Choosing Faith Over Fear
Doug Lycett is a 23-year-old high school math teacher who has a deep love for his wife (he’s a newlywed!), his church, coffee, and music. 2014 was a busy year for Doug—he graduated from UCF in the spring, married the love of his life, Mia, in July, and started his teaching job just a month later. It was also the year Doug made the decision to take a big next step and be baptized. Doug was raised to believe in God, but he never understood what a personal relationship with Jesus looked like. In middle school, he became a devout atheist, actively speaking out about his belief in a finite world—a world he would discover was one without a glimmer of hope. “When you are living in this world, it is a very sad world,” Doug recalls.
By God’s grace, a friend invited Doug to Young Life, and it was there his eyes were opened to what a personal relationship with Jesus really meant. He stayed involved with Young Life through high school, and when he moved to Orlando to attend UCF, his leader encouraged him to check out Summit.
Doug first stepped through the doors at Summit as a college freshman his second week in town. From the first time he visited, Doug knew he was where God wanted him. His relationship with Christ grew as he continued learning, connecting in Christ-centered relationships, and praising Jesus daily with his hands, feet, and words.
“I had been baptized as an infant, so I always struggled with whether or not being baptized as an adult was a right step for me,” Doug says. It turned out to be his wife, Mia, who encouraged him that it was a step he should take:
“When I met my wife, God started to use her words and her love and support to soften my heart to the idea of baptism. Finally, after graduation, I knew that it was time and that this was something I wanted to do. I was very nervous because I thought that people might look at me thinking, Hasn’t he been a Christian since high school? or Weren’t you already baptized? But I knew in my mind that it was only the enemy trying to discourage me from having such a profound and intimate experience with my Creator.”
Doug’s baptism day—which he describes as amazing—was documented by Summit’s Media team, and he volunteered to hold a GoPro camera during his baptism and share his testimony with the congregation. He hopes that seeing the video allows others to share in his joy and decide to take this step for themselves.
“I would encourage anyone who has never made the decision for themselves to be baptized,” he says. “Choose faith over fear! God will use it every single time.”
Written by guest blogger Rebekah Crosby.
Beach Baptism is this Sunday, April 19th! The event begins at 2:30 p.m. with a picnic (we’ll provide hot dogs and chips!), followed by a worship service at 4 p.m. and baptisms at 5 p.m. For more details, maps, and parking information, please visit summitconnect.org.
If you’d like to be baptized this weekend, please fill out a registration form by clicking here! On-site registration (for adults only) will also be available at the beach.