Harvest Crusade 2024 News Updates | Crusades

Event Summary

Angel Stadium in Anaheim was the site of praise, worship and hope on Saturday night, during the annual Harvest Crusade on July 20.

The large-scale evangelical event, an annual festival bringing together thousands from around the state for prayer and renewal, is hosted by Harvest Christian Fellowship church Pastor Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries.

The free evening featured Christian musicians Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Brooke Ligertwood and Harvest Worship. Laurie gave a hopeful sermon and encouraged listeners to “be a part of the Harvest” by sharing the gospel message of Christ.

Harvest Crusade marks the continuation of a beloved Christian tradition that has inspired millions since its inception, organizers said.

The community prayer and worship nights first began in 1990. During the coronavirus pandemic, it was adapted into an evangelistic cinematic film streamed online.

Last year’s event was held across the street at the Honda Center for the first time…

“Whether you’re seeking, doubting or suffering, the Harvest Crusade is a place to find people who love you and to discover how Jesus can change everything for you,” organizers said.

Source: The Orange County Register

Dennis Quaid’s Appearance

“I’m a Christian.”

That’s the proclamation actor Dennis Quaid uttered from the Harvest Crusade stage Saturday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, as he stood alongside celebrated preacher Greg Laurie.

Quaid and Laurie proceeded to discuss the actor’s career and faith journey in front of the packed audience.

“The most important thing is to be authentic,” Quaid told the audience. “I’m a Christian. That’s who I am. … I have a personal relationship with [Jesus].”

The Reagan star admitted it took him a “long time to figure out” his Christian journey and said it’s still a journey in progress as he learns and grows.

“I could feel right now in this big stadium—can’t you feel the Holy Spirit right here, right now?” Quaid continued.

Laurie specifically asked the actor about his role in I Can Only Imagine, a 2018 biopic about Bart Millard, lead singer of Mercy Me. Quaid portrays Millard’s late father, who was abusive before finding Christ and reconciling with his son.

While Laurie said he believes Quaid should have been nominated for an Academy Award for the role, Quaid said he has received so much positivity for the role—and that these positive reactions were enough.

“I got all the accolades I needed for that. … that’s the accolades that I really love,” Quaid said. “I can see it in people’s eyes. I can feel it in their hearts.”

Watch his comments:

 

As CBN News previously reported, Quaid portrays the late President Ronald Reagan in the new feature film, Reagan, releasing nationwide Aug. 30, 2024.

The actor shared his long journey to portraying America’s 40th president.

“I was offered this movie six years ago … and I did not say, ‘Yes,’ at first, because, tell you the truth, it kind of scared me to death,” Quaid said. “Reagan is … like Muhammad Ali, one of the most recognizable people in the world. … He was my favorite president. I voted for him.”

The complexity of playing such a known individual—someone with whom the public has both memory and reverence—is tough. But Quaid eventually capitulated and took the role.

“This fear went down my spine, and usually that fear is a sign that I should … get out of my comfort zone,” he said. “I had two years to really prepare for the role.”

With the film coming out during the 2024 election cycle—one that is already historic in more ways than one—Quaid encouraged Americans to come together, even amid so much divisiveness.

“We’ve got to get to a place in this country where we could talk to each other across the aisle … because we need each other,” he said. “Republicans, Democrats, we need each other. We keep each other from going out too far this way or that, and we’re all Americans.”

Source: Faithwire/CBN

The Numbers and Greg Laurie’s Comments

Approximately 5,000 people prayed to receive Christ during an overflowing Harvest Crusade evangelistic event Saturday in the greater Los Angeles area that pastor Greg Laurie attributed to a widespread hunger for God. Organizers said the Harvest Crusade at Anaheim’s Angel Stadium drew a capacity crowd of 50,000 people. 3,500 individuals accepted Christ in person, and another 1,500 did so online. The online stream had 200,000 viewers. Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, and Brooke Ligertwood sang.  

Angel Stadium is home to professional baseball’s Los Angeles Angels. 

“It was absolutely packed out—50,000 people filled Angel Stadium,” Laurie said. “In fact, the fire marshals locked the doors, finally, because no one else could fit in. 

“But what I love is that people stayed outside of the gates and joined us in worship. …There was such an energy and such an excitement in that space as thousands of us worshiped together as if with one voice.”

When Laurie’s sermon followed, the invitation was given, and thousands walked to the field to talk to a counselor. 

“We’re just giving God the glory for what he did,” Laurie said. 

Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, said he has a few theories for why this year’s crusade was so “powerful and effective.”

“I think maybe it’s a combination of events going on. I think that what’s happening in our nation, so much instability; we see what’s going on in the political world, an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. And now President Biden has just announced that he’s dropping out of the race,” Laurie said. 

There is instability throughout the world, too, he added. 

“And then there’s just that general hunger for God,” he said. 

“People love to write California off. I’ve jokingly said that the number one export of California is Californians moving out, but a lot of new people are coming in. What’s so exciting is when we do these events, people of every background attend and come to Christ—old people, young people, white people, black people, Hispanic people, Asian people.

“It just seems like it’s a cross-section of the world attending these crusades,” he said. “We just want to thank God [and] give Him the glory.”

Source: Crosswalk