Seth Udinski, FISM News
In the midst of mounting cultural persecution, another event has shown that the church remains victorious.
Last week, FISM News reported that Franklin Graham’s “God Loves You” tour witnessed over 5,000 people come to faith in Jesus Christ. On Oct. 3, another 6,000 people were redeemed by the blood of Jesus, through the SoCal Harvest Festival at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA.
Pastor Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, hosted the event, which was his first in-person crusade in over a year due to the pandemic. Roughly 40,000 people attended in-person and an additional 200,000 tuned-in virtually. Christian rock band “For King and Country” and worship artist Phil Wickham lead worship for the event.
Laurie preached on finding true fulfillment in Christ, and the Lord used this to draw over 6,000 sinners to Himself. Laurie said in his message,
The reason so many seek fame is because deep down inside, we have a desire to make our mark and distinguish ourselves. We want our life to count for something. We are seeking significance. The answer is not in fame or more followers on your social media account. The answer is in knowing and following Jesus.
Laurie continued with a call to repentance and faith in Christ. He used the example of Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, who was among the 13 U.S. servicemen killed in the Kabul airport bombing on Aug. 26, to relate the hope that salvation brings. Nikoui had trusted in Christ at a Harvest Festival in 2016, and Laurie officiated Nikouio’s funeral service after his death.
Kareem went to Heaven because he put his faith in Christ. And that’s the hope that the Christian has.
Seeing thousands come to Christ should be an great encouragement for Christians, reminding us that the Word of God does not come back void. The Church is victorious and will be victorious to the end, through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18