Harvest Riverside

I just had one of the most amazing experiences at Harvest Crusade, and honestly, I’ve had many over the years but this one touched my heart in a fresh, powerful way. I had to share it here and tag Harvest in most of my posts because this church isn’t just a place I go to... it's been part of my life journey. I grew up right here in Riverside, and I’ve been part of the Harvest family since I was a youth. I remember when the playgrounds were still around, and believe it or not, when we were still parking in the dirt lot to get to church! 😄 Those were humble, beautiful beginnings and I’ve had the incredible privilege of watching this ministry grow from those early days into something so inspiring, so deeply impactful, and still rooted in the same love and truth that started it all. 💬 The recent service I attended was nothing short of moving. The worship was powerful and alive, the message was full of biblical truth and real-world relevance, and the presence of God was unmistakable. It wasn’t just a church service it was a moment of transformation. You could feel it in the room. You could see it on the faces of people around you. What’s even more beautiful is how Harvest Church continues to evolve while never losing its heart. Whether it's the outreach, the youth programs, or the way they care for the community they are always growing, always reaching, always welcoming. The people here aren’t just friendly — they are family. From my earliest memories as a kid to now, this church has stood as a place of hope, purpose, and genuine connection. To anyone who’s looking for a place to reignite your faith, build community, or simply find a home Harvest is it. It’s more than just a church. It’s a legacy, a movement, and a living testimony of what God can do through faithful people and a faithful church. 🙏 Thank you, Harvest Church, for being a constant in my life and for continuing to lead generations with integrity, vision, and love. I can’t wait to see what God does next through you! #HarvestChristianFellowship #RiversideChurch #OldSchoolHarvest #FaithfulFromTheDirtLot #ChurchFamilyForLife #GrowingInGrace

Love this church it's home,I've been attending there over 17 years with pastor Greg Laurie and the whole harvest team I love the teachings knowing more about our heavenly father Jesus Christ

I took down my negative review because I never want to be the person to discourage any soul from going to Church. And Greg has helped me with his teaching. We all are fighting for survival right now. God bless us all and a very happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to you and yours. God is in control.

I have been going to this church since 1983 minus one year to Oxnard. I consider Harvest as my second home. And I have been volunteering there since 1990 with parking lot ministry . Great bunch of guys and gals .

When I first came to Harvest, I was just looking for a place to attend church, but what I found was so much more than that. From the very beginning, I felt welcomed and cared for, like I was part of a family. There’s such a genuine sense of love and community here that it’s hard to put into words. What I love most is that there really is something for everyone. Whether it’s Sunday services, small groups, kids and youth programs, or just connecting with people who truly care, Harvest creates a place where you can belong and grow. It’s not just about showing up on Sundays...it’s about getting involved, building relationships, and letting God work in your life through those connections. I’ve learned that you really do get out of it what you put into it. Once I took that step to get into a small group and start serving, I began to see incredible growth in my faith and in my life. God has used this church in such powerful ways, and I’m so grateful to be part of it. If you’re searching for a church to call home, I can honestly say that Harvest has been life-changing for me....and I believe it can be for you too.

I grew up going to school in Harvest Children Ministries. I was an MYT graduate too! I have love Harvest as my home and always returned with the fondest family memories. Sadly it's Christmas time, but the last two years Greg has done the service by video conference/chat ..prerecorded message. Most of the service was praise. We hope to see him back soon and send our best prayers and love to you all!

I am visiting my parents from out of state and was blessed to see my 80 yr old Dad get baptized this past weekend. We have always enjoyed Greg's story and how he preaches the Bible but this was something I'll never forget.

Great family church. There is something for everyone. You want a church where you feel at home? Come to Harvest. Remember, you get out of it what you put into it. Join a small group, get plugged in, and grow and see what the Lord does.

Great and truthful teaching. Indepth, backup using scripture. I thought I knew the stories, but learned a much deeper meaning.

Is this church being funded by the ELCA or Alt-right groups, considering the amount of praise given to Donald Trump this previous Sunday while diminishing other ethnicities? Sunday was quite a challenging experience for my family. I appreciated the politeness of one of the female ushers, who seemed genuinely helpful. However, there was a disheartening moment when a male usher began arguing with her. I also felt uncomfortable when the pastor praised Donald Trump and suggested that Republicans might be more capable of enacting positive change in our community while criticizing Democrats. It was surprising to hear the pastor quote George Washington; it felt as if the church prioritized financial gain over the congregation's well-being. I have recorded the moments and I am considering sharing them publicly.

