U.S. sees surge in baptisms as more Gen Z men embrace faith after pandemic: "They're coming in by the thousands"

The CBS Mornings series, "The State of Spirituality with Lisa Ling," explores unique paths to faith, spirituality and religion in the U.S.

On a warm Sunday afternoon, thousands of people converged on a private cove in Southern California for a spiritual rebirth, part of what organizers call the world's largest synchronized water baptism.

The event, Baptize America, drew participation from more than 650 churches nationwide, with around 30,000 people baptized. The gathering represents a broader trend: A worldwide surge in adults becoming baptized into the Christian faith, particularly among an unlikely demographic: Gen Z men.

"Water baptism is identifying in the death, the burial, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ," said Pastor Mark Francey of Oceans Church, a non-denomination