2,000 Profess Christ at Site of Charlie Kirk Assassination as Greg Laurie Preaches Hope
Standing on the same campus where Charlie Kirk was assassinated only two months ago, pastor Greg Laurie told a packed arena in Orem, Utah, on Sunday that the hope found in Jesus is what people are longing for – and that God is already bringing good from the tragedy.
Laurie brought his Harvest Crusade to Utah Valley University at the urging of local pastors, who said the community was especially open to the gospel following the tragic death of the conservative commentator known for his outspoken Christian faith. Laurie and the Harvest team had originally planned a Utah crusade for 2027, but then moved it up. Phil Wickham and Chris Tomlin led in musical worship.
“You don't need to clean your life up to come to God,” Laurie told the crowd gathered inside the UCCU Center. “You come to God and He will clean your life up. Jesus says, ‘Come to me, all you who are bending beneath the weight of sin, and I will give you rest.’”
At the end of the service, more than 1,000 individuals – most of them young people – made professions of faith in Christ, with another 1,000 online doing the same.
Laurie described Kirk’s assassination as a potential turning point for the nation – a moment that could be looked back on by future generations as the time when countless lives turned to Christ. There is biblical precedent for God using an evil event for good, Laurie said.
He told the story of the Old Testament patriarch Joseph.
“He was sold into slavery by his brothers, and then ultimately he was in a position to have them all executed had he chosen to – but instead he decided to forgive them, and he said, ‘You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,’” Laurie said. “Here's the way I see it: This is a horrible tragedy what happened to Charlie. However, despite this tragedy, God has done amazing things around our nation, and people are asking questions.”
Bible sales are on the rise, Laurie said, adding that the Gen Z generation is searching for hope.
“It was like a wake-up call for 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. … I'm going to ask you, in a few moments, to get up out of your seat and walk down here, around this platform, and in doing so, you're saying, ‘I want this relationship with God.’ You've tried religion. … Now try Jesus.”
Hundreds made their way to the altar, publicly committing their lives to Christ.
Laurie described it as a “real move of God.”
“What a night,” he said after the service. “I will not forget it.”
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Photo Credit: ©Harvest Crusade
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published November 18, 2025.