I went to this church for almost 6 years, and served 3 years in ministry. Unfortunately, I didn't find a community here. Small group leaders pick and choose who they want to minister to and sadly do not display Gods love and mercy. If you want to see Pastor Greg in person he is only here during first service. He is shown on a big screen for the other two. Lastly, my friend was turned away from getting counseling here because she wasn't a member. Please pray for Gods wisdom if you attend here and don't forget to test the spirits of EVERYONE that is teaching you. You'd be surprised.... I think they forget this is Gods house. If I had to describe my experience here in one word it would be: Lukewarm

Good Bible teaching and great worship. Been serving here for over 20 years and can't wait to see what God does next through His people.

This church teaches the community through outreach especially like crusades, movie previews, Harvest parties, Easter egg hunts and Christmas celebrations. The people here are super nice. They have many volunteers. Pastor Greg is personable and I love his teaching. He preaches verse by verse. I highly recommend getting involved in small groups as it is a very big church!

My friend had originally invited me to her church and I decided to come. I was excited and ready to learn about the word of God, but the first thing this church does is talk about politics. I was so so disappointed. They started talking about the Palestine and Israel situation. Siding with Israel of course, but in reality we are all God children and we should be praying for everyone going through this terrible War. Why do politics have to be involved in Gods church? Politics is man made and it is worldly. Greg is not a good pastor and focuses way too much on politics rather than the word of God. Extremely disappointed. They need to focus on the word of God not worldly things.

I was so shocked when I came here and heard Greg Laurie praising trump while disrespecting democrats during the service. It really felt like I was at a political rally. I was so disappointed that this happened, and I felt very uncomfortable. It's sad that a church is being used to spread trump's messaging instead of spreading God's Word.

I've been coming here on and off the last 2 years. I was baptized here and I really like the campus. My only complaint I guess is that you are just watching a big jumbo screen during services, like a huge movie theater. I like in person interactions. Also I was hoping this church would do more hands on charity events and church events but it hardly does. I went to another church that my MIL attends and I like that they a lot of work for the local community and do a lot of events on campus. I attended a women's event at harvest and it wasn't super organized or interactive. I dont know . This is a "mega" church I've been told. I really really like Greg as a pastor. This church has soooo much potential.

Update: About a month ago, I left a somewhat negative review regarding my experience at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside. Tonight, I received a phone call from a pastor at the church, asking me to elaborate on my experience. This raised an important issue: I never provided my contact information, so how did they obtain my phone number? Do churches do this? Reach out and violate privacy? Seems odd. I feel violated as my privacy was clearly breached. Under California Civil Code § 1708.8, I am entitled to protection from such intrusions. There was no need for further elaboration, as my review was already clear and detailed. I felt extremely uncomfortable and immediately hung up and blocked the number. This experience has left me with serious concerns about the church's respect for personal boundaries and privacy, leading me to view this organization as a red flag.

Out of all places I was not expecting Trump to be blasted all over the screens with Pastor Greg highly praising him for over a good chunk of service. Are we here for Christ or a political rally? and by the way I am not a liberal. Just highly disappointing to come to a church like this.

I loved the Service Yesterday was my first Sunday their The Easter service everyone is so welcoming and kind I felt God's presence so much I stayed for 2 services 8am and 10am

I was baptized catholic, however, parents never followed through with putting me in classes when I was young. After getting married and being together for a while, my husband and I decided to find a Christian church to attend. Our friends recommended Harvest. We attended with our kids and were happy after the very first visit. Greg and Jonathon are extremely easy to understand when they read the Bible. The way they incorporate personal events to that of the Bible, make it that much more for me to understand. Maybe I'm a little ADHD, to where I lose focus and my attention span isn't and hasn't been the best. But they keep me interested and I feel me being there, paid off and I learned something new EVERY TIME I attend. I read some of these reviews and how some don't care for the politics. The truth is politics are a fact of life and Pastor Greg leans to one side and he's not afraid to let others know this. If you're expecting a pastor to sugar coat and tell you want you want to hear and not live by the Bible's word, then Harvest may not be the church for you. But the little bit he speaks of it, is a grain of salt, compared to the message he delivers every Sunday. Our kids attend the services for their age group. I serve when I can and we're happy to say, we can't wait for Sunday's now. We're there for ONE reason, to learn the WORD and it's been working for us and we're happy we found HARVEST.

