My Strange Baptism

People came out of the restaurant and from all directions and began jumping into the pool, clothes and all. 

It was one of my strangest experiences in Cabo. We just started doing our annual Dream Trips and I was trying to do training events that would cross-over to the secular market. It's not easy to combine Tony Robins and Joel Osteen, but I tried…and it went off the rails quickly. 

Two young believers came to me and said they felt convicted that they should be water-baptized and asked if I would do it. I said reluctantly ,“OK, but let's do it privately at night in a remote pool area.” It was supposed to be secret. 

Someone told me the pool would be closed, but I said that was all the better, to assure it's intended private.

Under the stars, at a remote corner of the pool at the RIU Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, I stood quietly dunking three people. The third person was added because they heard about it. I should have guessed what that meant. My wife, Annabelle, was videotaping the quiet ritual when she got an idea.

She called out :“Ask 'em if they are filled with the Spirit!” Well, I wasn't trying to have a revival, I was trying to finish a water-baptism moment so I acted like I didn't fully hear her. So, being the liberated Philadelphia female she is, she yelled louder across the pool – “Ask 'em if they are filled with the Spirit!” so I quickly asked and they said they wanted “everything” they could get and that's about the time I lost control of the private meeting. 

As I prayed, they started to speak in new languages and one person, it seemed, was slain in the spirit (which meant I kept them floating in the pool.) 

I was still trying to remain inconspicuous and hurry up, but at that moment… the restaurants started to let out and a group of people from our program saw the excitement in the pool and started calling each other over. 

I was now urgently trying to wrap things up and my wife invited “ANYONE who's never been water-baptized to get changed and come back.” I said…“No –  if you want it you'll just have to JUMP IN!” I NEVER expected people to take me up on the offer but about 20 people – most fully dressed for dinner – decided to jump into the pool to get baptized! 

This crowd now drew another crowd, with yet others jumping in, wearing full suits and evening wear. People were breaking out cameras and we were now a RIU spectacle. 

All at a time that I was trying to be “covert” and do this “in secret.” One or two of the people I was especially trying not to offend, came over and sat by the pool and watched with their eyes as big as saucers.

This posted picture is just part of the first wave of jumpers.

Join us on our next “Extreme Dream Trip” ( as soon as we figure out when)…thinking about June. Come join us if you love spontaneity. 

And let me know if you need to be water-baptized in advance.