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Zac Poonen

Zac Poonen (1939 - ). Christian preacher, Bible teacher, and author based in Bangalore, India. A former Indian Naval officer, he resigned in 1966 after converting to Christianity, later founding the Christian Fellowship Centre (CFC) in 1975, which grew into a network of churches. He has written over 30 books, including "The Pursuit of Godliness," and shares thousands of free sermons, emphasizing holiness and New Testament teachings. Married to Annie since 1968, they have four sons in ministry. Poonen supports himself through "tent-making," accepting no salary or royalties. After stepping down as CFC elder in 1999, he focused on global preaching and mentoring. His teachings prioritize spiritual maturity, humility, and living free from materialism. He remains active, with his work widely accessible online in multiple languages. Poonen’s ministry avoids institutional structures, advocating for simple, Spirit-led fellowships. His influence spans decades, inspiring Christians to pursue a deeper relationship with God.
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Zac Poonen emphasizes the importance of following Jesus' command to make disciples, baptize them, and teach obedience to His commands. He contrasts the biblical practice of baptizing repentant adults with the modern tradition of baptizing infants and performing confirmations on adults, highlighting the need for true repentance and understanding of God's Word before baptism. The sermon underscores the significance of intelligent reception of God's Word and repentance before being baptized, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles.
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Baptism in Water
One of the last things Jesus commanded His disciples before ascending up to heaven was to: (i) Go and make disciples; (ii) baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and (iii) teach them to obey everything that He had commanded. The order is important here. Only those who were willing to become disciples were to be baptized. No one else. When babies were brought to Jesus, He laid His hands on their heads and blessed them (See Mark 10:13-16). However, when repentant adults came to Him, He baptized them through His disciples (See Jn. 4:1,2). But today what do we see in many `churches'? Quite the opposite. Babies are baptized; and hands are laid on the heads of the adults (`confirmation')! This is the exact opposite of what Jesus did. On the day of Pentecost, when many were convicted of their sin, Peter told them to "repent and be baptized." The record goes on to say that "those who received his word were baptized " (Acts 2:38,41). It is clear that only those who were capable of intelligently receiving God's Word and of repentance were baptized. And that's how it was in every single instance recorded in the `Acts of the Apostles'.
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Zac Poonen (1939 - ). Christian preacher, Bible teacher, and author based in Bangalore, India. A former Indian Naval officer, he resigned in 1966 after converting to Christianity, later founding the Christian Fellowship Centre (CFC) in 1975, which grew into a network of churches. He has written over 30 books, including "The Pursuit of Godliness," and shares thousands of free sermons, emphasizing holiness and New Testament teachings. Married to Annie since 1968, they have four sons in ministry. Poonen supports himself through "tent-making," accepting no salary or royalties. After stepping down as CFC elder in 1999, he focused on global preaching and mentoring. His teachings prioritize spiritual maturity, humility, and living free from materialism. He remains active, with his work widely accessible online in multiple languages. Poonen’s ministry avoids institutional structures, advocating for simple, Spirit-led fellowships. His influence spans decades, inspiring Christians to pursue a deeper relationship with God.