Way to big of a church. Pastor Laurie is out of touch & not personable with his parishioners. Only to those he knows, friends & " the who's who " of people. Granted he is a good deliver-er of the word, he's too "huge" where he's " untouchable ". You can't even get in to speak with your pastor, you're referred to another. This is a good way to lose your flock. Too commercialized of a church it's hard to feel like a family. He's hardly at the Riverside location & mostly in OC. Pretty disappointing to go to church & watch your pastor on jumbo tron tv. I agree with the reviews of rudeness from volunteers. Laurie can be an entitled diva ( my daughter used to work in the cafe ) he's quite demanding & often doesn't acknowledge. The church as a whole is a hard pass for me. When the Pastor thinks he's bigger than Christ himself, I'm out. I will say they have an awesome band.

I always appreciate visiting Harvest Church Cars and Coffee!Harvest Church located in Riverside,California is a terrific place to learn about the best thing in life on this planet- and that's the hope and saving grace given and available to everyone through The Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Harvest Church is a welcoming fellowship for every person, young and old,families and individuals. They have lots of different ministries happening each and every day and night to enrich your life! The Harvest Cars and Coffee is a great weekly event featuring great cars,people and coffee! You'll be blessed to visit Harvest Church and Cars and Coffee!

Funny how this says "let us not neglect our meeting together " I was just denied entry to what is supposed to be a welcoming place - Reason why : my 4 year old daughter whom loves church and last two sundays did great through the whole mass . So , today as we were entering they tell me she is not allowed inside all children are to be seated in the area where " you can hardly hear anything infants are crying kids are playing running and eating " I understand the concept of having children seated separately- However if your child can sit through the entire mass without bothering anyone then whats the issue ?? I have always wanted to feel the love and presence of god this mighty god everyone speaks about - and find a congregation thats loving and supportive and accept all colors. Im not upset of the fact that they didnt allow my daughter inside - because i understand kids "children" can be a bit fuzzy - however some children love and can be eager to listen and sit there .... Im just disappointed at how they LITERALLY stopped me at the door and refused to let me in after I explained myself and said I didnt like how we couldnt hear and or enjoy mass in the children's room - I felt soooo embarrassed and rejected by what i was hoping would be a safe zone a happy environment- As we are walking away my daughter says " what happened mommy " we cant go inside mommy why? Why are we leaving mommy ? I wanna stay to hear and see the guitar . She loves the music What do i say to her what do i respond I think we couldve been allowed to sit in the back and if only if she is disturbing or being fuzzy sure ask me to leave but otherwise who are you to tell me i cant sit there even after i asked you to please understand. I cant believe i even begged to be part of this its just sad that this happened. Someone just told me why are you upset its common courtesy children are asked to go into another room - funny thing is the pastor is on a screen via live stream and everyone in this "conference room " is talking about Sunday football - dont tell me how my daughter will behave and that shes not allowed where its supposed to be for the word of GOD

Update: I was emailed by a church staffer asking me to "remove" my review" um, NO, you bullies. This was my experience, how can you ask me to remove it? How could you ask people to say something different just to suit your agenda? then ,maybe you should have a areal pastor not somone on a video screen and people laughing, talking an no one paying attention to your concert hall...

