A total of 12,000 people were recently baptized over two days in California in what is being called the nation's largest baptism event to date.
"You can smell another Great Awakening in the air like rain before it hits," Pastor Mark Francey, founder of the event, shared in an interview with CBN. "God lit a match yesterday! If God can do this in the church in California, it can — and it will — happen in the rest of America!"
The event was called 'Baptize California' and was held on May 18 and 19. The biggest service happened at Huntington Beach where 6,000 people were baptized, many in the ocean.
Across the state, a host of other churches also participated and collectively baptized an additional 6,000 people.
Pastor Francey leads Oceans Church in California. Last year he hosted the event 'Baptize SoCal' which led to 4,200 people being baptized. The event held in 2023 was at the infamous Pirate's Cove, the same place many were baptized during The Jesus Movement in the 60s and 70s, portrayed in the recent film The Jesus Revolution.
"My wife, Rachelle, and I could hardly sleep thinking about how God could be so kind to let us be a part of the largest baptism in the history of America," Francey said. "We are proof that God really can use anybody."
The event lasted over 5 hours and included an evening concert on the beach.
"We saw hearts healed, lives changed, and many souls committing themselves to Christ, and getting baptized," says Rachelle, Francey's wife, on Instagram. "This is a testament to God’s enduring love for California and His unyielding desire to see His people renewed and restored."