joseph Bowles, 34
124 Trinity, Ocala, Richard Sego, 34
125 Hollywood Community, Hollywood, Brian Burkholder, 34
126 Cornerstone, Inverness, Greg Kell, 33
127 Faith, Tallahassee, David Clark, 33
128 Neptune, Neptune Beach, Thomas Bary, 33
129 Hastings First, Asa Greear, 33
130 Cinco, Fort Walton Beach, Mickey Hawkins, 33
131 Eliam, Melrose, Arthur Johnson, 33
132 West Bradenton, Sam Rainer, 32
133 South Tampa, Tampa, Todd Roberts, 32
134 Dover First, 32
135 King’s River Bradenton, Curtis Forbes, 32
136 Bradfordville First, Tallahassee, Ronny Raines, 31
137 Dade City First, Randy D. Huckabee, 31
138 Southside, Sarasota,31
139 Merritt Island First, Titus Green, 31
140 Parkridge, Coral Springs, Eddie Bevill, 30
141 Central Parkway, Orlando, Grant Hignight, 30
142 Citygate, Fort Myers, David Pleasant, 30
143 The Orchard, Lake City, Eddie Blalock, 30
144 Fort Walton Beach First, Howard Gates, 30
145 Iglesia Real, Hollywood, Martin Vargas, 30
146 Mount Dora First, Thomas P. Jamieson, 29
147 Westside, Fort Pierce, Craig Cramer, 29
148 Parkview, Lake City, Michael A. Tatem, 29
149 Lake Placid First, Keith Campbell, 29
150 Getsemani, Miami, Felipe Rodriguez 29
Blog by Tommy Green, Executive Director-Treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention