Utah Valley University evangelism event draws thousands just months after Kirk assassination
Harvest Ministries and evangelist Greg Laurie recently hosted a revival event that drew 7,800 attendees to Utah Valley University.
The event was organized in response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk on campus in September.
A Utah university recently played host to a large-scale evangelism event just months after Charlie Kirk was murdered on its campus.
Utah Valley University hosted a “Hope for America” event, part of the Harvest Crusade series featuring Pastor Greg Laurie. The event drew in 7,800 in-person attendees and approximately 210,000 online viewers.
Typically such an event undergoes a yearlong planning process, but this one was put together in just six weeks in response to Kirk’s murder in September.
“When we heard of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, we immediately reached out to pastors in Utah to ask how we could support them,” Laurie stated. “They said, ‘Come sooner. Our community is hurting.’”
The event included a video paying tribute to Kirk, with Laurie also eulogizing him during his sermon.
“Despite this tragedy, God has done amazing things around our nation,” Laurie said. “It was like a wake-up call. All of you, for all of us, this is your moment tonight. This is your wake-up call tonight. Don’t let it slip by.”
Laurie called the event an “astounding success,” saying “people were so open, worshipful, and responsive to the gospel.” The organization reported that over 2,100 people made professions of faith.
Attendees also spoke positively of the event, with one commenting, “I was there at UVU on [Sept. 10] and witnessed the murder. Seeing the UCCU arena filled with people who were hungry to heal was amazing. The altar call broke me with joyful tears… Healed and peaceful are two words I now identify with.”
Turning Point USA has experienced massive growth since Kirk was shot at UVU on Sept. 10. Education Week reported that the organization received 54,000 applications to start new chapters in the first few days following the murder.
However, the explosion of interest has brought an uptick in leftist violence against conservative student activists. Campus Reform recently compiled a list of five instances in which liberals attacked TPUSA and Young America’s Foundation tables on campuses nationwide.
All relevant parties have been contacted for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
