On July 19, the Harvest Crusade again filled Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. More than 45,000 people heard a gospel presentation from Pastor Greg Laurie and worshiped with musical artists such as Chris Tomlin.
The turnout and response were so robust that the fire marshal had to intervene twice: once to close the venue gates and later to stop people from walking onto the field during the altar call. Laurie, who said authorities were just doing their job, told attendees, “The good news is you don’t have to be on the field to accept Christ.”
Laurie, lead pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California, later celebrated that 6,500 people made a profession of faith because of the 35th annual event. In addition to the 45,000 in-person attendees, another 200,000 people watched the Harvest Crusade via livestream.
35th Annual Harvest Crusade Draws Huge Response
This is the second consecutive year that the Harvest Crusade—a free event, thanks to ministry donors—filled Angel Stadium. Pastor Greg Laurie said the turnout reminded him of a similar response years ago at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.
During his message, Laurie said, “It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, or if you’re rich or you’re poor. Your life feels like one long scroll, and no matter how far you swipe, you’re still empty inside.” He told seekers, “What you’re looking for isn’t found on a screen or an AI voice. It’s found in a living God who has a plan and a purpose for your life.”
In his recap of the Harvest Crusade, Laurie said a highlight was when the entire stadium joined Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes to sing “The Blessing” at full volume. “It was truly a taste of Heaven,” Laurie recalled. Other worship artists at the event included Brooke Ligertwood and We the Kingdom.
After Laurie issued an invitation to follow Christ, thousands of attendees flooded to the stadium field. In a video clip from the event, the pastor said, “There were people still backed up in the aisles that wanted to come, so we had to put a QR code up, and we’ll send the folks that weren’t able to get on the field the same Bible that we’re giving to the people here.”
