The actual number of people baptized at Port Moresby was probably between 4,500 and 5,000.
This latest estimate is significantly higher than the 2,800 figure we earlier published on this website. But it’s also much more accurate.
Our previous figure was based on signals given from the shore during the baptism. The 50 pastors in the water received signals from John Carter on the shore when to baptize candidates. Counting the number of signals given and multiplying it by 50 pastors produced a figure of 2,850 people baptized.
However, the 50 pastors were 200 feet out in the water. That was too far away to easily see from the shore what was happening. We now know that pastors didn’t wait for a signal from shore. These signals were given about every 60 seconds. But the pastors were baptizing people between these signals was well.
Each individual pastor kept a count of how many he baptized. The pastors are now each reporting that they baptized 100 people. Pastors from Australia’s North NSW Conference each say they baptized 100 each. A pastor from the Philippines says he baptized 100. And half the local Conference pastors have so far reported their figures, and they total 2,100. Reports from the pastors who've provided figures so far total of 2,700. And that's just over half the total number of pastors involved. We still don’t have figures of faculty members from the nearby Pacific Adventist University who were baptizing. And we don't have figures from half of the local Conference’s pastors.
We have no reason to suspect that the pastors who haven’t yet reported had significantly fewer baptisms than the others. We are getting consistent counts of 100 from each pastor. So when all reports are in, the total bapized by John Carter's Port Moresby program could be very close to 5,000.
Plus, another 3,000 people requested baptism at John Carter's final meeting a few hours after the baptism. When these are baptized also, this will give us an astounding figure — if it's not amazing enough already!
REPORT WRITTEN 5am Friday August 24, 2012 (Port Moresby time). Midday Thursday California time.
The actual number of people baptized at Port Moresby was probably between 4,500 and 5,000.
This latest estimate is significantly higher than the 2,800 figure we earlier published on this website. But it’s also much more accurate.
Our previous figure was based on signals given from the shore during the baptism. The 50 pastors in the water received signals from John Carter on the shore when to baptize candidates. Counting the number of signals given and multiplying it by 50 pastors produced a figure of 2,850 people baptized.
However, the 50 pastors were 200 feet out in the water. That was too far away to easily see from the shore what was happening. We now know that pastors didn’t wait for a signal from shore. These signals were given about every 60 seconds. But the pastors were baptizing people between these signals was well.
Each individual pastor kept a count of how many he baptized. The pastors are now each reporting that they baptized 100 people. Pastors from Australia’s North NSW Conference each say they baptized 100 each. A pastor from the Philippines says he baptized 100. And half the local Conference pastors have so far reported their figures, and they total 2,100. Reports from the pastors who've provided figures so far total of 2,700. And that's just over half the total number of pastors involved. We still don’t have figures of faculty members from the nearby Pacific Adventist University who were baptizing. And we don't have figures from half of the local Conference’s pastors.
We have no reason to suspect that the pastors who haven’t yet reported had significantly fewer baptisms than the others. We are getting consistent counts of 100 from each pastor. So when all reports are in, the total bapized by John Carter's Port Moresby program could be very close to 5,000.
Plus, another 3,000 people requested baptism at John Carter's final meeting a few hours after the baptism. When these are baptized also, this will give us an astounding figure — if it's not amazing enough already!
REPORT WRITTEN 5am Friday August 24, 2012 (Port Moresby time). Midday Thursday California time.
