Five weeks ago I wrote about 170 people baptized in the sea at Bigbury-on-Sea. I said the ask mattered more than the reach. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the ask went north. Pastor Dave Sylvester says 550 people were baptized at Bridlington South Beach in East Yorkshire, a number Bible College students logged with mechanical counters.
A local church put it on its calendar first. Calvary Chapel York listed it plainly: "10th October 2:00pm: Baptism at Bridlington South Beach."
Article Summary
- 550 baptized at Bridlington South Beach on Oct. 10. Pastor Dave Sylvester says a couple of Bible College students logged that number with mechanical counters. CBN News and Premier Christian News reported the same figure.
- Calvary Chapel York listed the baptism on its church calendar. Calvary Chapel Magazine reported it would be hosted by Pastor Dave Sylvester.
- The same team as Bigbury: Merlin Kraft of BibleLadUK, with Calvary Chapel pastors behind him.
- The next step is church. Kraft's own message after the beach: "Find your church family. Get stuck into God's Word."
A church calendar, then a beach
Calvary Chapel York began as a home group under Pastor Dave Sylvester in 1996. Its building is also home to the Calvary Chapel Bible College in the UK. On its homepage, between a Spanish Gathering and a men's retreat, sat one line about the beach.
Calvary Chapel Magazine reported the plan on Oct. 5, after Bigbury:
The next planned baptism, for people responding to Merlin's posts on BibleLadUK, will occur on October 10, hosted by Pastor Dave Sylvester of Calvary Chapel York, England.
Calvary Chapel Magazine, Delaney Kent
That is the part I want churches to see. A church put a baptism on the same page as its Sunday service times. People who came knew where to find the church afterward.
On X, @BibleLadUK posted:
🇬🇧✝️ THE NORTH IS READY!
@BibleLadUK (Oct. 9, 2026)
Just ONE DAY until the mass baptism at Bridlington South Beach! 🌊
People are travelling from across Britain to publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow's going to be something special, Lord willing!
WHO'S COMING? 👇
#JesusChrist
🇬🇧✝️ THE NORTH IS READY! Just ONE DAY until the mass baptism at Bridlington South Beach! 🌊 People are travelling from across Britain to publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. Tomorrow's going to be something special, Lord willing! WHO'S COMING? 👇 #JesusChrist
@BibleLadUK (Oct. 9, 2026) https://x.com/BibleLadUK/status/2108453674473115957
550 in the North Sea
Pastor Dave Sylvester of Calvary Chapel York told WWJD on Oct. 28 that the number 550 was recorded by a couple of Bible College students using mechanical counters. He joked that a double-click could leave the tally slightly off. CBN News and Premier Christian News had already reported that same figure.
He said what stayed with him was the overall sense of the presence of the Lord, doing something that He alone could get credit for. He also wrote this, and said I was free to use it:
Better is one line of prayer in His courts, than 1000's of posts elsewhere!
Pastor Dave Sylvester, Calvary Chapel York (email to WWJD, Oct. 28, 2026)
Premier Christian News reported that participants queued to enter the water. In a video, Kraft was asked whether it could be the UK's biggest mass baptism.
I think this is going to be the UK's biggest baptism. At least the biggest one we've seen in recent years. Praise God. They have turned up today.
Merlin Kraft, BibleLadUK (Premier Christian News)
Right after, he told CBN News:
Honestly, I'm just lost for words. God turned up today and so did the people of North England.
Merlin Kraft (CBN News)
The next day he was still processing it:
I genuinely cannot believe what God just did yesterday. I'm still trying to get my head around what actually happened, and my arm is absolutely killing me! But what happened on Bridlington beach was just unbelievable.
Merlin Kraft (CBN News)
From Bigbury to Bridlington
At Bigbury, the church planned for about 60 people and fed everyone who came. Read our Bigbury story. Pastor Kenny Pope of Calvary Chapel Plymouth told Calvary Chapel Magazine what they handed out:
We purchased 100 Bibles, printed 100 New Believer Studies to hand out all that came. We also gave out a list of all the Calvary Chapels in the UK.
Pastor Kenny Pope, Calvary Chapel Plymouth (Calvary Chapel Magazine)
This was never about numbers, this was about people understanding what baptism is all about.
