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By Kayla DeKraker
Megachurch pastor Greg Laurie held his preaching event, the “Hope for America” edition of his Harvest Crusade, on Nov. 16 at Utah Valley University (UVU), the same campus where Christian, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10.
Laurie, who leads the Riverside-based Harvest Fellowship, said local pastors’ urgent call spurred on the decision to host the event at UVU. He had previously planned a Utah gathering for the following summer, but when area church leaders said the community was “hurting,” Laurie and his team moved the date up drastically — committing only six weeks out, which is highly atypical for Harvest events.
“We responded by committing to a date only six weeks away. That’s a first for us at Harvest Crusades! Normally, we plan events at least a year in advance. But there is an urgency, and we believe the message of the Gospel is the answer,” the pastor explained.
Related: Charlie Kirk’s Death Draws People Back to Church, Including This Bestselling Author
“I met Charlie several years ago, and also recently spoke at one of Charlie’s pastor conferences,” Laurie told the Christian Post. “I have long admired Charlie’s incredible work reaching young people and have been a strong supporter of it.”
Pastor Lucas Miles of TPUSA Faith said of Laurie’s event, “His boldness in bringing the Gospel to hurting communities like Utah Valley University is exactly what America needs right now. It is a clear and unapologetic message of hope, redemption, and truth found only in Jesus Christ.”
Laurie revealed on Instagram that Christian worship superstars Chris Tomlin and Phil Wickham would be participating.
“Hope for America is THIS WEEK on Sunday, November 16!…We can’t wait to see how God moves in Utah this Sunday! Please keep this event in your prayers as we are preparing to bring a life-changing night to Utah Valley University,” he posted.
People have been searching for hope after the devastating assassination of Kirk which shook the nation. After his death, many ran to God in desperation, a movement now coined “The Kirk Effect.”
“We do see…in my lifetime, an unprecedented move toward the church, and toward God, and from places that you wouldn’t normally expect to see it,” said State of the Bible’s Dr. John Plake. “Prior to this moment in time, we were witnessing a 30-year slide, a decrease in church involvement, a decrease in Bible use, a decrease in faith affiliation.”
He added, “With the Charlie Kirk murder, all of these things lead people to say, ‘Wait, the way I was living my life maybe isn’t all there is. Or maybe there are…some existential questions that I have had on the back burner, maybe haven’t given time to think about them.”
Pray that those who attended Laurie’s event over the weekend commit their lives to Christ and living for His glory.
Read Next: Church Attendance Skyrockets After Charlie Kirk’s Murder
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