At the International Pathfinder Camporee, Christopher and Erin Owen had a day they will never forget. They got married and were baptized on the same day, along with Christopher’s three sons. This was a big step in their spiritual journey.
Pastor Jeff Fender, who baptized the family, shared, “Chris and his family have been in the prayers of the Warrensburg church family, as well as many others, for a long time. It was an answer to a personal prayer of mine to be able to baptize him. We look forward to continuing to walk with him and his family as they grow closer to Christ.”
Christopher wasn’t initially planning to attend the camporee. But at the last minute things changed, and he ended up going because of his children’s Pathfinder group. Even though they had car trouble, they made it to the event.
On Thursday night, both Christopher and Erin felt a strong pull to respond to an altar call. The next day, they discovered that both of them wanted to be baptized. After talking with their pastor, who suggested they get married before being baptized, they decided to do both that same evening. “Everything about the situation felt like God was saying, ‘This is what you need to do,'” Christopher said. “The doors opened, and it was a really powerful experience.”
Both Christopher and Erin have had tough times in their faith. Christopher, who grew up in a Seventh-day Adventist home, had turned away from religion when he was younger. “For most of my life, I really didn’t want anything to do with religion,” he said. But after going through a hard divorce and receiving support from his church, he began to rethink his beliefs.
Erin, who was baptized at 12 and had rededicated her life three times, also went through a period where she drifted away from the church. She reconnected with her faith after meeting Christopher and finding a welcoming church community. “I felt like God was telling me that I needed to get my life back on the right track,” Erin shared.
This experience brought the family closer together. “There’s a closeness that was not there before,” Christopher said, talking about his relationship with his children. Erin agreed, saying that the way she, Christopher and the children interact has changed for the better.
Christopher and Erin also talked about how important their church community has been. They felt supported, loved and cared for, especially during tough times. “It really is like having a family that just rallies around,” Christopher said.
Being at the camporee made them feel even more connected and supported. Erin said, “The biggest blessing was realizing that I’m not alone and that there are people who are there for me.”
Pastor Fender was thankful for the camporee’s role in the couple’s decision. He said, “We especially thank God for bringing them to the International Pathfinder Camporee so they could better hear His call and make their decision to choose Jesus.”
