How Did You Acknowledge It

Go ahead. Give this a shot. On your next wedding anniversary, just acknowledge it. Maybe a “Hey, it’s our anniversary.” as you’re leaving for work. And leave it at that. Don’t say or do anything else. Sure, you’re better than the person who forgot their anniversary. But you’ll find out that how you acknowledge something matters a whole lot more than just acknowledging something.

Just acknowledging something significant actually makes it feel less significant. Here’s an example. Baptism.

When I was baptized in the 5th grade, it was just acknowledged. It was during a typical Sunday morning worship service designed for adults. It was me and a man in his 80s. The preacher said the same words for both of us. I was baptized and then walked up the steps in silence. The preacher prayed and the service went on like every other Sunday service. Such a significant event in my life, and it was just acknowledged. Sure, the way my church did it was fine. But they missed an opportunity. They didn’t think about how they acknowledged baptism.

I got to baptize my daughter this past Sunday. She and 20-something other elementary-aged kids were baptized at what we call Family Birthday Celebration. It is arguably one of the best things we do as an church. In addition to the band, worship, lights, communicator, cake, balloons, and gift, each child tells their faith story via a pre-recorded video before they are baptized. Our UpStreet staff understands that how they acknowledge baptism is a big deal. They do it in a way that creates long-lasting memories. This is the day my daughter (and a bunch of other kids) publicly shared her faith story for the first time. It should be something she never forgets. And I am so grateful to be a part of a church that thinks carefully and creatively about how they acknowledge baptism.

How you acknowledge something says a lot about how much value you place on it. It does. Look at how you acknowledge your child’s birthday. Look at how you acknowledge Christmas. The church should be the master of knowing how to acknowledge significant events in a person’s life.