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Evangelist Greg Laurie Kicks Off 'Super Bowl Sunday of Christianity'

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Phoenix, AZ – Thousands are packed into University of Phoenix stadium, but there's no game on the field.

They've come for what some call the "Super Bowl Sunday of Christianity" – the Harvest America Crusade, hosted by Greg Laurie.

Musical guests include Mercy Me, Phil Wickham, Trip Lee, NEEDTOBREATHE and Jordin Sparks.

Laurie's message will proclaim, "America, I've got good news."

He recently sat down with CBN News in Arizona to discuss the motivation for the message.  

Laurie says, "In a way, it is the most needed message of all. And strangely, it's sort of fallen out of favor."

"I don't get it. I don't get why in the church, we are not heralding this message more. This is the message people need."

"Let's just take terror attacks as an example. These are scary times we are living in. It is high on the list of fears and concerns for Americans," he says.

"With the saber rattling on the part of North Korea, I read the other day that the number one phrase in the search engine of Google was, 'Is World War III near?'" 

"This is a moment for the church to step forward to say we have good news. That is what the word 'gospel' means: good news, good news in a bad world."

Laurie is the senior pastor of California's Harvest Christian Fellowship. He's also written more than 70 books and hosts television and radio shows.

Laurie's Harvest events have attracted nearly 8 million people over the years. That number will climb even higher Sunday with people filling churches across the country to watch the live simulcast of the event from Arizona.

Actor and director Mel Gibson made a surprise appearance at last year's Harvest Crusade. But Laurie told CBN News there are no plans for any surprise guests this year.

Laurie says, "At Harvest America at this moment, I don't have anyone I am interviewing. At our Southern California Harvest to be held later at the Angel Stadium, I am going to interview Jordin Sparks, who I have gotten to know recently." 

"Jordin has a really amazing story because she won American Idol at 17. She became a huge success, has had a fantastic career, but drifted from her faith. She was raised in the church and loved the Lord as a young girl. She drifted and she came back to Christ about a year ago."

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About The Author

Efrem Graham
Efrem
Graham

Efrem Graham is an award-winning journalist who came to CBN News from the ABC-owned and operated station in Toledo, Ohio. His most recent honor came as co-anchor of the newscast that earned the station’s morning news program its first Emmy Award. Efrem was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but his formal television and journalism career was born across the Hudson River in New York City. He began as an NBC Page and quickly landed opportunities to work behind-the-scenes in local news, network news, entertainment, and the network’s Corporate Communications Department. His work earned him the NBC