It’s Another Bountiful Harvest : Evangelism: Baseball makes way for religion as 20,000 gather at Anaheim Stadium to take part in a modern crusade.

Talk about angels in the outfield.

About 20,000 people packed Anaheim Stadium on Thursday for the opening night of one of the nation’s largest evangelical Christian crusades.

An old-fashioned revival meeting with a decidedly modern twist, this year’s four-day Harvest Crusade is expected to draw more than 150,000 people.

“It’s just such a wonderful feeling to see all these people, especially these young people,” said Mary Kordik of Garden Grove, shouting to be heard over the wail of electric guitars and the staccato of drums.

On the baseball field, an enthusiastic choir was stationed at deep shortstop, while an animated preacher stood at second base. The “fans” settled into their seats, one woman sported a baseball cap emblazoned with the logo of her favorite “player”--an interlocking J and C for Jesus Christ.

If the evening was unusual for the home of baseball’s Angels, it was not the typical church service either. Many of the faithful wore cut-off jeans and T-shirts, and hundreds lined up at the nachos stand.

Matt Thayer, 17, of Fullerton dug into a heaping helping of chips and cheese dip as the service proceeded.

His buddy, 17-year-old Jack Hinds, persuaded him to attend, Thayer said, and the activity on the field couldn’t distract him from the rumbling in his stomach.

Many of the worshipers said proselytizing was part of the event.

“I came to hear our Lord’s precious word, and just to enjoy the music--and to bring unsaved friends,” said Betty Flati of Westminster.

In great seats just over the first base dugout, she sat with her companions and confessed that she hadn’t been able to round up any unsaved friends.

“They didn’t want to come,” she explained.

But thousands of others did attend.

“This is the greatest event of the year,” said Mary Garcie of Buena Park. “Bar none. People’s lives will be changed after tonight. God changes lives.”

Like many in the crowd, Garcie said that the stadium setting had a soothing, relaxing effect.

To see so many people praying for salvation on a sports field did not seem incongruous, she said, “because He is everywhere. He’s right here. He says, ‘Where two or three are gathered in My name, I’ll be there.’ ”

Wendy Kelley, of Marietta, was definitely there.

In fact, she was one of the first to arrive when the stadium gates opened at 5:30 p.m.

“Lots of people come because they’re hurting, they’re looking for something,” she said.

She and other Christians, she said, would try to minister to such people.

Later in the evening, as the musicians turned up the volume, the crowd rose to its feet, and Kelley clapped vociferously.

“When you know the Lord,” said Kelley, a first-time attendee, “it’s all exciting.”

The Harvest Crusade has been drawing increasing numbers of the faithful for six years.

Modeled after Christian revivals like those launched by the Rev. Billy Graham in the 1950s, the new crusade travels each year to six U.S. cities, breathing new life into a familiar format with rock music and a casual, come-as-you-are approach.

More than 90,000 people nationwide attended the first Harvest Crusade in 1990. Last year, attendance swelled to 350,000.

The Rev. Greg Laurie is the featured pastor each day of the event.

Laurie, of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, was once affiliated with Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, one of the churches that helped to organize the crusade.

Many in the crowd Thursday said Laurie was the key reason they came.

“Greg could well be the next Graham,” said Frank Harber, an evangelist from Longview, Tex., who came to gather ideas about how he might start something similar. “That’s what I came to find out.”

Gazing at the huge crowd, he expressed a Texan’s appreciation for the size and scope of the event. “How are they doing this in Southern California?” he asked.

The Crusade continues at 7:30 p.m. tonight through Sunday. Admission is free, and Spanish and Korean translations are provided, as well as signing for the hearing impaired.