Thousands of people from hundreds of churches across California publicly declared their faith through the waters of baptism on Pentecost Sunday, the day on which we celebrate Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit to us. Rachelle Francey, co-pastor of Oceans Church who hosted the campaign, said that they saw “hearts healed, lives changed and many souls committing themselves to Christ”, demonstrating undeniably that the gift of the Holy Spirit is still present and working in the world today.
During 18th – 19th May 2024, 6,000 people were baptised at Huntingdon Beach and a further 6,000 at participating churches across the state, united as one body of Christ despite coming from a range of denominations and traditions. This event from Baptize California is a follow-up from last year’s event which saw more than 4,000 people baptised at Pirate’s Cove, California. And they are already planning and praying for thousands more lives to be transformed in 2025.
Since the pandemic, over 80% of the Gen-Z in America feel lonely and isolated, and this has led to a search for something bigger than themselves, in which they can find a community and a purpose. This has seen many turning to Christianity, and massive worship events have been cropping up on college campuses. In the University of Tennessee, for example, over 8,000 students gathered to worship Jesus earlier this month, with hundreds giving their life to Christ for the first time.
These exciting events highlight that is a revival happening – people are finding Jesus Christ and recognising him as the way, the truth and the life. While there are so many other ways of life around us, so much temptation to live in ways not pleasing to the Lord, and so many things trying to convince us to be selfish, greedy and lustful, we can see that Christianity is providing a light in this darkness.
See more about this incredible event here: 12,000 people take the biblical plunge in the largest baptism in US history
