MORE than 100 members of the Nazareth Church (Shembe) gathered for a mass baptism during the church’s Umgidi prayer yesterday.
The baptism, which drew a large number of young people and church elders, was described by church leaders as a symbol of spiritual rebirth and a commitment to living a holy life.
Members dressed in church attire sang hymns and prayed as candidates entered the water to publicly declare their faith.
Speaking during the baptism at Lobamba, Pastor Duma Dlamini said baptism in the Nazareth Church represents a person’s decision to turn away from sin and dedicate their life fully to God.
He explained that according to church doctrine, a member can only be baptised once in their lifetime.
“The baptism is a sacred covenant between a believer and God. Once a person is baptised, it means they have chosen to leave behind sinful ways and begin a new spiritual journey,” said Dlamini.
He noted that the high turnout reflected a growing desire among people, especially the youth, to strengthen their relationship with God and embrace spiritual discipline.
“It was encouraging and beautiful to witness so many young people making the decision to serve God. This shows that faith is still alive among the younger generation,” he added.
Pastor Dlamini further encouraged the newly baptised members to distance themselves from worldly temptations and harmful behaviour.
He explained that after the baptism, members were brought before church leaders to receive guidance on how to maintain a righteous and disciplined life.
Although baptism symbolises the washing away of sins, Dlamini reminded congregants that human beings are not perfect.
Noting that as people, they may still make mistakes, but God was merciful and forgiving.
However, the church maintained that baptism was only performed once because it marks a permanent spiritual commitment” he said.
One of the newly baptised members, Mandla Dlamini, said the decision to undergo baptism came from a personal desire to become closer to God.
“I wanted to leave behind worldly attachments and fully dedicate myself to serving God. This is an important step in my spiritual life,” he said.
Other members shared similar sentiments, saying the baptism gave them a chance to start afresh, seek forgiveness, and focus on living according to God’s teachings.
The event ended with prayers, singing, and words of encouragement from Dlamini as families and congregants celebrated the spiritual milestone together.
