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LIVE Interactive Webcast
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HARVEST 2000 - EDISON FIELD
ANAHEIM, CA
Friday, 18 August 2000
This is a text only page, designed to be quickly reloaded
as the crusade evening progresses.
The Crowd gathers
3:30PM - Final phases of setup for harvest 2000 - Anaheim
5:50PM - The gates are about to open for the opening night of Harvest 2000, Anaheim, CA. Tonight's musical
guests will include Crystal Lewis, Big Tent Revival, along with The Harvest Crusade Band.
7:02PM - The gates opened a while ago and the seats are filling with many people. There is excitement in the
air tonight as the opening night will be underway in just a few minutes.
Sing Praises to the Lord!
7:25PM - The Harvest Crusade Band approaches the stage to prepare for tonight's worship. They open with "Let Everything
That Has Breath." The crowd stands to their feet and sings along as they clap to the beat. They follow with "My Redeemer
Lives." The crowd remains standing. Next is "In That Day." Lyrics are..."My heart's burning for that day when I'll see
You face to face. I will see You, I will touch You, You will hold me in that day,"...What awesome words. One can certainly
feel the presence of the Lord in this stadium tonight.
7:45PM - Pastor Chuck Smith welcomes the crowd tonight. Asks the crowd to be in prayer for tonight's event, especially
for the many who are here tonight that do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Chuck introduces Warren Duffy to open
this evening in prayer. Pastor Chuck announces that "Jars of Clay" were unable to make it tonight. The van they were
driving to the airport broke down and they missed their flight. The good news is that instead, they will be here Sunday
night. Pastor Chuck introduces "Big Tent Revival."
7:50PM - "Big Tent" opens with "Livin' off Your Love." Their next song is "Star in the Book." The crowd remains standing
while "Big Tent" sings. Steve Wiggins. lead singer/guitar player shares that this next song is from their friends "ATS (All
Together Separate) - song is called "Live For You." Steve Wiggins asks everyone to say "Hello" to everyone listening on
"Harvest.org" - that's you! Next they follow with "Please Forgive Them."
8:05PM - Pastor Ricky Ryan of CC Santa Barbara announces all the Harvest products at the resource tables outside the
stadium. Pastor Ricky shares about the churches that have supported the Harvest Crusade and also how all the income from
the products sold and offering taken here tonight will pay for this event here tonight. As offering is taken, video is
shown that shows how the money donated will offset the cost of this event, plus further the cause of evangelism here and
elsewhere across the nation. Harvest Crusade Band then sings "He Gave His Everything."
8:11PM - Pastor Chuck Smith introduces "Crystal Lewis" who shares songs from her new album called "Fearless." She opens
with "Only Fools." Crystal asks the entire crowd to stand and sing along with her, "One Man." Crystal shares that she feels
that what God would require of us tonight would be just to listen and to trust God in the face of the unknown. She closes
with "Trust Me."
The Gospel is Preached
8:40PM - Pastor Greg Laurie comes to the podium and welcomes the crowd. He shares that the title of tonight's message
is called "What is a Christian?" taken from the book of 2 Cor. 13:5. He says that George Gallop's poll reports that
the percentage of American's who "Completely agree that prayer is an important part of my daily life" rose from 41%
in 1987 to 53% in 1997. (That's a rise of 12 percentage points!) Those who "completely agree" that they never doubt
the existence of God rose 11 points in the same 10 years. Even more amazing is that 46% of Americans describe themselves
as born again. Pastor Greg shares there is the amazing statistic. 7 out of 8 Americans identify with a Christian
denomination, says a highly publicized study released by the Graduate School of the City University of New York..So
much for "Secular America!" Pastor Greg shares that it is clear that people do not understand what a Christian really
is...Do you? Are you one? Are you sure? What exactly is a Christian? Are you born that way? If not, how exactly do
you become one?
Pastor Greg says, "What are the requirements?" He saus there are a lot people running around saying "I'm a Christian
because I go to church," or "I'm a Christian because I go to the Harvest Crusade every year!" Pastor Greg shares that
you can apparently do "all the right things" and not necessarily be a Christian. Pastor Greg shares how since we are getting
closer to an election, candidates make claims to be a Christian, and sometimes people will just say whatever they
need to say and even have some visible changes in their live and still not be a Christian. Pastor Greg says that you can
come to an event like this, but stop short of Jesus Christ. They just don't go far enough. Pastor Greg shares about Judas
in the Bible who was a hypocrite and absolutely without excuse! He saw all the miracles and yet he did not believe. Greg
shares how often our hearts become hardened to the gospel message. You may ask then, "What am I supposed to do? What do
I need to do to know with confidence that I am going to Heaven?"
1. You must realize that you are a Sinner. This is hard for a lot of people, but it is a fact. The Bible says "All have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
2. To be a Christian, you must repent of your sins! The word repent means to change, or to turn. It is a word of action.
3. Believe in and receive Jesus Christ into your life. You are turning from sin to Jesus Christ. Turn from darkness to
light, from the power of Satan to God. It is a choice only you can make.
4. You must do it publicly. Everyone Jesus called, He called publically.
5. You must do it NOW!! Good intentions are not enough. The Bible says "Today is the day of salvation." Jesus didn't say
"Clean up your life and come to Me," He said "Come to Me, and I will make you whole!"
Pastor Greg asks everyone to pray with him tonight. He prays for eveyrone here who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ
that they would come to Him and be forgiven now. Pastor Greg asks those who want to receive Christ tonight, to walk down
to the field and make a public stand for Christ now, or to make a recommitment to Him, to come down to the field right now.
The work of the Holy Spirit
Hundreds of people have walked down to the field. The Harvest Crusade Band along with Steve Wiggins sings "Choose Life" as
hundreds pour onto the outfield here at Edison Field. Next The Harvest Band sings "Today is the Day." The lyrics of this
song are "Today is the day, the day of salvation, just come, for today is the day, etc." Beautiful words of God's love.
Pastor Greg shares with the crowd that they will leave this place tonight, KNOWING that Jesus will come to live in their
hearts if they really mean it from the bottom of their hearts. He prays with them, "Thank you for dying for my sins, thank
you for receiving me and forgiving my sins!" Fireworks go off here at stadium. Pastor Greg shares that a counselor will
talk with them on the field and pray with them and give them a "New Believer's Bible."
If you are reading this text and would like to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, please let us know
and we will send the same "New Believer's Bible" that is given to everyone on the field here tonight.
Please join us tomorrow night again for the "Harvest Jam" with "Audio Adrenaline," "The Supertones" and "ATS!"
God Bless!!
If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, click
HERE.
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