Michael Cronin — For years, my life was marked by chaos, and I never experienced true peace. In 1993, a friend introduced me to Jesus, and that decision changed the direction of my life.Since then, Jesus has transformed my heart, helping me become more caring, generous, kind, and forgiving. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as an act of obedience and a public declaration of the life Jesus has given me.

Thomas Fowler — There was a time when I felt lost and without direction. Around the year 2000, I began my journey of following Jesus, and since then He has continued to shape my life and make me into a better person.As I've grown in my relationship with Christ, I've come to better understand His Word and His calling on my life. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as an act of obedience to Jesus and a public declaration of my faith after being encouraged by Scripture and its message.

Ndukaku Osuji — For a season of my life, I was trapped in addiction. Although I was raised in the church, I had wandered far from God. While serving time in prison, Jesus met me in a powerful way and gave me a fresh start.Since surrendering my life to Him, I've found true peace in Jesus Christ. I'm learning to live according to His will and to put my complete trust in Him each day. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my renewed faith and my decision to fully surrender my life to Christ once again.

Brittany Dixon — When I lost my dad in December of 2024, everything changed. Although I had grown up around church, I had never been consistent in my faith. In the middle of that loss, I found myself drawing closer to Jesus and discovering the peace only He can give.Since beginning a relationship with Him, my life has been filled with peace, love, and gratitude. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a declaration that my old life is behind me and that I'm walking forward in the new life Jesus has given me.

Peyton Chodyniecki — As I've grown older, my desire to know Jesus has only continued to grow. Although I've known about Him for most of my life, I've come to realize that following Him is a journey of continually drawing closer to Him and trusting Him more each day.Since growing in my relationship with Jesus, He's filled my life with greater joy—not only in my walk with Him, but also in the way I love and care for the people around me. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as the next step in my faith and a public declaration of my commitment to follow Jesus.

Noah Foust — When I was younger, I didn't always treat people the way I should, especially my sister. As my mom began praying with me when I was around six years old, I started learning what it means to follow Jesus and to care more about the way I treat others.Since growing in my relationship with Jesus, He's helped me become more thoughtful, given me opportunities to be a leader on my baseball team and at school, and shown me how to live with kindness. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because I'm thankful for everything Jesus has done for me—even the things I don't see—and I want to continue following Him with my whole life.

Chris Foust — For much of my life, I knew who Jesus was, but I often chose my own direction instead of seeking His. I was inconsistent in my faith and more interested in following my own path than God's. Even though I grew up in church, I hadn't fully surrendered my life to Him.As I've grown in my relationship with Jesus, He's given me a greater compassion for others and a desire to serve and help those around me. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized after watching my son express his own desire to take this step of faith. His decision challenged me to boldly live out my faith, and I want to lead my family by following Jesus with my whole heart.

Jonathan Beaver — For much of my life, I lived only for myself, making decisions that hurt the people I loved most. Everything began to change when my wife invited me to Easter service at Definition. Through that invitation, I encountered Jesus in a new way and began discovering the life He had for me.Since beginning a relationship with Jesus, He's given me a peace I never had before and has helped me make decisions that are healthier for both me and my family. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith and my commitment to continue following Jesus wherever He leads.

Christopher Beaver — I didn't grow up knowing much about Jesus because I wasn't raised in church. It wasn't until I entered foster care that my first foster family introduced me to Him and showed me what it meant to follow Him.Since beginning a relationship with Jesus, I've grown closer to Him and have a better understanding of His Word. Every day, I'm learning more about who He is and how He wants me to live. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration that I'm surrendering my life to Jesus and placing my trust in His promises.

Thabora Siu — For a long time, I thought faith was about obligation instead of relationship. Growing up in a Christian home, I felt pressure to go to church, which led me to become distant from Jesus and rely only on myself. As I entered adulthood, trying to carry everything on my own left me exhausted.Everything began to change when a friend invited me to church. There, I discovered that I wasn't alone and that I could trust Jesus instead of myself. Since then, He's given me peace, taught me to let go of perfection, and reminded me that He is in control. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a declaration that my life belongs to Jesus and that I'm following Him.

Rani Nie — Growing up, I was always around church because of my family, but I never truly had a personal relationship with Jesus. After COVID, I tried returning to church, but because the services were in my native language and I wasn't fluent, I struggled to understand the messages. Over time, I began to feel distant from God and saw church more as an obligation than a relationship.As I've gotten to know Jesus for myself, He's filled my life with peace, joy, and a growing patience for the people around me. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith and my desire to follow Jesus for the rest of my life.

