How Johnny Cash Got Baptized In The Jordan River At The Age Of 39

In no way, shape or form was Johnny Cash the perfect representation of a Christian… but that’s the beauty of being a believer and having a Savior in Jesus that died to wash away all sins.

Cash’s relationship with faith and religion was a bit complicated. The country music legend was raised in a Christian family, and stories and anecdotes from his youth reveal that his mother, Carrie, had a big impact on his relationship with God. However, it’s believed that as fame and fortune crept into his life, Cash cast aside his faith. It was only when he hit rock bottom (his heavy drug use is well documented) that the Man in Black started to align himself with religion once more.

There’s a point in his career where you can see that Johnny Cash started prioritizing his faith, and became much more open about his Christian beliefs. One could even argue that he began dedicating his life to spreading the Word through music and whatever other platform he could find later in life. His faith was also especially prevalent in his Gospel records, as well as the American Recordings, including Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me Lord,” and many more songs about his spiritual struggle.

Though the biggest shift in his relationship with God undoubtedly spawned from his relationship with June Carter Cash. The couple got married in 1968, and June Carter took pride in helping Cash get clean and grow closer to the Lord. The couple even went to Israel on their honeymoon in 1969, after June Carter insisted they go because of a dream she had where she saw her husband standing on the mountain of Galilee preaching with a Bible in hand.

Since that directly connects with Jesus’ Great Commission sermon, it seemed as though June Carter wished for her husband to visit the land that Jesus used to walk in order to connect with God.

June Carter and Johnny Cash would go back to Israel many times in their relationship, so much so that the government there often treated the Cash family like royalty. Years after their first trip, the couple decided to make a documentary-style film called Gospel Road about the life of Jesus in an effort to lift up their In The Holy Land album. June Carter played Mary Magdalene in the movie that was later pegged as a commercial flop.

In an interview, Johnny Cash so eloquently explained the response to all of his religious efforts:

“My record company would rather I be in prison than in church.”

Though the faith-based film they made didn’t exactly connect with audiences, Johnny and June Carter continued to return to Israel to be where Jesus had walked during his time on Earth. In 1971, when Johnny Cash was 39-years-old, he was baptized in the Jordan River – the very body of water that Jesus was baptized in by John the Baptist.

What a moment that photo captures.

Johnny and June Carter brought their children on that particular trip, and it’s believed that every member of the Cash family was baptized in the Jordan River that day. And that marked a real turning point for Johnny Cash, as he made a very concentrated effort from then on to incorporate his faith into his country music career (and other projects).

Though he had recorded some hymns prior to meeting June Carter, The Man in Black released a handful of gospel albums after his baptism – including one called My Mother’s Hymn Book that was released in January of 2003 (mere months prior to his death).

In that, he included recordings of his mother’s favorite hymns, including “I’m Bound For The Promised Land,” which opens up with the narrator standing on the bank of the Jordan River

“On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
and cast a wishful eye
to Canaan’s fair and happy land,
where my possessions lie.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.”

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