A pastor recently celebrated a remarkable event where 1,614 people were baptized on a Florida beach, describing it as an “amazing” demonstration of faith. Pastor Joby Martin, founder and lead pastor of The Church of Eleven22, shared with CBN News that his church hosts a large baptism annually, with 1,100 participants in the 2023 event.
This year’s baptism was even larger, with 50-60 people assisting with the baptisms. Pastor Martin expressed joy, saying, “God saved a lot of people, and those people were obedient to take the next step — to go public with their faith and declare Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.” He highlighted that it wasn’t just the 1,614 people getting baptized that was special, but also the presence of around 10,000 church members celebrating on the beach.
The event felt like a “big family reunion” and a significant celebration for the church. Pastor Martin admitted it was overwhelming to see so much spiritual growth and transformation. He shared his amazement, saying, “I had no idea when I got into ministry that I would get to be a part of anything like this,” and emphasized that he couldn’t take any credit for the success. Since the church was founded in 2012, many have come to Christ, and the church has seen significant growth.
Pastor Martin believes this mass baptism is part of a broader trend of faith and baptisms across America. “It just seems like God is doing a thing amongst his church,” he said. He found it special to celebrate what’s happening locally along with similar events nationwide.
Reflecting on the event, Martin said, “[We are] just overwhelmed with the goodness of God — that God decided to flex and God loves saving people. And it was a pretty surreal moment.”
While some debate whether America is experiencing a revival, Pastor Martin is certain of one thing: “It was revival in those 1,614 individuals’ hearts.” He acknowledged that time will reveal if this is a national movement, but affirmed that God has been “glorified in every individual” who professed faith through baptism.
