The Crowd gathers

6:30 -Welcome to the final night of the Western North Carolina Harvest Crusade! What an awesome Harvest this has been!! The Lord has done so much here. Tonight looks like no exception. The stands are already filled with people and there are many in the overflow area already. There are people gathering once again on the nearby hillside too.

The hospitality shown to this team has been so wonderful here. The entire Harvest staff has been made to feel so welcome.

6:45 -Tonight's musical guests will include Hanz Ives with the Harvest Crusade Band, Crystal Lewis with her band and guitarist Doyle Dykes.

The crowd is having fun in anticipation of tonight's crusade...Half of the stadium crowd is shouting, "We love Jesus, yes we do, we love Jesus, how about you?!!? Then the other half shouts back the same thing, trying to shout it a little louder!!!

7:00 -The Harvest Crusade Band members are taking their places on the platform and preparing to begin the worship time here tonight.

Sing Praises to the Lord!

7:10 -Host Bob Shank is formally introducing the Harvest Crusade Praise Band. They open with hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name." The crowd is standing and everyone is singing along with this modern rendition of the old familiar hymn. The group follows with "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High." Some of the lyrics to this song are...."You came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord I lift your name on high..." The group then follows with "Nothin' But The Blood of Jesus." Next they sing "Let Everything that Has Breath Praise the Lord!"

7:30 -Pastor Ben Rowe from Lakeview Baptist Church opens this evening's event in prayer.

Bob Shank makes announcement that one week from tonight, First Baptist Church in Hickory is hosting a special service in celebration of what has happened here this weekend. Several area churches are participating and you are invited to attend.

Bob Shank introduces guitarist Doyle Dykes. This man is such an incredibly gifted musician! He plays a couple of instrumental numbers and then closes with "How Great Thou Art." Before he starts, he shares that as he plays, he ministers to God, and God then ministers back to those listening. As he plays, he begins to sing and encourages the audience to sing along! How beautiful it is!

7:50 -Host Bob Shank shares the importance of tonight's offering. He explains that the budget for this crusade is still short of being totally met. The offerings taken will help to offset the costs for this event. Greg Laurie receives no honorarium for preaching at Harvest Crusades. The Harvest Crusade Band sings "Shout to the Lord" as the offering is taken. A video is being shown which shows clips from previous Harvest Crusades in different locations.

8:03 -Pastor Greg Laurie thanks everyone for making this Harvest Crusade such a success. He shares that over the last two nights we have had 1700 made commitments to the Lord! Also over the last two nights we have had over 8500 people logged on to the internet. He shares with the audience that we appreciate so much the hospitality shown to the team.

8:09 -Pastor Greg Laurie introduces Crystal Lewis. She sings "God's Been Good To Me." She follows with "Beauty For Ashes." She follows next with "People Get Ready." This crowd loves Crystal. Most are standing and clapping and singing along.

8:20 -Bob Shank asks the audience to prepare themselves to hear the message that the Lord has laid on Pastor Greg Laurie's heart to share with us tonight. He is asking that we would give Pastor Greg our full attention tonight. Before Greg Laurie comes to the platform, Crystal Lewis is to sing "It Is Well With My Soul."

The Gospel is preached

8:30 -Just before Pastor Greg Laurie begins his message, a video is shown - a "man on the street" type of video where the people on the streets are asked the question,"Is the end of the world near?" People's responses were so vague.

Pastor Greg Laurie asks the question, "Is the end of the world near?" He speaks of the hurricanes and earthquakes and other tragedies around the world happening, and says things are happening on a larger scale than ever before! He says that there has never been a time in human history where we have ever been closer to the return of Jesus Christ to the earth than tonight. Here we are standing not only at the close of a decade, but at the close of an entire century and the beginning of another. He says, "Just when I was getting used to writing 1999 on my checks, it's now the year 2000! - The beginning of the 21st Centry!!! The New Millennium! He says it sounds so futuristic, doesn't it? He shares that without a doubt, it's an exciting time to be alive.

Pastor Greg shares about all the technology and all the scientists say that they can predict the future. He says that unfortunately, many are "Looking for Truth in all the wrong places." He says that meanwhile, other so-called "Religious Leaders" are proclaiming the end of the world in the year 2000. He asks how do we know truth from fiction? He says how do you know what to heed and what to ignore? He shares that we as Christian do not have around and wonder what the future holds. God has clearly given it to us in the pages of the Bible.

Pastor Greg shares that we are seeing more violent crime in our country than ever before. Experts say that there is a new kind of sociopath as young as 11, 12, and 13 years old! They are calling them "Super-predators." He said that US News and World Report said that "By the year 2000, there is serious danger that kids will soon be roaming urban neighborhoods like "Teen-age wolf packs!" Pastor Greg said that people in North Carolina might say, "Well, Greg, that may be happening out there in California or New York City, but it's not happening here!" Greg Laurie says that that is somewhat true, but not completely. He shares that he just read in the front page of the "Hickory Daily Record" that a body found Saturday in Alexander County has been linked to the murder of a family of 5 in Haywood County. Greg says that these are all signs of the times. So, you might say, 'Is the end of the world near?' He says that that is why Jesus warns us over and over to "Watch and be ready, for we do not know when He is coming!"

Pastor Greg Laurie reads Matt. 25:1-13, the story of the 10 bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridgroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps. But the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridgroom was delayed, they all lay down and slept. At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridgroom is coming! Come out and welcome him!' All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' The others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridgroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he called back, 'I don't know you!' The Bible says then in Matt. 25:13, "So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or the hour of My return!" The parable that Jesus told was both a warning to the believer as well as the non-believer to be ready and alert!

Pastor Greg explains a little about this parable...He says that the extra oil spoken of was carried in a small container attached to the belt worn around the waist. The 5 wise bridesmaids kept enough oil in their lamps and extra in their belt to "be prepared." The 5 foolish ones did not. These ten virgins or bridesmaids are placed side by side in scripture to show both how they were alike and different at the same time. All had lamps. All had been invited to a wedding. All had access to oil, but only half of them made it! Pastor Greg says "What was the problem here?" "What is Jesus telling us?" He shares that his point is that two people can sit side by side and be exposed to the same truths and hear the same messages and yet have completely different reactions. He gives several examples of that from the Bible. Pastor Greg shares that we can therefore conclude that the 5 foolish bridesmaids represent those who "have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof." He says that God requires we make a decision, to make a move FOR or AGAINST Him. Pastor Greg shares that the "danger" is hearing it, but not heeding it (ignoring it or putting off your decision).

Pastor Greg shares that in Verse 10 of the story of the bridesmaids that it says "The door was shut." Once this door shuts, it will not open again. Some hope for chances after death, but the Bible says, "It is appointed unto a man once to die..." Those who are putting off their repentence until their dying hour are like the foolish bridesmaids. They are gambling with their soul! Perhaps when you finally realize your need, it will be too late! The door will be shut, and you will be left outside! Pastor Greg says that Christ will come back for those who are watching and ready. He urges the crowd here to not put off that decision tonight. We just don't know when death might come for us, but we need to be watching and ready. Pastor Greg prays and then asks those who would like to make that decision to receive Christ to come down to the field here at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.

Hundreds of people have already made their way down to the outfield. What an awesome response!! Pastor Greg shares that we must first admit that we are sinners, be willing to turn from our sins, then ask for His forgiveness. Pastor Greg prays with the new believers on the field. He then instructs them to meet with one of the Follow-Up Decision Workers who will pray with them individually and give them a New Believer's New Testament.

Pastor Steve Allen of New Star Community Church closes this evening in prayer.

The work of the Holy Spirit