Sometimes, one person's decision to follow Jesus inspires others to take that same step. For the Ortiz family, it started with a ten-year-old boy watching a baptism video during a Sunday service at Summit.
Iris Ortiz has been part of the Summit community for many years, serving in worship and using her gifts to help others encounter Jesus. But one of the most meaningful moments in her family's story happened when five members of their family made the decision to be baptized together.
It Started with Jaiden
Iris and her husband, Chris, were sitting in service with their son, Jaiden, when a baptism video caught his attention.
“Chris and I saw him light up,” Iris remembers. On the way home, they asked Jaiden if he wanted to be baptized. He did! They also reached out to Jaiden's mom, Keylina, who was supportive of his decision.
But what happened next surprised everyone.
“Later, Chris and I were talking at home and we both felt like God was calling us to be baptized as a family. Then, the very next day, Jaiden’s mom called Chris and shared that she had been praying and felt like God was telling her it was also time for her to make this declaration of faith.”
When Keylina learned that Chris and Iris were planning to be baptized with Jaiden, she asked if she could join them.
“It was a no-brainer! As unconventional as it looked, we were a family, and we knew that God wanted us to do this together.”
The following Sunday, the family attended church together. After hearing the sermon, Chris's mother also decided to be baptized.
What started with Jaiden's interest in baptism had become a shared step of faith for five family members!
More Than a Moment
For Iris, this decision was deeply personal. She had been baptized at twelve years old, but watching Jaiden explore his faith caused her to reflect on whether her own baptism had been more about meeting expectations than expressing her personal commitment to Jesus.
Preparing for baptism with Jaiden was especially meaningful.
“The Why Believe class was a game changer. In my family, I had grown up in the faith, but my husband had not, so I went through the curriculum with Jaiden and to see Jaiden truly understand what God did for us and to see him fall in love with God was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in my life.”
When baptism day arrived, their extended family gathered to celebrate.
“It was truly a family affair. Everyone was so excited. This was the first time where we were all together as a family and we were all so happy. It was healing for us.”
But the impact of that day went far beyond the celebration.
“I think it changed everything for us. The way we co-parent, and communicate, there is a lot more love, grace, and patience in our family. The dynamic between Jaiden’s mother and I is very healthy and positive. We pray for each other and not only are we all aligned regarding Jaiden’s day-to-day, we are aligned in our faith as a family.”
A Story of Faith and Family
For the Ortiz family, baptism was more than a moment of celebration. It was an opportunity to publicly declare their faith in Jesus together, and it became part of a much bigger story of healing, grace, and growing faith.
Their story reminds us that our decisions to follow Jesus don't happen in isolation. God can use one person's step of faith to encourage and inspire others.
And sometimes, it all begins with one person taking the next step.