Pastor Kenny Pope (Calvary Chapel Magazine)
Pastor Kenny is the one who sent me the Bridlington link. Kraft is a home group leader at Calvary Chapel Plymouth, and the ask that started on his phone now has churches at both ends of England saying yes.
PRO TIP If you are planning a public baptism, put it on your church calendar next to your Sunday service. Have Bibles, a short new-believer study, and a list of nearby churches ready on the sand.
Baptism is just the beginning
Kraft has been saying it himself since Saturday. He told CBN News he is hearing from people "all over Britain who are opening Bibles and asking questions and looking for hope in Jesus Christ. And I think lots of churches are seeing it too."
On X, @BibleLadUK posted:
🇬🇧✝️ CHRISTIANS WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAND ALONE!
@BibleLadUK (Oct. 13, 2026)
If we're going to grow strong and bold in Jesus Christ, we NEED each other!
550 baptised at Bridlington, but baptism is just the beginning!
Find your church family. Get stuck into God's Word.
IRON SHARPENS IRON! 🔥✝️
🇬🇧✝️ CHRISTIANS WERE NEVER MEANT TO STAND ALONE! If we're going to grow strong and bold in Jesus Christ, we NEED each other! 550 baptised at Bridlington, but baptism is just the beginning! Find your church family. Get stuck into God's Word. IRON SHARPENS IRON! 🔥✝️
@BibleLadUK (Oct. 13, 2026) https://x.com/BibleLadUK/status/2109887127391498530
There's a real harvest out there. Trust me, we're going around the country with this. This isn't stopping soon.
Merlin Kraft (CBN News)
Jesus said baptize, then teach (Matthew 28:19-20). If you were in the water at Bridlington, find a local church this week. Between Sundays, the WWJD.COM SuperApp has Scripture, prayer, and devotionals in 30+ languages to help you keep growing.
PRO TIP Read Acts 2:41-42 this week. Three thousand were baptized, and the next verse says they kept on in the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.
Pray for Pastor Dave Sylvester and Calvary Chapel York, for Pastor Kenny Pope, for Merlin Kraft, and for the 550.
After the beach
Baptism is just the beginning. The next step is a church.
- Read: CBN News, Premier Christian News, and Calvary Chapel Magazine.
- Plan: Put a public baptism on the church calendar next to Sunday service. Have Bibles, a short new-believer study, and a list of nearby churches ready.
- Find a church: If you were in the water at Bridlington, find a local church this week and get into God's Word.
- Read Acts 2:41-42: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.
- Pray for Pastor Dave Sylvester and Calvary Chapel York, for Pastor Kenny Pope, for Merlin Kraft, and for the 550.
FAQ
How many were baptized at Bridlington?
550. Pastor Dave Sylvester of Calvary Chapel York told WWJD on Oct. 28 that a couple of Bible College students recorded it with mechanical counters. He joked that a double-click could leave the tally slightly off. CBN News and Premier Christian News reported the same figure.
When and where?
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at Bridlington South Beach, East Yorkshire. Calvary Chapel York listed it for 2:00pm.
Who hosted it?
Calvary Chapel Magazine reported Pastor Dave Sylvester of Calvary Chapel York would host, for people responding to Merlin Kraft's BibleLadUK posts.
Is this connected to Bigbury?
Yes. Same organizer, five weeks later. Bigbury baptized 170 on Sept. 5. Read our Bigbury story.
I was baptized. What now?
Find a local church, get into God's Word, and stay close to other believers.
Sources
- CBN News: 'I Still Can't Believe What God Did!' 550 Baptized in Freezing Waters of England
- Premier Christian News, Martin Hart, Oct. 12, 2026
- Calvary Chapel York homepage
- Pastor Dave Sylvester, Calvary Chapel York, email to WWJD, Oct. 28, 2026
- Calvary Chapel Magazine, Delaney Kent, Oct. 5, 2026
- BibleLadUK on X: the North is ready
- BibleLadUK on X: baptism is just the beginning
- BibleLadUK on X
- YouTube: BibleLadUK, 550 Baptised in Bridlington
- YouTube: CBN News, 550 baptized in freezing waters of England
- YouTube: BibleLadUK, now find a church
- BibleLadUK on YouTube
- WWJD News: 170 UK ocean baptisms started with one social post
- WWJD.COM: Faith Is Rising
- WWJD.COM: Statement of Faith
Ask the Question - Live the Answer
