Baptism at Riverside Church
Brian Kang (left holding flowers) and Stephen Cavaretta (right holding flowers) Photo by Shawn Jin
On August 31, 2013, two individuals committed their lives to Christ as they were baptized at Riverside Korean Church.
One of them is a young man named Brian. He was raised mainly Buddhist, having a grandma that was strong in the Buddhist faith. A couple years ago, a good family friend invited Brian’s mom to Riverside Church. His mom began consistently going to church with her friend. After a year or two of attending church and studying the Word, she was baptized. She invited Brian to come to church with her. Though hesitant at first, being a good son, he would come to church with her. His interest in God and the Bible grew as his attendance at church and Bible studies became more regular. He began studying with one of the pastors on a weekly basis. His earnest desire to learn and to understand the Bible was undeniable. He would ask questions that encouraged us to study harder. And he would wonder about things that he noticed that seemed contradictory, which would rebuke and challenge us. Brian has a heart for the High School kids and helps with the youth.
The other individual is Stephen, who is a man that cannot go unnoticed. He began attending our church after visiting to play special music. Although he is one of the newer individuals at Riverside Church, he is far from shy, and has a gift of welcoming church members and first-time visitors alike. He loves to share a warm greeting with a genuine smile and a hardy handshake, and likes to share his wisdom and knowledge to those around him. Even though he is not Korean, he does not feel uncomfortable or intimidated by the Korean-speaking members of our church. He will warmly greet them as well and treat them like his own. He is someone who welcomes discussions and differences in opinions, encouraging us to think and grow. He explains and tells stories with such life and enthusiasm. Our church definitely feels Stephen’s absence, as he is now teaching in Korea. It is a blessing from God that Stephen was able to be a part of our church before his move to Korea.
Both of these individuals have brought so much to our church with their presence, and Riverside church has been incredibly blessed by witnessing their spiritual growth. They may be the Christian babies, but I have personally learned to be a better Christian by seeing the way they love God and others. One thing I noticed about them is that they make people feel welcomed, included, and noticed. Whether it’s Stephen noticing that I was gone one week and asking where I was, or Brian making sure that everyone is included in the conversation, they value and treat people like family, just as Jesus did. There is nothing that makes our Heavenly Father happier than seeing His children resembling Jesus.
Baptism may be a public profession of their faith, but their interaction with people is evidence of Christ living in them. The baptism day was a joyous occasion where the entire church assembled in the sanctuary to celebrate spiritual birth, family, and our love for Jesus.