2,552 Baptized in the Atlantic Ocean at Jacksonville Beach Event

The Church of Eleven22 baptized 2,552 people in the Atlantic Ocean during its annual Beach Baptism event at Hanna Park in Jacksonville, Florida, in May 2026.

About 14,000 people attended the gathering, including church members, family, and supporters who came to witness the baptisms. The number has grown each year, up from 1,600 in 2024 and roughly 2,000 in 2025.

One widely shared moment from the event involved a shuttle bus driver who had been transporting attendees to the beach all day. After watching the baptisms, he decided to walk into the ocean himself.

Pastor Joby Martin, who founded the church in 2012, said the event shows the gospel is "still changing lives today" and that the "Spirit of God is on the move."

The church describes baptism as an outward sign of an inward spiritual reality, not the act of salvation itself. Video of the long lines of participants entering the ocean spread widely on social media after the event.

The gathering has drawn national attention as part of a broader conversation about spiritual revival in the United States.