I love pastor Greg & Johnathon so my review isn't negative towards them. But here's what needs work, because this church has grown so much throughout the years, there's many more small groups. Some small groups are great. And some are ran by ppl who have a power trip & are controlling. I had joined a few different Bible study small groups. The ones I joined up until 2021 were amazing. But I was in a lady named Ashley and she was extremely controlling. Once messaged me to "ask how I was" and when I responded I was ok but needed to go to a different group temporarily due to the day/ time She never responded and basically acted as if I never existed. Very weird!, she also spoke about me behind my back to other women in the group I was in. This is not how church family are supposed to behave! I may try another Bible study group at some point, but to be honest her demeanor & attitude really made me uncomfortable. Therefore heads of the church, please train your small group leaders! There should be a strong vetting before letting anyone lead. Not to mention there were several times she couldn't lead or make it and had someone else take over, she also discouraged any other online Bible studies and stated "we should only stick to pastor Greg's study from the study book"! Her words , not mine! Bible study is on the Bible, not someone else's book! As long as a Bible study is following the holy Bible & biblically sound, there should be no reason to tell a group member that they can't mention any other Bible study to another group member if that member asks about it! The other thing I didn't understand is the way she conducted the Bible studies. What I mean is, she would only go off pastor Greg's weekly sermon questions or the study books study questions, have us individually answer them. There was no growth or learning. No correction or even adding on to the question as far as explanation or elaboration to the answers. It was like we were doing a take home quiz every week. I didn't feel that I learned anything more or understood anything more. I actually learned more from some online Bible studies I attend or doing my own study. The whole point in doing a group Bible study is to learn and grow in our Faith in Jesus! Her studies were very generic and felt like a middle school Bible study! She also frequently ended early and didn't finish that week's study. I get we all have different schedules, but at least try to finish each week and if anyone has to go, they can quietly leave. The whole experience was strange! I just felt it should be said because it's bothered me for a bit, and when it got back to me she was backbiting, I felt it was appropriate to state this. Other than that this church is completely biblically sound. Pastor Greg is a strong man of God! Absolutely love this church! But the small groups need some improvement!

You can always find fault with this or any gathering. To me, it's way too big. Is the Word being taught? Yes. Is my family blessed? Yes. All my grown children and grandchildren love to attend. So, if they are blessed, I am blessed we all follow Jesus. The Spirit of God moves in the obedient and faithful and we couldn't be happier in these dark times

If you want to grow in your walk with Jesus, this is the perfect place to grow! The Holy Spirit is in this church.

I come here and meet up with my Son and granddaughter. They live across town. This is a good and welcoming community.

I'm giving you a five star Pastor Greg. I know you most likely don't remember me but pastor Ralph Arthur and I were good friends and did the parking lot ministry in the 80's. Since attending HCC I was helping Joe Sabolick with his church plant in Perris, Ca now my wife and I are in Riverside and doing a YouTube devotional video ministry. And hoping to come back to visit you soon. Love you brother, Pastor Artie & Linda Cervantes Reaching Our Cities Ministries (ROC)

This is such a spirit filled church. The worship team is as good as anyone you heard on the radio and they prepare your heart for the message. Pastor Greg and all the associate pastors are sincere and genuine. There is a family feel for a large church.

I love this church! The worship team is amazing!! You ca feel God's presence during worship time. And pastor Greg is such a good preacher and teacher, always teaching the Word of God from the Bible. His son and all other pastors do such a really good job!

It's not the girst time I attended however the first time dropping my grandkids from out of town. I've been here a handful of times however, the first time Interacting with the volunteers. They were welcoming , friendly and made me and my g-kids feel comfortable and welcomed. The walked me through the process and were very helpful. They even walked me over to the connect table. I am new to the area and was looking for a church to call home and I found it! Thank you!

I love Greg Laurie's online services and look forward to meeting him in person one day. Lots of my business associates who are members have recommended me for years and my brother has met him and is a big follower. He has a great way of getting out his message and is so down to earth. I have an evil person even using the church for her evilness to cause havoc to my family... I love my dear Lord and will not let things like that destroy me. Greg is truly inspirational and I so happy he has his services online but I can't wait to go in person and meet him..

Love the message... really dislike the seat saving . Almost impossible to sit inside unless you arrive 45 min early Update: We stopped coming here bc of the seat saving issue . It's very frustrating to drive 30-45 min and have to sit outside and watch the service on a TV monitor. I can do that at home in my Pjs. Either build a bigger church or stop the seat saving practice. It's rude, selfish and unChristian. I came from Central Christian church in Henderson. Their volume is about 20k each Sunday and I never had a problem getting a seat there.

