Portland church attracts large crowds to outreach event in non-religious city

Portland Pastor Sees Hope for Spiritual Revival

The senior pastor of Athey Creek in Portland, Oregon, believes that the recent response to a missionary event indicates a growing readiness for a spiritual revival in what many see as a deeply secular city.

“Portland has gained a reputation as a dark city,” Brett Meador explained, pointing to issues like homelessness, substance abuse, strip clubs, and human trafficking. “Our aim was to bring the light of Christ here.”

The “PDX Crusade,” a two-night event reminiscent of the famous evangelist Billy Graham’s crusades, brought in around 35,000 attendees to Portland’s Moda Center on August 2-3. Guests enjoyed gospel messages and performances by well-known Christian artists, including Chris Tomlin and Zach Williams.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Meador shared that approximately 4,000 church volunteers distributed Bibles to the 3,200 individuals who chose to give their lives to Christ during the event. Local reports noted that this was the largest gathering of its kind in Portland in decades.

Meador recalled poignant moments from the event, such as a ten-year-old boy and his mother praying for him to accept Christ, and venue staff joining in prayer on the arena floor. “It was overwhelming to see this response to the good news,” he remarked, adding that numerous testimonies have since surfaced.

Reflecting on his nearly 30 years in Portland, Meador mentioned his initial spiritual calling to plant churches in what was seen as one of “the most churched cities in America.” However, the city’s reputation has changed little. According to research from Pew Research Center in 2023-2024, the Portland and Vancouver metropolitan areas continue to stand out among major U.S. cities.

Still, starting a church in such a secular environment was no easy feat. Despite challenges, Athey Creek has grown from zero attendees to nearly 15,000 members today. Meador believes the spiritual landscape has shifted over the last five years, especially following the unrest and crime surges in 2020. “I think people are realizing this situation isn’t working,” he said.

He continued, “There’s a sense that people are ready to seek out the light amid the darkness. I believe Jesus is the solution to the issues we’re facing.”

Church leaders are now contemplating whether to make the Crusades an annual event. “We hope the Lord will guide us,” Meador stated. “We are definitely open to doing this again next year and possibly on a regular basis.”