‘The Spirit of God Is on the Move’: FL Church Baptizes Nearly 2,000 at Beach

Nearly 2,000 people lined the shores of a small Florida beach earlier this week to publicly proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Church of Eleven22 baptized 1,958 people on the shores of Hanna Park Beach in Jacksonville, FL Sunday. 

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“1,958 members of our church family went public with their faith today and got baptized! Every year Beach Baptism somehow gets better and better and we could not be more in awe of the goodness of God,” reads a caption from The Church of Eleven22. 

Hundreds more lined the shore in support of loved ones giving their “yes” to Jesus. 

Church organizers told CBN News that participants traveled from across the country including from neighboring areas of Florida and southeast Georgia to take part of the annual event. 

“We are a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Today, we celebrated 1,958 people proclaiming Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It doesn’t get much better than that! The church is alive and well, the Spirit of God is on the move, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is still changing lives as it has for thousands of years,” said Pastor Joby Martin, lead pastor of The Church of Eleven22.

For the last decade, the church has been hosting an annual beach baptism and each year the event has grown in size.  As CBN News reported, more than 1,600 people were baptized at the same site last year. 

“It’s a great reminder that the church is not dead, and neither is God. He is moving amongst his people all over the world and we’re all just swept up in His work. It’s a gift to be a part of it all,” Jay Owen, a spokesperson with the Church of Eleven22, told us at the time. 

Those who attended the event are thanking God for what took place. 

“Privilege to be there and celebrate with everyone,” one person commented on Facebook. 

“A million little miracles…what an amazing day,” another person shared on Instagram. 

“My fourth year coming to Beach Baptism and every year is so powerful and amazing! Praise God,” shared social media user Jeanette Marsh. 

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