By Tim Bentch, Lead Pastor of Mount Joy Mennonite Church
On a Sunday back in November, we had a special time of experiencing the presence of the Lord among us at Mount Joy Mennonite Church.
Following an anointed time of worship, we had a baptism. The Holy Spirit came upon this believer as we prayed for him to be not just baptized in water, but also to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. As he came up out of the water, he seemed dazed. It was a beautiful moment. In the time of prayer that followed, light shimmering on the ceiling above the baptism tank seemed to indicate that the Holy Spirit was continuing to minister among us.
Then, Bishop Keith Blank preached about Moses and turning aside to pay attention to the burning bushes in our lives. Right as he said, “Let’s be quiet before the Lord and listen,” a soft noise filled the auditorium. It sounded like a gentle wind. We had never heard a sound like it before during our Sunday morning worship. We realized it was most likely rain falling on the roof of the building. The sound continued as we waited in silence. Could this be a sign of God’s presence? The Holy Spirit moving among us? The timing of the rain starting right when we waited in silence seemed to be more than just a coincidence. The sound of the rain continued off and on throughout the rest of the sermon and we all felt the presence of God.
During the last song, Pastor Josh and I both had the same impression that the sound of the rain during the moment of silence was God saying that he will bring to life those who have been dry in their souls. We invited all who were dry in their souls, longing for the rain of God in their lives, to come forward for prayer.
At the close of the service, a young man came to me and shared that his heart had been beating so fast during the entire service. I told him that it was a sign of the Holy Spirit working in his life and speaking to him. He replied that he had the feeling that if he didn’t enter the baptismal waters, then God was going to take him out into the rain. A few weeks before this, I had asked this young man if he was ready to be baptized, but he had said, “Not yet.”
Now, I asked him again: “Do you want to be baptized now?”
“Very much so,” he replied. I pointed out that he did not have clothes to change into, but he said he didn’t care.
We went up on the stage and I grabbed a microphone. “We’re having another baptism!” The sense of God’s presence was strong as this man stepped into the baptism tank and was baptized and people clapped and cheered. Again, the Holy Spirit was present. What a beautiful moment!
We praise God for the special manifestation of his glorious presence among us that Sunday morning. We eagerly expect more as we seek him.
Tim Bentch serves as the Lead Pastor at Mount Joy Mennonite Church. He was a missionary in Hungary for twelve years, has pastored in a number of churches, and served as a missions trainer. He and his wife Lorri have three adult daughters.