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NEWS &
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FEATURES |
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HARVEST
CRUSADE REACHES FOUR MILLION ON HISTORIC
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The Harvest Crusades
made history Sunday night, breaking the 4 million mark
of persons reached.
Some 50,000 people filled Angel Stadium in Anaheim,
Calif., to capacity to hear evangelist Greg Laurie talk
about heaven and to celebrate the ministry’s 20th year
of crusade evangelism in Southern California.
Another 5,000 were turned away at the gate. “You know,
people have asked me what has been the highlight of the
Harvest Crusades for me over the last 20 years,” Laurie
said as he addressed an enthusiastic crowd. “I’ve
recounted some experiences ... but I have to amend that.
I would say tonight is the highlight for me ... because
tonight we just broke our record. “We have reached in
person ... 4 million people.”
Along with the large attendance at the stadium,
thousands more joined the crusade on the Internet and on
their iPhones. This was the first time live streaming
was available for iPhone and iPod Touch users.
It was the final night of the three-day Harvest Crusade
which, for the first time, packed the stadium two nights
in a row. And for Laurie, it was like “a slice of
heaven.”
“This is just a preview of things to come,” the
well-known evangelist, dressed in his signature black
button-up sh irt, said.
Joining Laurie on stage on the special night were his
family and Pastors Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel and
Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. “I don’t know why you
think you came here tonight, but you’re not here by
accident,” Warren, bestselling author of The Purpose
Driven Life, said in a familiar statement. “A thousand
years before you were born, God knew you would be here
tonight.”
More than 4,500 people made decisions for Christ on
Sunday, bringing the total number of professions over
the three nights to 11,969 and over the last two decades
to 329,572. “What can I say? To God be the glory,”
Laurie said. “This is the power of the Gospel. This
should encourage us all to never be ashamed of the
Gospel or embarrassed about our faith. These are people
that are ready to believe, people that want to know the
answer.”
After 20 consecutive years of preaching the Gospel in a
large venue in Southern California, Laurie explained
that continues to hold the crusades because he is a man
under order.
“I have a Commander-in-Chief called Jesus,” he recently
wrote in a devotional. “He has commanded me to go into
all the world and preach the Gospel.” “We have the
solution to humanity’s problems,” he added. “We have the
way for people to know God. If we only apply that in our
own lives and keep it to ourselves and never tell
others, then certainly that is falling short of what God
would want.”
On Sunday, the long-time evangelist told people how to
get to heaven and what heaven will be like.
Heaven, he assured, is a real place for real people.
It’s a prepared place for prepared people, he added.
“Why would we reject a gift like eternal life? It’s the
only gift that keeps on giving.” Making sure he told the
complete story, Laurie also reminded listeners that
there is also a hell. “God doesn’t send people to hell.
If you end up in hell you’ll have no one to blame but
yourself. The last thing God wants is for you to spend
eternity separated from Him.”
Encouraging the thousands to make their life count,
Laurie invited them to choose spending eternity with
Jesus. The anniversary event concluded with a fireworks
show and worship led by Chris Tomlin. In total, 126,000
people attended the historic crusade.
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This page
is updated on Sep 18, 2009 |
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PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY
10 YEARS CELEBRATION
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