Melanie Nie Harah Eban — I've known about Jesus for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a Christian home, my parents taught me God's Word and laid a strong foundation for my faith. I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was five years old, but as I've grown older, my relationship with Him has become my own.Following Jesus has given me hope, peace, and direction. I'm learning to trust God's plan in every season and to rely on Him more each day. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith and my commitment to continue following Jesus wherever He leads.

Diego Perez — There was a time when I felt completely lost. I didn't understand who I was, surrounded myself with the wrong crowd, and struggled with lust. Everything began to change when I joined 252 and encountered the love of Jesus in a personal way. For the first time, I understood how deeply He loved me, that He was always with me, and that He was calling me to share His name with others.Since then, I've found a new direction. Instead of following the wrong influences, I'm learning to follow Jesus and give my life to Him. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith and my desire to walk beside Jesus wherever He leads.

Alex Robbins — There was a time when I felt lost, unsure of who I was or what my life was meant for. Although God had always been pursuing me, it wasn't until 2019, when He rescued me from an abusive relationship, that I truly began to understand His love and faithfulness. Through that experience, He showed me that I am loved, valued, and created for a purpose.Since then, Jesus has given me hope, strengthened me as a mother, and led me to a church family I never knew I needed. Every day, I'm grateful for the life He's given me and the work He's continuing to do in my heart. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my renewed commitment to follow Jesus and as an example to my son that it's never too late to surrender your life to Him.

Holly Solis — Even though I had gone to church when I was younger, I didn't truly know Jesus, and my life felt empty. Everything began to change when I started coming back to church and experienced His love in a personal way. For the first time, I felt like a new person.Since beginning a relationship with Jesus, He's been changing my heart, my attitude, and the way I live each day. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because I want to put my full faith in Jesus, continue growing in Him, and publicly declare that I belong to Him.

Arabella Terry — For much of my life, I struggled with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Although I had always known about Jesus, it wasn't until my sophomore year that I truly encountered His presence and made the decision to fully follow Him. Since beginning a relationship with Jesus, He's filled my life with joy and taught me how to face life's hardest seasons by relying on His love instead of my own strength. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my faith and because I've seen God's faithfulness in my life. I want the world to know that I love Him and am committed to following Him.

Cydney Arnold — For a long time, I tried to live life on my own terms. After a difficult breakup, I found myself caught in addiction and relying on my own strength instead of fully surrendering to God. Although I had always believed in Him, I had never truly devoted my life to following Jesus.Since committing my life to Christ, He's been transforming my heart and teaching me what it means to live in obedience. He's given me the desire to honor Him in every area of my life, including choosing a life of purity. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public declaration of my renewed commitment to Jesus and the new life He is leading me into.

Jake Russell — For a long time, I lived a hidden life. I struggled with pornography, questions about God, my sexuality, and even thoughts of hurting myself and others. I carried it all in silence, believing it was safer to keep everything hidden.Everything began to change when I started attending The Collective. Through Zac, the leaders, and a Christ-centered community, I learned what it meant to be radically honest with Jesus. Instead of confessing only part of my story, I surrendered everything to Him. As I did, Jesus began transforming my heart, replacing shame with peace, changing my desires, renewing my mind, and showing me that true freedom is found in Him alone.Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because Jesus has made me a new creation. I'm leaving my old life behind and choosing to follow Him wholeheartedly.

Beth Anne Martin — For much of my life, I cared deeply about what other people thought of me. I constantly felt pressure to fit in and measure up, even though I had grown up knowing about Jesus. Everything changed in sixth grade when one of my best friends invited me to Definition on a Wednesday night. Through that invitation and the incredible community God placed around me, I began to truly know Jesus for myself.Since then, Jesus has given me the freedom to stop living for the approval of others and instead find my identity in Him. He's taught me to embrace who He created me to be and to trust that His opinion is the one that matters most. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because after feeling God calling me to take this step for the past three years, I'm finally ready to fully surrender my life to Him and publicly declare my faith.

Lauren Brown — For much of my life, I lived without true conviction, trying to handle everything on my own and searching for purpose in all the wrong places. When I became pregnant with my daughter in 2021, I realized I couldn't do life alone and began praying for God to change me. It wasn't until I committed to reading through the Bible in 2025 that I truly encountered the power of God's Word and fully surrendered my marriage, my children, my health, and my life to Jesus.Since then, I've found a peace and freedom I never knew were possible. Instead of turning to the world for comfort, I now run to God's Word and find my hope in Him. Jesus has broken the shame I carried for so many years and reminded me that my identity is not defined by my past, but by His love. Today, I'm choosing to be baptized because I now understand what it truly means to surrender my life to Christ. I'm leaving my old life behind, embracing the freedom He has given me, and publicly declaring that I belong to Him.