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Photo courtesy of The Church of Eleven22
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JACKSONVILLE, FL. (May 24, 2026) — More than 2,500 people stepped into the Atlantic Ocean last weekend to publicly profess faith in Jesus Christ during a massive beach baptism hosted by The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida. The event drew an estimated 14,000 attendees to Hanna Park and has become one of the largest public baptism gatherings reported this year in the growing wave of Christian revival news across America.
According to CBN News, 2,552 people were baptized during the church’s annual “Beach Baptism” event. Worshippers gathered along the shoreline for prayer, worship, and baptisms throughout the day as participants publicly declared their commitment to Christ.
The Church of Eleven22, led by Pastor Joby Martin, has seen attendance and baptisms steadily increase over recent years. CBN News reported that nearly 2,000 people were baptized during the same event in 2025, while more than 1,600 participated in 2024.
Defining Moments from the Gathering
- 2,552 people baptized in the Atlantic Ocean
- More than 14,000 attendees gathered at Hanna Park
- Hosted by The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida
- Pastor Joby Martin led the event
- The final baptism reportedly involved one of the shuttle bus drivers
- Event featured worship, prayer, and public testimonies of faith
According to Crosswalk, the church celebrated the event on social media, writing: “2,552 times we heard someone renounce the sins of their past, pledge allegiance to Christ, and proclaim out loud for the whole world to hear that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior!”
“The church is alive and well, the Spirit of God is on the move, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is still changing lives today.” — Pastor Joby Martin
Revival in America Continues to Gain Attention
The Florida beach baptisms are part of a broader pattern of revival gatherings and public professions of faith being reported nationwide. Recent months have seen large-scale baptisms, prayer gatherings, and evangelistic events take place on college campuses, beaches, churches, and public venues across the country.
According to CBN News ,organizers described baptism as “the outward sign of an inward spiritual reality,” emphasizing that participants were publicly identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the most widely shared moments from the event involved a shuttle bus driver who reportedly decided to be baptized after witnessing the day’s events unfold.
“Only God could write a story like that,” the church stated in a social media post cited by multiple outlets.
Prophecy News Watch noted that the growing turnout reflects a spiritual hunger emerging amid cultural uncertainty, particularly among younger believers seeking Biblical Truth and authentic Christian community.
Christian Perspective: Baptism as a Public Witness
From a Christian perspective, baptism represents obedience to Christ and a public testimony of transformed life through faith in Him. Scripture teaches that believers identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection through baptism.
Romans 6:4 states:
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead… we too might walk in newness of life.”
Christians view moments like the Jacksonville baptisms as evidence that God continues drawing people to repentance and faith even during seasons of cultural confusion and spiritual decline. While attendance figures alone do not define revival, many believers see public declarations of faith and renewed hunger for Scripture as encouraging signs of spiritual awakening.
National Attention Surrounds Beach Baptisms
Video footage from the event circulated widely online ,including aerial footage showing long lines of participants entering the Atlantic Ocean to be baptized. The Church of Eleven22 also livestreamed portions of the gathering on YouTube.
Breitbart reported that Turning Point USA’s Rapid Response team shared aerial footage online with the caption, “This is what revival looks like.”
The Church of Eleven22 was founded by Pastor Joby Martin in 2012 and now operates multiple campuses across Florida and Georgia.
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Faith Evans Pearson
Faith Evans Pearson is the AWAKE America Community Manager, progressing the ministry’s mission through creative strategy, social media, digital campaigns, and content—to boldly share the Truth of the Gospel, equip the saints, and encourage believers in the US and abroad.
