Over the weekend and on Pentecost Sunday (May 19), more than 12,000 people were baptized across the state of California through a movement called “Baptize California.”
According to its website, Baptize California is a “statewide movement of water baptisms on Pentecost Sunday, 2024. It unites local churches under a part of theology we can all agree on, which is the public profession of faith through water baptism.”
Pentecost Sunday commemorates when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the church in Acts 2:1-4. The day is recognized in many Christian churches throughout the world.
Baptize California’s Mark Francey, who is also the pastor at Oceans Church in Irvine, California, told CBN News Digital’s Billy Hallowell earlier this month that he is excited about uniting churches in California.
“There will be hundreds of hosting churches with some of the largest churches in the state, from Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and everyone in between” uniting for the event, Francey said.
Among the churches that participated were Saddleback Church, Sandals Church, Zoe Church, Restoration Life Church, Higher Vision Church, and VIVE Church.
Bethel Music, Martin Smith (Delirious?), SEU Worship, Bodie (“The Voice” Season 22), ISLY, Bryan and Kate Torwalt, Circuit Riders, Ryan Ellis, Cecily, Ocean’s Music, Alexander Pappas, and Sean Feucht (Let Us Worship) performed at a two-day event, which took place at Huntington Beach.
“What a historic weekend for our state and our nation,” Feucht told ChurchLeaders. “Yesterday, I was a part of the largest synchronized baptism recorded in the history of the world.”
“We had over 12,000 people. The numbers are still coming in,” he added. “But over 12,000 verified people baptized on the same day in the same state—over 6,000 in Huntington Beach where I was.”
“We’ve seen the ‘Jesus Revolution,’ we’ve heard of Azusa Street, but this is another wave,” Feucht said.
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