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A sold-out crowd of 19,000 crowded the American Airlines Center Aug. 5 for the third-annual Harvest America event, which featured live music from Christian artists MercyMe, For King & Country, and Phil Wickham and a gospel presentation by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California. Another 3,900 venues across the country hosted the live simulcast.
This year, Laurie surprised some by stating that he believes all roads lead to God. He followed that up, however, with an important caveat.
“I don’t care if you’re a believer, agnostic or an atheist. I believe whatever road you’re on, you will get to God one day and you will stand before God one day,” Laurie said. “All roads lead to God. But only one road leads to heaven, and that’s the road through Jesus Christ.”
While final numbers are not yet reported from all of the venues, the visible response to the gospel at American Airlines Center was significant as hundreds flowed down the aisles to respond to the message preached by Laurie.
Local churches were asked to participate in this year’s event in a number of ways. In addition to promoting the event in their communities, volunteers from local churches were given the opportunity to visit the Harvest America website in the days preceding the crusade and sign up for various service opportunities, from ushering to working as decision counselors.
Stuart Pendell, minister of couples and assimilation at North Richland Hills Baptist Church, helped coordinate details for his church’s participation in Harvest America.
“We were able to go on the website and choose which areas to serve in, and then our people could select the exact area where they wanted to be involved. Then Harvest America did all the training,” he said. “The great thing is that everyone was utilized, all of our ushers and greeters. Everyone was involved.”
Prestonwood Baptist Church has served as a simulcast venue for Harvest America in the past and provided significant local ground support for this year’s Harvest America. According to executive pastor Mike Buster, in addition to providing 118 of the 268 ushers for the event, two of their laypeople coordinated the prayer ministry that prayed during Harvest. More than 100 church members and staff were on hand to serve as decision counselors both in the venue and among overflow crowds outside.
“I’m so grateful for the way our church family truly engaged in Harvest America in the weeks leading up to it and on the evening of the crusade,” pastor Jack Graham said. “We were blessed to witness the fruits of our labor as hundreds of people streamed toward the stage at American Airlines Center to accept Christ as their Savior. To God be the glory!”
Pendell stated that his church is looking forward to being even more involved next year as Harvest America plans to host its 2015 event at Globe Life Park in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers.
Harvest America held its first nationwide event two years ago in Southern California, the birthplace of Harvest Ministries, and last year’s event was held in Philadelphia. Between the two, the organization recorded a total of more than 28,000 first-time professions of faith.
For more information on this year’s crusade or to stay updated on next year’s event, visit HarvestAmerica.com.
