Jumpstarter 8 of 10

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Question 8

Justin’s description includes being convinced, desiring to live accordingly, fasting, praying for remission of past sins, and then being baptized and “regenerated”; if your community followed that sequence today, what would need to change about your evangelism, discipleship, and expectations of converts?

Another way to ask: Justin describes a process: belief, desire to change, fasting and prayer, then baptism and being “made new.” If your church followed that order today, what would need to change in how you share the gospel, train new believers, and what you expect from them?

Direct Answer Based on the transcript, following Justin’s sequence would likely slow down “instant” conversion moments and replace them with instruction, visible repentance, communal fasting/prayer, and then baptism as the decisive initiation into regenerated life. It would also raise expectations that converts intend to “live accordingly,” not just make a verbal profession.

Support from Transcript:

Justin: those “convinced that what we teach is true” and who “desire to live accordingly” are first “instructed.”
They are told “to fast and to pray to God for the remission of all their past sins,” and “we also pray and fast with them.”
Only then: “we bring them… where there is water, and they are regenerated.”
The baptism is Trinitarian: “in the name of… the Father… Jesus Christ… and… the Holy Spirit.”
David’s framing: baptism wasn’t separated from “faith and repentance,” and it was the normal “channel of grace” and “means of rebirth.”

Discussion Follow-ups Would your church be willing to treat baptism as the main conversion milestone rather than a later add-on? What kind of instruction and accountability would be needed before baptizing new believers?

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