The largest water baptism in American history just happened in the Pacific Ocean

Mass baptisms are now popular

If you grew up attending a Southern Baptist Church, you might have sung or heard others sing, "Take me to the water, take me to the water, take me to the water, to be baptized." This verse is sung repeatedly until a baptismal candidate emerges from the water. So"metimes the second verse would be sung. "None but the righteous, none but the righteous, none but the righteous shall see God"

Today, modern churches have indoor baptismal pools behind the pulpit area, and some have portable pools that can be used from location to location.

Creeks and rivers were once used

My mother and those of her generation were baptized in local rivers and creeks. My cousins and I had to travel from our county church to a neighboring city because our facility did not have a baptismal pool. When a new church was erected in 1979, the baptismal was added.

Most of the people I ever saw baptized at one time were about nine or ten during an afternoon church service in Virginia. In 2024, more than 1600 people were baptized in the Atlantic Ocean, and this past weekend, a similar event on a grander scale took place on the West Coast.

Baptism history has been made

On Saturday, May 2, 2025, history was made when more than 7,750 people were baptized in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Huntington Beach, California. Event organizers say this was the largest single-day baptism in American history.

Pastor Mark Francey led the mass baptism, sponsored by Ocean Church. It was dubbed "Baptize California," and approximately 30,000 people from more than 300 churches across the state were in attendance. The participants who publicly professed their faith through baptisms were of all ages. They were baptized in portable baptisteries on the beach or the ocean.

Celebrating Pentecost

This was the second year of the mass baptism, which drew 6,000 in 2024. The next sponsored event will be held on June 8, which falls on Pentecost Sunday. In the Christian tradition, this commemorates the Holy Spirit's descent upon the apostles 50 days after Jesus's resurrection.

This was the day they began speaking in tongues, and Pentecost is observed in some modern churches. Organizers believe the timing is symbolic and strategic, pointing to revival and national spiritual renewal.

seen by organizersize America," the initiative aims to unite thousands of churches across the U as a spiritual catalyst for an even larger national event planned for next month. Called "Baptise the United States in what is described as "the largest synchronized baptism in history."

The mass baptism is expected to bring unity

The Baptize America campaign aims to unite churches from diverse backgrounds around the public confession of faith through water baptism. The organization's website states, "This is not about any single church. It's about churches across the nation united, pursuing the fulfillment of the Great Commission."

Among those baptized Saturday was a 71-year-old woman named Joanne, who shared that she had thought about being baptized for four decades and only now decided to follow through.

Will mass baptisms spread or remain in the Pacific Ocean?

The organizers hope mass baptisms will spread from California to other states in the US. Some Christian leaders say baptizing large groups of people and sending them off without instruction on joining a local church is not beneficial. Still, there is a Bible story that suggests otherwise.

Acts chapter eight tells of Philip, who baptized an Ethiopian, and they both went their separate ways. In those days, there were no church buildings. The Gospel was spread by word of mouth from town to town. Jewish history says the Ethiopian shared his news with others in his native land. Time will tell if this will remain an annual California tradition or spread across the US.