This is a bible teaching church. You are welcome with open arms. Loving, learning worshipping and Praying church. Need a Hug, you got it! Come find me. Praying for you and your family

Attended their harvest Halloween drive through and can't believe the disgusting people that volunteered in their "trunk or treat". We drove by and my son waved at every single person so excited, and to our disgust they just stood there didn't give us one candy and we drove by so confused at what just happened!! Very unwelcoming and horrible people!! What type of church is this where their people don't even have manners to greet or be friendly?? Not sure what god these people pray to but seems like they pray to the devil. Stay away from this church I mean commercialized business lol

We had been visiting many churches in the area hoping to find a place where we could learn, grow and share our faith. We decided to visit Harvest. I knew nothing about Harvest. I found it was quite a large congregation, much bigger than I would have ever considered. When we arrived, to my disappointment, we had to sit upstairs. So I wasn't in a very happy, worshipful mood. As a senior climbing those stairs was no fun. I determined I would never return. Pastor Greg preached, I was moved to tears, especially when at alter call many came forward to receive Jesus as their Savior. I hadn't seen this happen in a church in over the 24 years while living in California! For the next several weeks I attended Harvest and sobbed each time I saw this occur each Sunday. I learned that the mission of the church is knowing God and making him known. I had to briefly return to my former church because there was a need. Upon my retirement I returned to Harvest and have been there since. I am also blessed to have a ladies Bible study meet at our home. We opened our home to the men's Bible study too, because they also needed a temporary place to meet. We have been so blessed! We feel honored to be a part of this tremendous ministry led by the Lord himself through all the Pastors, and co laborers at Harvest. It is with much pleasure that I recommend Harvest Christian Fellowship.

My family love this church and pastor Greg Laurie and the whole staff. God will continue to Bless all of you. We love to worship with Harvest and their Amazing worship group. To me this place is Heaven on earth. We moved to Perris from San Diego where we used to attend Rock Church lead by Pastor Miles. Rock Church worship group is as amazing as Harvest Christian fellowship. Good is good and so thankful that He lead us to Harvest. We love you God Bless you!

My review went up because it's certain people who are Worshiping God the way the Bible says we should, it's those whom are praying the way the Bible says we should, and there are Good people at this church. We are all sinners! And it may be to loud in their church and it may look like a circus to some but God loves us all! I can't hear myself sing in this church or hear others singing next to me, so I get that it's seems we are at a concert! I did enjoy the Choirs more I LOVE Gospel music. We miss that some of us! The speakers are too much we don't need a concert type volume when we come to church. Lots of is have Tinnitus and we don't go to concerts and we don't go to the movie theaters so as a church I would think about selling some of the stage equipment and going back to the days of Church Choirs singing new songs or toning it down some on the volume and put out there that no video taping of the church service is allowed it's very distracting to some and since we have no way of moving to another place to sit. We then must leave, people this is a church service not a concert that was the Harvest Crusade please go and pull out your phone there. I get we use our phones for the Holy Bible App but even with that Large Print Bibles should be cheaper so more elderly would use a Bible and Free Bibles are given out. We use to sit down and there was a FREE Bible right there in front of us in the pew! The Bible app is good for home use as it has a lot on it other than just a Bible section. Also Harvest has a New Believers Bible that is Free and they mail you Bible study pages, and you can do them at home and watch the service online, and I will say the service is too loud for me but there are many other reasons to come to this church and that is for the In person Bible Studies... There needs to be more daytime ones... for anyone who reads this review mention it to them too! Some of us aren't Blessed to have a car and we come on foot.. or by Bus. So please give Bible studies that end earlier in the evening or go back to the church bus days.. Thank You Lord for the many people at this church whom are really listening to your word.. And trying to better Christians everyday. I actually had no problem hearing Greg, just please leave out the Worldly type comments about others in the world whom aren't doing the right things that happen to be your own personal opinion of them, and please don't say SHOT GUN evangelism! That sounds horrible! Do you all know what is happening in Hawaii, right now? Fire! Pray for Hawaii. And it's not because they went to Hawaii and opened a church it's for other reasons that these fires happened there and that we will learn over time. The truth will come out.. Why they lost their loved ones.. so for the person that wrote the comment Greg going there is what caused the fires, you will need to prove that.. Just a bad choice of words when saying you went to Hawaii and did some Shot Gun Evangelism! Not Good! Please don't use those words.

