Baptize America is sweeping through the country…
By Jennifer Rae Vliet
Joy’s pink glittery painted toes gripped the warm Southern California sand with excitement as she received her metal wristband to participate in Baptize California in Huntington Beach on Saturday, May 18th. “I have always been “Christian”, lukewarm though. I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus, yet I knew who He was”, Miss Maris continues, “Chapel is every week at school which has helped me get closer to Him and a close friend and I had wanted to get baptized for a couple of years now…my mom heard about this opportunity, and I knew it was time and jumped at the opportunity!”.
And Joy did just that with a massive water baptism event just next to the Huntington Beach Pier. BaptizeAmerica.com is the organization that recently hosted Baptize California. Their site tagline states that this movement is “America’s largest synchronized baptism” and as they move across the states from California to Florida, there are thousands and thousands of people just like Joy taking this step in their relationship with God.
As Faithwire reported mid-May, “A massive gathering of Christians across California this weekend reportedly broke a record when participants collectively held what could be the nation’s largest-ever baptism. Baptize California, an event that unfolded Saturday and Sunday at various locations throughout the Golden State, saw a historic number of people immersed at individual churches and during a main-stage event at Huntington Beach. The two-day extravaganza, showcasing countless examples of life change and spiritual renewal, featured speakers, worship music from leaders like Sean Feucht, and more. According to preliminary numbers, there were over 6,000 people baptized at the Huntington Beach location, alone, with an additional 6,000 people immersed in churches across the state. Pastor Mark Francey, who founded the event, told CBN News on Monday. “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!”
Water baptism is a very beautiful part of scripture and commanded by God. Matthew 28:18-20 says: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Joy Maris is 15 and a half and a high school freshman in SOCAL now and I have had the pleasure of knowing her personally. I was hired to be her piano teacher and vocal coach when she was just 9. She is such a talented, musical, and uniquely artistic young woman and one of the kindest souls. And yes, her name is fitting…there is this somehow peaceful and comforting to be around type of joy that lives within her of the old soul kind. It was very special for me to spend some time with her last week connecting about her experience of being baptized in the Pacific Ocean and all that it meant for her spiritually.
I asked her to share how she felt at that moment…“At first, I was shocked because it happened so fast. Then I walked toward my parents (and her Grandma Toni) and it was very emotional for me; I actually felt like a weight was lifted off of me and somehow didn’t feel stressed out. I saw my family and it tugged on my heart”. Joy told me that there also were volunteers waiting to pray with each of those who had just experienced their water baptism.
What a sweet experience and The Plain Truth wishes you all of the best, Joy! We thank you for sharing such a special and personal moment with us.
