Mesa Musings:

This weekend, Greg Laurie will do something he does extraordinarily well. And — just to give you a little heads up — the results will be nothing short of spectacular.

The Newport Beach resident is quick to disclose, however, that he’s never alone in pulling off his huge project. It takes a team effort with considerable assistance from God.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, “Pastor Greg” and his ministry team — as well as a host of other partners — will bring to fruition one of the most ambitious, arduous and logistically challenging annual events. They’ll welcome upward of 100,000 people to Angel Stadium in Anaheim for the 20th annual Harvest Crusade.

Since its inception in 1990, more than 3.5 million people have attended a Harvest Crusade event in person. It began as a Billy Graham-type outreach at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the Orange County Fairgrounds. I was there for the first crusade — along with my wife and three daughters — and I’ve attended many Harvest events since.

The evangelistic outreach outgrew the fairgrounds in a few short years, and moved to Angel Stadium. It’s spread to locations throughout the U.S., as well as to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Crusade officials estimate that more than 275,000 people have registered professions of faith in Jesus Christ while attending one of the outreach events.

I’ve personally attended Harvest Crusades at the Pacific Amphitheatre and Angel Stadium in Orange County, as well as at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, and Vets Stadium in Long Beach. I never fail to be moved by the honesty of the experience, the power of the music, and the impact of Laurie’s message, which is germane to modern culture.

Personal crusade testimonies abound, and are compelling. Many people report having been delivered from abusive situations and relationships, drugs and alcohol, debilitating addictions, and empty, unfulfilled lives.

Laurie, 56, appeals to all ages. He addresses issues of the day, and frequently describes his own personal experiences — freely exposing warts and all. He provides a practical and reasoned approach that’s authentic and encouraging. The crusade elicits tears from many, but also features music, laughter and sober, thoughtful reflection.

As the crusade’s website reports, Laurie offers a “clear gospel message” that’s “biblically-sound and culturally relevant.” Every night, he provides an opportunity for people to make personal decisions about Christ.

The outreach features some of the top names in contemporary Christian music. The cornerstone of each event, however, is Laurie’s presentation of the gospel.

The product of a dysfunctional family, Laurie was raised in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa in the 1950s and 1960s. He became a Christian during a Friday afternoon Bible study that he crashed while a student at Newport Harbor High School. That weekend, he’d planned to travel with friends to the mountains to “drop acid.” He tossed his drugs.

Laurie began his pastoral ministry at the age of 19, leading a local bible study of 30 people. I began attending his Monday evening studies at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa in the 1990s. Laurie pastors one of the largest and most vibrant churches in America: Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside.

Tragically, Laurie’s 33-year-old son, Christopher, died in a car crash last year days before the 2008 Anaheim crusade. I can relate to Laurie’s pain. I lost my son 16 years ago in an accident. It’s something you never get over. But, despite feelings of heartbreak and devastation, Laurie went on to preach before 109,000 people at Angel Stadium, and his faith has never faltered.

“Heaven felt so near,” he says. “I had the same feeling when my son died. With my loved one there, heaven was breathtakingly close.”

Without apology, Laurie brings the pain of his recent tragedy into his messages. He addresses the fragility and transience of life, and believes with complete assurance that he’ll see Christopher again.

Gates for this weekend’s event open at 5:30 p.m Friday and Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The program begins 90 minutes later. Admission is free, tickets are not required, but stadium parking is $10.

Languages for the crusade include English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and sign language.

Friday’s featured musical artists are Third Day, Dennis Agajanian and the Katinas. Relient K and Skillet will perform Saturday. On Sunday, the crusade will close with Chris Tomlin, the Katinas and my personal all-time favorite, Crystal Lewis.

It promises be a remarkable weekend.

JIM CARNETT lives in Costa Mesa. His column runs Wednesdays.