Ninety-two people stood on a beach in the south of England and publicly declared their love for Jesus Christ by getting baptized en masse at an event witnessed by hundreds.
Five churches from Bournemouth in the county of Dorset were involved in the baptism event, which started at 9:30 a.m. near the Grade II-listed Boscombe Pier on the town’s seafront Sunday, July 13.
The event, which included hymns, testimonies, picnics and celebratory baptisms in the sea, attracted media interest from secular outlets such as the BBC and the local Bournemouth Echo.
The five churches organizing the mass baptisms on Bournemouth seafront were Bournemouth Community Church; Catch the Fire Church; Lansdowne Church; Coastline Vineyard Church and Lovechurch.
Rev. Mike Smailes, Associate Minister for Lansdowne Church, told Christian Daily International that the baptism event was witnessed by countless people.
“On a bright sunny Sunday morning, amongst the thousands filling the seven-mile stretch of beach in Bournemouth, 1,300 gathered right among them, from five Bournemouth churches to worship together and witness the baptisms of 92 new believers,” Smailes said.
“An incredible experience. Christians uniting from different churches and backgrounds. Confidently showing that Jesus Christ is Lord. The gospel remains the hope of the world and the local church here is declaring it loudly!
“God is adding to our churches those he’s saving from every community. Everyone sensed it, this was something very special. May the Lord now strengthen us all with greater boldness to live and speak for him.”
A number of testimonies from those getting baptised were recorded on the Bournemouth Church Collective website beforehand, representing the five churches involved.
Hope, identified only by her first name, was raised in a Christian home. However, “the world appeared more attractive to me” and she looked for her identity away from the Christian faith, “which led me to a life of fear, anxiety, seeking validation in romantic relationships, getting drunk at every social event, not dressing modestly, swearing, and gossiping."
Following the world brought her nothing but disappointment, however. Yet, she did not take “any action to make real changes in my life.”
Then an friend invited her to an online Zoom Bible study and she learned about who God really is. She accompanied her friend on a holiday to Paris and felt inspired watching her devotion to Jesus through waking up early to worship, study the Bible and pray, despite the uncertainty of being unemployed.
“Over the span of a year, I was worshipping and praying to the Lord, asking Him to bring me closer to Him, to teach me how to pray, how to trust Him, how to build a relationship with Him, and let go of my identity in my job title,” recalled Hope, adding that her moment of salvation came on Nov. 5, 2024.
“I was alone listening to worship music in my room with my Bible open and felt the Lord reaching me, calling me to repent, ask for forgiveness, surrender to Him and make it known to my family and friends.”
Despite her own unemployment, Hope, declaring her yearning to be baptised and leave her old life behind, knew that “even when I am doing absolutely nothing, I am loved and chosen. My identity is solely in Him. The Lord has given me an unexplainable peace.”
Another baptism testimony on the website is that of former atheist Jack, again only identified by first name, who believed Christianity was a “bunch of nonsensical fairy tales combined into one large book to make people feel better about life.”
However, he hit rock bottom a few months ago after leaving employment and spent time with an old friend, “a very intelligent man” who was a Christian.
“I immediately mocked him and called it a fairy tale, which I have since apologized for,” said Jack.
“However, after our conversation, I began to think: ‘We have so much in common and are on the same wavelength about most things—maybe he's onto something.’”
The next night, the two men watched Hollywood producer and actor Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ" together.
“The movie affected me deeply. I was unaware of the torment and torture Jesus of Nazareth endured simply for preaching about the Lord. He was flogged, mocked, and tortured in some of the most brutal ways—something I had never truly considered before.”
By the end of the film, Jack found a “newfound respect” for Jesus and began researching the claims of Christianity seriously.
“Over the following weeks, it was all I could think about. I learned there is undeniable historical evidence for Jesus’ existence. In fact, the data shows He is one of the most written-about figures from that time period. We have ten times more historical documents about Jesus Christ than we do about Tiberius, the Roman emperor at the time.
“As I dug deeper, I not only discovered compelling historical evidence but also encountered the profound truth of who Jesus is. Jesus is God in the flesh. He died once for all to pay the penalty for sin—but only for those who repent and believe. He rose again from the dead, and He’s alive today, ruling and reigning over all creation. He is coming again to judge the living and the dead.
“By the end of my research, it was undeniable to me: Jesus is who He said He is. I had become a Christian and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My life has never been the same since.”
Jack has since found an empowerment to be free of drinking alcohol excessively and leaving addictions behind.
“Despite years of mockery, Jesus has saved me and changed my life.” he added.
More testimonies from the 92 people baptised are available here.