The best Bible teaching church ever. No church is perfect but this is pretty close. Going there keeps me grounded in my faith. Greg's teaching clarifies the Bible to make it easier to understand. One of the best teachings Greg expounds on is that our faith must be based exactly on that: faith. A relationship with God cannot be based on emotions or feelings. When I first asked Jesus into my heart, I didn't understand that and I continued to struggle with it until Greg explained it. It's truly comforting because our feelings are fickle, our feelings go up and down. It's faith based on the truth of the Bible that gets us through the hard times and brings us to God in gratitude during the good times. This is one of the many things I've learned in my years attending Harvest. I'd be happy if they had a choir and hymnals but I can't have everything! Other pastors at our church are also excellent teachers. If you're looking to draw closer to the Lord through good teaching and ministry, stop by and visit. Harvest has no formal membership requirements so all resources are available to you as either a long time attendee or a first time visitor. Don't let anyone tell you different.

Really enjoy the church - it's rather large however; you do have option for seating inside or outside. Sermons and worship are great but i strongly disagree with mixing in politics and religion.

Lord bless this church and all whom belong to it. Greg Laurie is spectacular and his worship team is outstanding. I have been going to this church for many years. I also love the crusades and volunteer every year !!!

I've only been here for one Sunday service and I just don't understand the whole no babies allowed in the main sanctuary. Sure have me sit outside in the cold with my baby, or I could be separated from the rest of my family and sit in the mother's room watching on a screen, or my favorite suggestion drop him off at child care (yea sure I'm real comfortable with doing that at my first visit especially being a first time mom)...no thanks not for me but to each there own.

This schools is the best they teach you everything and it is amazing the teachers and staff are really nice and helpful but it is kind of strict.

Great place to fellowship, learn and get connected. Be sure to ask greeters how to get connected in small groups ! I have met warm , caring friends in my small groups through the years !

This is a very welcoming church. I've been to quite a few churches in SoCal and have never experienced the hospitality and genuine encounters with staff. Everyone here is so nice and they greet you with love and address you by name even after meeting you just once. I see a lot of comments about the church filling up too fast but I go here every Sunday ..most days running late as I have kids and still manage to find a seat so unless you're arriving 20 minutes late there should still be seats available for you. Pastor Greg is a great Pastor and attends the first service but does have another church in OC he preaches at literally right after Riversides first service for anyone complaining about not seeing him.. also Christians should be following God not the pastors. Whether you're watching it on a screen or not shouldn't be a deal breaker for you bc it's literally the same message. This church has been a blessing in mine and my families lives the pastors here are great the marriage and women's conferences are AMAZING. This is the perfect place for fellowship and worship. Also small groups here for Bible study are perfect for anyone who wants to get to know other believers and study Gods word. They do outings together and have become like a second family to us. 5/5 highly recommend!!

Today was my very first time attending Harvest Church in Riverside. Greg Laurie is an amazing speaker who speaks the truth. Loved it 100% I think I'm gonna call this church my home church.

I love my church so much . My encouragement for my brothers and sisters is that we all become more intentional toward each other and step outta of our comfort zone and love those they would usually not hang out with. Our church, our members are being attacked more now than ever!!!! We must not let work take away the main point of life. To show the LOVE of God . We must return to our first love.

Love Pastor Greg Laurie and his wife.......Been attending this church since '2015.

Great place, I feel like the Holy Spirit dwells among the true Christ like people, many people come here, I am Roman Catholic tho I love Jesus and I seek him everywhere, I enjoy this Christian Fellowship Church, I pray that Jesus May be strong in all branches of mother church and enlightened people to have hope and happiness among the challenges we face. Long live Jesus Christ

While this is the church I got saved at, and I have some friends that go here, its not my church anymore. I don't have anything against Greg Laurie, he's done some amazing things, and God blesses him with the gift of evangelism. My problem with this church is the people and some of the leaders. Most of the time, people will push and shove each other for a good seat or to be the first to pick up their kids. Not many people are friendly, and thats pretty bad for a bunch of people who call themselves Christians. I have friends who's families have been asked not to come back because they "weren't Godly enough." My car broke down in traffic on the way in, and instead of anyone helping me, I was getting honked at because I was holding up the line. A guy on a motorcycle who wasn't even going to church helped me push my car onto a side street.

