The Crowd gathers

6:50 - Welcome to the 1998 Harvest Jam at Edison International Field in Anaheim, CA!! The stadium is filling with people. The line-up of special guests tonight include Crystal Lewis, The Kry and Audio Adrenaline.

7:00 - The opening night of the crusade last night was awesome with 22,000 people in attendance, with 1140 people turning in decision cards. That means that 1140 people will be followed-up on, with a phone call and letter and will hopefully be plugged into a Bible believing church.

Sing Praises to the Lord!

7:20 - "Welcome" video is being shown on Jumbo-tron screen at this time. Ricky Ryan, Pastor of Santa Barbara, CA welcomes the crowd and video highlights of last night's opening night is now shown on the big screen. Warren Duffy from KKLA approaches the podium and asks the crowd to join hands and prays for God's blessing on this night's Harvest Jam.

7:30 - Ricky Ryan introduces The Kry. They open with "After All." They follow with "All I Need to Say." Next Jean Luc leads the band in "You've Got Everything." Pete Nelson shares that there is no sin that God cannot forgive. They close with "Call His Name." The audience stands to their feet and claps along. Both Ives and Jean Luc La Joie come out to the field and they get the entire audience involved in singing along with them! What a closing number!

7:50 - Ricy Ryan now introduces Audio Adrenaline. They open with "New Body" followed by "Superfriend." They follow with "Never Gonna Be as Big as Jesus" and "Resurrection Power." They close with their big hit, "Big House." The crowd knows this song well, and remains on their feet, stomping, clapping and singing along.

8:20 - Video is shown to explain how these crusades are paid for by church support, business donations, sale of products and offerings taken at crusades. Pastor Ricky Ryan prays for this evening's offering. Ricky introduces Crystal Lewis. She sings "God's Been Good to Me" followed by "People Get Ready."

8:40 - Ricky Ryan asks the crowd to settle down and prepare our hearts for God's message to be brought by Greg Laurie in a few minutes. Crystal sings a final song, "To God Be the Glory."

The gospel is preached

8:40 - Pastor Greg begins his message tonight, titled "Believing Is Seeing." The text is from the Gospel of John, Chapter 9, vs.1-7, the story of the man who was blind from birth, whom Jesus healed. The question was asked by the Disciples, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" When the Disciples suggested that this man might have sinned, they were re-echoing the teaching of our times. Jesus used a rather unusual method to heal this man. He spits on the dirt and rubbed it on his eye and then tells him to go to the pool of Siloam and wash his eye.

Paster Greg shares from an article he read in USA Today about Drew Barrymore. Her father had left before she was born and her mother often kept her in discos until dawn - she's now estranged from her Mom who recently posed for Playboy and often appears on the Howard Stern show. "You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family" she says, her eyes glistening with tears. The connecion is strong, perhaps because she was so disconnected as a child. Because she never had a family, she works hard at her friendships. Maybe your parents have really let you down. Maybe religion has let you down. I'm telling you, your friends will let you down. But there is a God who loves you, who will never let you down. Jesus said, "I will never leave or forsake you..."

The Religious leaders in the story from the Gospel of John were outraged about the blind man's healing, because they did not approve of Jesus. Did you know that you can be devoutly religious and not personally know Jesus Christ?

Religion chewed this man up and spit him out. Has Religion done that to you? Did something happen to you in a church that caused you to become disillusioned with religion in general and even God? I'm not calling you to Religion tonight. I'm calling you to have a vibrant, personal, relationship with Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ is waiting for you with open arms ready to "Open your eyes."

Pastor Greg makes an invitation for people to make a decision to follow Christ right now. He asks them to get up and walk down on the field to pray to receive Christ tonight. Hundreds walk down onto the field here tonight as Crystal Lewis sings "Come Just as You Are." Pastor Greg extends the invitation again and asks Jean Luc from The Kry to come on the stage and sing "He Won't Let You Go" as people continue to come forward. If you are viewing this on the Internet and haven't made a personal commitment to Christ, you may also make that decision to give your heart to Christ right where you are. If you would like to pray that prayer asking for God's forgiveness, you may do so right now. If you have made that commitment, just click on the "feeback" button and let us know, and we will be happy to send you the same "New Believer's New Testament" that will be given to those who come forward tonight.

Pastor Greg prays with the many hundreds who have come forward here tonight at Edison International Field in Anaheim, CA. At the conclusion of the prayer, the fireworks have gone off here at the stadium! Again, if you would like to know more about making a decision to follow Christ, click on the "How to Know God" button on your screen.

Thank you for joining us tonight. Please join us again tomorrow night for the second night of the "Harvest Jam!!!"

The work of the Holy Spirit