Podcast Summary

Lakepointe Church with Josh Howerton
Episode: Baptism & the Holy Spirit: What Every Christian Needs to Know | Boot Camp
Speaker: Pastor Josh Howerton
Date: January 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode is part of Lakepointe’s "Boot Camp: Training for Team Jesus" series, where Pastor Josh Howerton walks through foundational discipleship themes using the Gospel of Luke as a framework. The focus today is on the essential role of baptism (in water and in the Holy Spirit) in the life of every disciple of Jesus. With humor, biblical depth, and relatable analogies, Pastor Josh unpacks not only the theology but also the practical steps and personal experiences surrounding baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Boot Camp Framework: From Belief to Baptism

• The series is designed as a discipleship field guide. Last week’s focus: "Believe—it is finished."
• This week’s focus: After belief, a disciple is baptized in water and spirit.

2. Introduction to John the Baptizer (09:00 – 14:30)

• John is described as Jesus’ cousin, fulfilling OT prophecy (Malachi) about a prophet like Elijah preparing the way for the Messiah.
• Memorable characterizations: “He’s Jesus’ rural homeschool cousin...wearing camel’s hair, eating bugs and honey, and preaching, ‘Repent!’” (11:50)
• John’s fearlessness: Publicly rebuked political leaders for godlessness, eventually leading to his execution.

3. What is Baptism? (17:10 – 33:40)

Definition & Mode:

• “Baptism is not a suggestion, it’s a command—a public declaration of a new association.” (17:35)
• The Greek ‘baptizo’ means ‘dip, dunk, or submerge’; not a spiritual word then, but common in recipes—“You don’t sprinkle a cucumber to make a pickle. You dunk it!” (20:34)
• Why Lakepointe "runs on Dunkin’”: the word, example of Jesus ‘coming up out of the water’, and that immersion alone symbolizes death, burial, resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).

Symbolism:

• Baptism parallels putting on a wedding ring: “If I take off my ring, I’m still married. If I never put it on, it doesn’t mean we aren’t married. If you put on this ring, you’re not married to my wife. You wish, sucker!” (27:08)
• It’s a visible sign of an inward reality, not the cause of salvation.

Addressing Common Questions:

• Does baptism save you? No—it points to your relationship with God; it doesn’t establish it.
• Does infant baptism ‘count’? “Your infant baptism was your parents’ faith, not yours. Every baptism in the NT is a personal act of faith.” (31:50)
• Why is baptism required? “If you want to walk in obedience to your Lord, then yes, you need to be baptized.” (35:05)
• “If the world has the courage to come out of the closet for wickedness, disciples of Jesus Christ need to have the courage to go public for Team Jesus.” (38:25)

4. Baptism and the Holy Spirit (43:20 – 1:07:10)

Jesus as Example:

• After Jesus’ water baptism, “the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove” (44:30).
• “Jesus never performed a miracle or preached a sermon before being filled with the Spirit.” (47:11)
• Key scriptural refrains: Jesus was full, led by, empowered, and rejoiced “in the Holy Spirit.” (48:30–50:20)
• Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” (50:30–51:43)

Filling with the Spirit—Separate Experience:

• Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at conversion, but “There’s more, and God wants that ‘more’ for you.” (54:22)
• Three experiences in the Christian life:
  1. The Holy Spirit baptizes into Christ (salvation) (1 Cor 12:14)
  2. Disciples baptize in water (Matt 28:19)
  3. Jesus fills with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16)

Biblical Evidence for Ongoing Filling:

• Ephesians 5:18: “Be filled with the Spirit”—a continual command, addressed to already-saved Christians. (58:48)
• Disciples’ example: Received the Spirit at salvation (John 20:22), still told to wait for Spirit baptism at Pentecost (Acts 1:5). (1:00:58)
• Acts 2, 8, and 19 as repeated NT patterns: “Save, baptized, filled with the Spirit.”
• Illustrative analogy: “You need to be pickled with the Holy Spirit—so immersed you’re changed.” (1:03:00)

5. Personal Story & Application (1:09:10 – End)

Pastor Josh’s Experience:

• His breakthrough came after earnestly seeking a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit—“It was like a dam broke inside me…I felt attacked by love.” (1:10:52)
• Three results:
  1. Freedom from a long-term sin
  2. Supernatural ministry encounters (miracles, prophetic insight)
  3. Fruit in ministry far beyond prior experience

Encouragement & Challenge:

• “If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit, you need Him.” (1:08:05)
• Call to seek a fresh filling: “Father, if there’s anything you have on offer, I want it all.” (1:12:05)

Christians are urged:

• Be baptized (if you haven’t since professing faith)
• Continually seek the ongoing filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit
• “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Acts 1:8, 1:13:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On religious tattoos: “Last week, five church members sent me pictures of tetelestai tattoos they got. I’m jealous. You got a vicarious tattoo for me.” (07:10)
• On baptism: “Dead, buried, raised—that’s what the shirt says because that’s what Romans 6 says!” (23:35)
• “God doesn’t save last names, He saves first names. The line into heaven is a single-file line.” (33:58)
• On public faith: “If I told Jana I’d be 95% faithful, she’d knock out 95% of my teeth.” (37:15)
• “You need the Holy Spirit to drive I-30, brother.” (52:44)
• “Some Christians say, ‘Well, I’ve already got the Holy Spirit.’ That’s true…but there’s more, and God wants that ‘more’ for you.” (54:22)
• On being “pickled” by the Spirit: “You need to be so immersed in the Holy Spirit that it produces a profound change in you... You act different, taste different, want different, feel different.” (1:03:00)
• On supernatural ministry: “After that moment, I’ve never been able to preach the Bible without thousands of people coming to Jesus. It all goes back to that moment.” (1:11:45)
• Closing challenge: “You need divine power to tear down strongholds. We cannot solve supernatural problems in natural power. Lord, we need You.” (1:15:02)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 03:50: Episode overview, Boot Camp framework
• 09:00 – 14:30: John the Baptizer’s character and prophetic background
• 17:10 – 25:55: Theology and practice of water baptism
• 31:50 – 35:15: Infant baptism and the importance of personal faith
• 35:15 – 40:30: Baptism as a public declaration; urgency and obedience
• 43:20 – 54:30: Jesus’ baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit; biblical evidence for Spirit empowerment
• 54:30 – 1:03:44: Three experiences in every believer’s life; Pentecostal/evangelical distinctions and scriptural evidence
• 1:09:10 – 1:12:30: Pastor Josh’s personal encounter with the Holy Spirit
• 1:12:30 – End: Practical application; challenge to seek the Holy Spirit

Takeaway for Listeners

Baptism isn’t an optional ornament for the Christian life—it’s a command.
It symbolizes death to the old self and resurrection to new life in Christ, and it must follow personal belief—not just family tradition.

But it doesn’t stop there:
Every follower of Jesus is called to seek continual, fresh fillings of the Holy Spirit. The early church’s pattern (and Jesus’ own example) is clear:
Saved. Baptized. Filled with the Spirit.
This empowerment is vital—not just for miraculous ministry, but for daily Christian living.

“If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit, you need Him. And there’s more—God wants you to have it all.”