We tried out a small group to get a more close-knit experience. The first thing I noticed is that no one looked happy or like they were being built up. Most looked down at the ground or around you and they appeared almost mopey. The music was incredible..the lead singer had this amazing voice that was raspy & soulful, plus he'd give you the next line all while playing amazing guitar and singing with his awesome voice. They had a great drummer girl rockin it, along with talented other guitarists, back-up singers and a keyboardist. But most had a very down-trodden look on their face. The lead singer almost never even looked up. But the music was great. It's too bad that the message was full of shame, obligation and guilt. I don't know about you, but I didn't drive 50 miles to go to a house of God for the first time in 20 years to be pushed down. That was what has kept me and so many others away! Afterwards, we went to their cafe, named Cafe 3 20 (giggle!) and the poor people must have been pushed down so long that no one would hardly look at us, let alone speak to us. We had to jump up and start a convo with one of them. You'd have thought that they were the visitors! We must have picked the right guy to talk to, because only then did people start being friendly to us. One gal went up after the sermon & offered us all Kohl's discount passes which was very nice. And then at the cafe she was embarrased by it, telling us not to tell anyone--as if a church isn't a place for good things or something. Maybe she was joking but it was all very weird. I think most can agree that God's house should be a place where you get empowerment and hope. A place where you can have your inner cup filled so that you can be a blessing to others. It was our experience that Harvest didn't fit that bill. P.S. Love him or hate him but Pastor Joel Osteen empowers people & gives hope! He's on TBN Sundays at 5 p.m. & on Youtube.

Way too big. Way too commercialized. If you are looking for a welcoming church where you feel accepted, this is not the place.

Okay, so I rarely give straight five star ratings to any place I go. But I have made the exception with this place. Who am I to comment about a church? I've been to many churches as a member & as a visitor. i'm also a former Pastor and former worship leader. Now I attend Harvest where I sing, work security & a Sunday School teacher for the past 16+ years. Is it perfect? No, far from it. I've never been to a perfect church. And I've been to a lot of churches in my lifetime. In fact, the day I find a perfect church, is the day I get far away from it because I don't want to ruin it by attending. As Pastor Greg often says, "the church is not a crutch, it's a hospital" for sick, sinful, hurting people. It's not supposed to be a place for making you feel good. Rather a place for you to realize how bad you are, and how bad you need Jesus. And once you have Jesus, you have hope. It's also a place for encouragement and for others to help uplift you. Sometimes you don't get that here ir any other church because others are feeling down just like you. Therefore, again you look towards Christ for your fulfillment. And this church fits that bill You'll get the best in bible teaching here. And the church is so large that there is always something going on somewhere for someone. Yet, once you get involved, it becomes a small church. Will you get your feelings hurt here? Maybe (especially if you cant take loving advice). Will someone be rude to you here? Most likely (we're all human & an usher was rude to me my first time here). Will you get offended here? Hopefully (because that means God's working to change you). Will you find the best in bible teaching here? Most definitely. My favorite service is Sunday night. I personally guarantee your satisfaction. So come out and bring your 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders to my class in Room 209. We can chat more then.

My lovely home church, oh how I love thee (: Harvest has the BEST worship band around town. It's a HUGE church, so it's hard to get to meet people but the music and teaching is amazing. I love it!

I don't have enough words to say how awesome it is go 300 miles and hear word of God speak through Greg Laurie. Good time and maybe if I am lucky I can go again.

I went to Harvest for years. Greg Laurie teaches from the word of God directly, with a lot of great foundation. He has an amazing story, from his life without a father in a broken home, to his conversion to Christianity, to an amazing love story with his wife, and then the tragic loss of his young son. But somehow, through all his pain, he's never let go of God and never lost his sense of humor! Harvest is a HUGE church. By huge, I mean a weekly attendance of 12,000 people. So, if like one of the previous posters, you expect people to recognize you're new, it probably won't happen. There are ways to get to know people in the church, such as small community studies, where a newcomer is more readily recognized. Also, the worship here is amazing! One thing: Harvest is an amazing church. If you've been a Christian seeking God in earnest for a while, you won't get past most of the basics on a Sunday. Wednesday nights are more in-depth, as are the small studies. But, as much as I liked Harvest, it was time for me to find a church that digs into God's word more deeply. That said, the basics of Christianity are really available here, in an easy-to-grasp format, and it is really fun to listen to Greg Laurie's self-deprecating sense of humor!