Greg Laurie: A New Beginning

In this episode, Pastor Greg Laurie talks about what it means to be an “almost” Christian. Although some pray, attend church, and get baptized, it’s still possible they’re not truly Christian—there’s more to it. Learn more from a powerful exchange in the book of Acts between the apostle Paul and King Agrippa. 

Notes

“Almost” is a word that is often coupled with procrastination.

Herod the Great tried to kill Jesus. 

Herod Antipas was responsible for beheading John the Baptist.

The son of Herod Antipas slew James the apostle and imprisoned Simon Peter.

Herod Agrippa was moved by Paul’s powerful and persuasive message.

A person may pray and still not really be a Christian.

Polls show that 9 in 10 Americans pray.

A person may make visible changes in their life and still not be a Christian.

You can hear the gospel and believe it and still not be a Christian. 

You can keep the commandments of God from childhood and still not be a Christian. 

Paul showed us how to effectively communicate the gospel. 

When possible, find common ground and build a bridge to your listener. 

Paul used his personal testimony to build that bridge. 

Two big steps must be taken to become a real Christian, not an “almost Christian.”

1. You need to have your “eyes opened.”
2. You need to “turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.” 

There is a difference between repentance and remorse.

Remorse is being sorry you got caught.

Repentance is being sorry enough to stop what you're doing and change your behavior.

God gives us forgiveness of our sins. 

God gives us an inheritance.

Paul preached Christ crucified and risen.  

It is not enough to just be exposed to truth; we must act on it.

God wants each of us to share the gospel.

As we share His message, we should try to build bridges not burn them.

B.L.A.S.T.

B — build a bridge

L — lovingly enter their world

A — ask questions

S — share your testimony

T — tell them about Jesus 

Only God can open the spiritual eyes of the listener.

Scripture Referenced

Luke 13:32

2 Corinthians 13:5

Isaiah 59:1–2

John 4:39

2 Corinthians 4:3–4

Romans 13:12–14

2 Corinthians 7:10

1 John 1:9

Ephesians 2:7

1 Corinthians 2:1–2

---

Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.

This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2022 Boise Harvest at ExtraMile Arena was a long-awaited two days of hope and transformation, as so many found hope and experienced the transformation that Jesus Christ brings.

In this special podcast, we bring you Pastor Greg Laurie’s message from night one of the event titled, “What You’re Really Looking For,” from Saturday, April 23. In this message, he shares why a relationship with Christ answer’s life’s big questions. 

At the Boise Harvest, we saw 21,500 in-person attendees, along with 144,013 joining online. And when Pastor Greg gave the invitation for people to come to Christ, over 3,000 people responded. To God be the glory!

If you prayed with Pastor Greg to receive Christ, we want to reach out to you and help you in your spiritual walk: https://harvest.org/request-material/

Learn more about the Boise Harvest at https://harvest.org/boise-harvest-2022/

---

Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.

This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. 

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you take a road trip, you’re often faced with decisions on which road to take. Sometimes there’s a short cut. Sometimes the short cut turns out to be the long way. Sometimes an alternate route can be fiasco, or a disaster. The Donner party comes to mind. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us choose the right road in life. We’ll see how to evaluate our options and make the right choice. It’s a message with a short title and long implications.

View and subscribe to Pastor Greg’s weekly notes.

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1998, the Etch a Sketch was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. With it, you can draw picture after picture, as complicated as you want. If you mess up, turn it upside down, give it a shake, and start over. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie says, no matter how your life is messed up, God offers you the chance to turn your life right side up and start over. Shaking is optional. We’ll see a case in point from our studies in the Gospel of John.

View and subscribe to Pastor Greg’s weekly notes.

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The internet is full of videos of people walking along looking at their smart phones, and then suddenly falling . . . falling into fountains, falling into swimming pools, tripping over a plethora of obstacles in their path. Seconds before, they might have said, “I got this. I can read my phone while I walk.” Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out that many of us have the same confidence in our spiritual walk. Today, a message of caution: anyone can fall.

View and subscribe to Pastor Greg’s weekly notes.

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes life brings us to a sobering moment, a crisis, an agonizing decision, an inescapable admission and we wonder how we’re going to get through it. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out that Jesus faced such a climactic moment. His crucifixion was hours away, His disciples had fallen asleep. He was left alone with His thoughts. But we’ll see He was actually left alone to commune with the Father. What Jesus did can help us navigate our Gethsemane moments.

View and subscribe to Pastor Greg’s weekly notes.

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupport

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some come to the Lord thinking the Christian life is smooth sailing, never a cloud in the sky, never a rogue wave to rock our boat. That’s a faulty assumption. The Lord doesn’t promise perfect weather, He walks with us in the midst of the storms. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us how we can be ready for those times of challenge. We’ll see how to prepare for extreme challenges by following the example of Jesus Himself as He faced an extreme challenge.

Listen on harvest.org.

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupport

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**Join Pastor Greg Laurie, Chris Tomlin, and Jordan Feliz for Night 2 of the Boise Harvest! Be sure to share this life-changing event with your friends and family. Learn more at https://harvest.org/boise-harvest-2022/

In this special Sunday episode of the Greg Laurie Podcast, special guest Pastor Levi Lusko shares a powerful message from John 6 titled, “This Is Only a Test.”

Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah and everywhere online. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, I Declare War, Take Back Your Life, and Roar Like a Lion. Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven. Learn more at https://levilusko.com/

---

Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.

This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you noticed how social media seems to break out in a virtual fist fight at the drop of a hat? No matter the topic, it seems like some people are just ready to rumble. That’s the time when believers should be ready to be humble. We’re here as representatives of the Lord . . . we’re here to show the world what Christians look like. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie urges us to display that Christ-like attitude at all times . . . insight from our study the Lord’s prayer for us.

The Boise Harvest is almost here and we want you there, especially if you’ve ever questioned your purpose or felt lost in the world. This free event is taking place soon on April 23–24 at the ExtraMile Arena—don’t miss it. You can join online or in person; learn more.

Listen on harvest.org

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 15,000 lives are saved each year by seatbelts. But seatbelts don’t help one bit if you don’t buckle up. It’s our choice to be safe . . . or not. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out we have a choice whether to avail ourselves of the safety and security we find in Jesus. This world is a scary place, don’t we know it all too well. But we’ll find out how to look beyond this world for help. It’s a message from Pastor Greg’s series in John.

The Boise Harvest is almost here and we want you there, especially if you’ve ever questioned your purpose or felt lost in the world. This free event is taking place soon on April 23–24 at the ExtraMile Arena—don’t miss it. You can join online or in person; learn more.

Listen on harvest.org

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org.

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupport

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.