Four generations in one Texas family baptized together

Four generations of a Texas family did something they’d never done a few weeks ago: they simultaneously stepped into their church’s baptismal tank to publicly proclaim their faith.

Rock Creek Church in Prosper, Texas, organized the opportunity for obedience on Mother’s Day weekend. That’s when 60 people, including the four generations within one family, followed Christ by being baptized into the death of Christ and raised to walk in the newness of life.

“It was a celebration,” Pastor Brad Wilkerson said of the church’s response as moms, dads, teenagers and kids embraced baptism. “The majority are brand new believers. It’s their first step of discipleship.”

The sixty baptisms were the most on a single weekend in Rock Creek’s 14-year history of helping people in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex meet and follow Jesus. 

They focus on offering authentic, welcoming connections across every generation to people from very diverse religious and racial backgrounds. As a result, the church has seen people of various religious upbringings and many other denominations joining in the fellowship. 

“They’ve found grace here,” Wilkerson explained of many who visit the church. 

“We’re simply sharing Jesus, and he’s changing lives.”

Rock Creek offers four to five baptism celebrations each year. Three baptisms involve more planning and preregistration to give church staff and leaders time to hear people’s testimony.

The other two services allow people a more spontaneous response to Christ’s command of baptism. In those services, Wilkerson said there are shorts, shirts and towels ready to go for whoever says yes to Christ at that moment.

They've found grace here. We're simply sharing Jesus, and he's changing lives.

Rock Creek pastor Brad Wilkerson

Mother’s Day has been an excellent time for baptisms because Wilkerson said people getting baptized invite their family, especially their moms, to church to see their act of obedience.

The church has had 114 baptisms so far in 2023, which is nearly equal to all the baptisms there in 2022. Still to come in the church’s calendar are summer camps and Vacation Bible School, both of which connect with many children and youth who don’t know Christ as their savior.

“We’re praying we go over 200 baptisms this year,” he said.

The Converge Southwest congregation that started with 24 adults and 10 kids in January 2008 has had God’s provision as the population around them exploded. Wilkerson said people are moving from across the United States and even from around the world.

God has also given the church unity among people of various races and cultures who attend Rock Creek. They have Hispanics, people of Asian descent, African Americans, Anglo-Americans and people from India.

“It’s just a very diverse congregation because that is what is around us,” Wilkerson said. “They find that everyone is welcoming.”

Related: Our Office of Biblical Diversity can help your church welcome anyone around you.

He said the staff and volunteers embrace faithful ministry practices like excellent worship, Biblical teaching and serving children and youth so they become disciples. 

From those activities and pursuits, Wilkerson said moms and dads choose baptism to send a message to their children. The obedience isn’t just about the adults, who made up most of the Mother’s Day baptisms, but about setting a course for their children to have Christ in their lives.

Such a commitment from families across their generations has massive potential for the kingdom as the Prosper area continues to be a magnet for families. In 2008, when Rock Creek started, the town’s population was 5000. Today, the population is around 55,000 and is predicted to reach 100,000 in 7 to 10 years.

“The masses are moving to this area,” Wilkerson said. “It’s almost like the world has moved here.”

He said there are good schools, a robust local economy and lots of undeveloped land where homes, educational facilities and other businesses can be built. 

That foundation for the community’s future means the gospel can impact generations who trust Christ and get baptized.

“We have found the right place at the right time,” Wilkerson said. “I can’t take any credit, God just provided us a piece of property. It was just the epicenter.”

Converge is a movement of churches working to help people meet, know and follow Jesus. We do this by starting and strengthening churches together worldwide. For over 165 years, we’ve helped churches bring life change to communities in the U.S. and around the world through church planting and multiplication, leadership training and global missions. Learn more about Converge and check out resources for pastors, churches and missionaries.