More than 45,000 people packed Angel Stadium on Saturday night for the annual Harvest Crusade, an evangelistic event led by pastor Greg Laurie, with another 200,000 tuning in online and over 500 radio stations broadcasting live across the U.S.
The July 19 event featured prominent Christian artists Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe Carnes, Chris Tomlin, Brooke Ligertwood, and We The Kingdom. A highlight of the evening came when the crowd joined in singing “The Blessing” with Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, a moment Laurie called “truly a taste of Heaven” in a social media post.
In what organizers described as one of the largest responses in the 35-year history of the Harvest Crusades, more than 6,500 people made professions of faith in Jesus Christ. So many individuals came forward during the invitation to follow Christ that the fire marshal was forced to stop the flow of people onto the stadium field, Laurie shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“We prayed this would be one of the greatest Harvest Crusades in our history—and God did exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think,” Laurie posted, paraphrasing from the Bible. He called the moment when he led the crowd in what is often called “the sinner’s prayer” a “holy moment” as thousands filled the aisles.
Founded in the late 1980s, Harvest Crusades are large-scale evangelistic events aimed at bringing together local churches and communities to hear the Christian gospel. Over the years, the events have drawn millions to major venues including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and AT&T Stadium in Texas, and have reached international audiences in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, has led the ministry since its earliest days, growing it from a small Bible study to a congregation of around 15,000 across California and Maui. His ministry extends through nationally syndicated radio and television programs, and he has become one of the most visible evangelistic figures in the U.S.
Reflecting on the Anaheim gathering, Laurie encouraged prayers for the thousands who responded to the gospel invitation, expressing hope they would be “seed planted on good ground” and grow strong in their faith. He recalled a similar overflow response years ago at a Harvest event at Dodger Stadium, noting that Saturday’s turnout marked a historic first for Angel Stadium.
