16TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
HARVEST CRUSADE
DRAWS 150,000 IN PERSON AND
TECHNOLOGICALLY VIA THE INTERNET
TO HEAR CONSISTENT GOSPEL MESSAGE
Evangelist Greg
Laurie, Joined by Musicians and X-Games Athletes to Get the Message
Across, Tells Crowds How to Know God Personally
By Michael
Ireland
Tuesday,
July 19, 2005
 RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA (ANS) -- Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie
has hosted evangelistic crusade events in Southern California for the
past 16 years. This year, the 2005 Southern California Harvest Crusade
was no exception as 100,000 people of all ages and backgrounds poured
into Angel Stadium of Anaheim, July 15 – 17, joined by more than 50,000
via Internet technology. (Pictured:
Crowd packs Angel Stadium).
Laurie was accompanied by musical artists and X-Games athletes who
presented the  same life-changing message, through music, sports,
technology, as he told the audience how they could get to know God
personally. (Pictured: Greg Laurie
preaching at Harvest Crusade 2005).
In addition to those attending the crusade in-person, more than 50,000
people watched and listened via live Internet broadcasts and, for the
first time, via podcasting technology, according to an e-mail press
release received by ASSIST News Service (ANS).
The release states that during the weekend, more than 28,649 people
from 61 countries, totaling over 3,767 hours of streaming, logged on to
watch the crusade live on the Internet. "Hits" per night averaged 2
million. And during the past week, 22,581 requests have been received
for Harvest’s podcast feeds at www.harvestpodcast.org.
Harvest Crusades says that while several people made decisions of faith
in Christ through new technology, during the Southern California
Harvest Crusade more than 8,500 people stepped onto the field of Angel
Stadium to profess their faith.
HARVEST JAM YOUTH NIGHT PACKS THE HOUSE
 The Saturday night Harvest Jam youth program not
only rocked the house with high-impact music and X-Games-level sports,
it packed the house with more than 48,000 people in attendance,
according to information released to the media. (Pictured X-Games biker).
Youth lined up outside the gates of Angel Stadium on Saturday
afternoon, anticipating the change to hear a pre-crusade performance by
Kutless and to watch a Motocross exhibition by riders including X-Games
gold winner Nate Adams and X-Games qualifier Brian Dowdy, as well as
favorites Dave Demangos and Kyle Loza.
 By the time the evening Harvest Jam kicked off,
virtually every seat in the stadium was filled, leading many to listen
to Laurie’s message and music from Jeremy Camp and Toby Mac from the
parking lot. (Pictured: Casting Crowns).
 During
each night of the Southern California Harvest Crusade, Laurie presented
a clear, relevant gospel message, preaching on topics entitled "God’s
Cure for Heart Trouble," "Are We Living in the Last Days?" and "How to
Change for Good." In addition to Laurie’s talks, the crusade featured
music from Casting Crowns, Delirious, Kutless, Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp,
Jars of Clay, Crystal Lewis, and Steven Curtis Chapman. (Pictured: Delirious).
NEW PODCAST TECHNOLOGY
For those not able to make it to Angel Stadium during the weekend, each
night of the Southern California Harvest Crusade was broadcast live on
the Internet (www.harvestcrusades.org)
and, for the first time, portions of the crusade were available to
upload to iTunes nightly.
Information released to the media states that in a partnership between
Harvest Crusades, The GodCast Network, and Life Spring, a series of
four podcasts were produced during the week prior to the crusade,
providing a background on the message, the music, the people, and the
experience of the Harvest Crusade.
Six podcasts were produced during the crusade weekend, including the
nightly messages given by Laurie, and the unique sound-seeing tours of
all aspects of the crusade events like interviews with attendees and
musical guests. Finally, two additional podcasts will be produced after
the crusade, focusing on the experience of those who attended. The
podcasts can be found on the web at www.harvestpodcast.org
or www.harvest.godcast.org.
Laurie, who founded the evangelistic Harvest Crusade events in 1990,
also serves as senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in
Riverside, California, one of the 15 largest churches in the U.S.
During the past 16 years, the Harvest Crusades have drawn more than 3
million people to events in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New
Zealand.
Laurie's television program, 'Harvest: Greg Laurie,' is the top-rated
religious program in its timeslot on KTLA in Los Angeles. In addition
to the Southern California Harvest Crusade, Harvest hosted 2005 events
in Augusta, GA, Athens, GA, and Santa Monica, CA. Harvest will travel
to Newcastle, NSW, Australia, Sept. 8 – 11 and Christchurch, New
Zealand, Sept. 14.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
According to Laurie's ministry website, in 1990, a small group of
people set out to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to Southern
Californians in a non-traditional, non-church environment. With little
more than personal experience, deep conviction, and great vision, they
pursued their simple strategy of presenting Christ's timeless message
in a contemporary format. A plan evolved for a casual evening of upbeat
music, genuine worship, and a clear presentation of biblical messages.
The website says that at a time when many in America were questioning
the effectiveness and the future of modern crusade evangelism, Chuck
Smith, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, and Greg Laurie, pastor
of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside (currently one of the
15-largest churches in America) believed that crusades had great
potential for a new generation. The format would be contemporary and,
while the crusades would be relevant for people of all ages, they would
appeal particularly to youth.
On faith, they rented the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa for
several nights in the summer of 1990, not knowing how many people would
show up for the event. Remarkably, more than 90,000 people attended
what was the first Harvest Crusade, featuring Greg Laurie as the
evangelist. The results confirmed that people are still interested in
hearing straight talk about life's challenges and problems.
TAKING THE MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
Since 1990, crowds totaling more than 3 million people have attended
Harvest Crusades across the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. 2005
Harvest events will include a first-time visit to Georgia for crusades
in Augusta (April 17 – 20) and Athens (April 22), Santa Monica,
California (June 3 – 4), as well as return visits to Anaheim,
California (July 15 – 17) and Newcastle, Australia (Sept. 8 – 11).
Venues for Harvest Crusades range from 60,000-seat stadiums, like Angel
Stadium of Anaheim, to the 10,500-seat minor league Dukes Stadium in
Albuquerque, N.M. Since 1990, more than 251,944 people have registered
decisions to commit their lives to Christ as a result of the crusades.
TECHNOLOGY MEETS THEOLOGY
The ministry site says that beginning with its first live crusade
Webcast in 1998, Harvest Crusades has pioneered the use of cutting-edge
technology to share its message of faith and hope with the world. More
than 217,000 people have participated in Harvest Crusades via the
Internet, watching live broadcasts from countries including the U.S.,
Macedonia, Brazil, India, and Japan.
Besides conducting evangelistic outreaches, Harvest Ministries sponsors
A New Beginning -- an international radio program with messages by Greg
Laurie -- as well as a television program called 'Harvest: Greg Laurie'
that is currently rated the number one religious program on KTLA-TV 5
in Los Angeles, and also airs internationally on the Trinity
Broadcasting Network, AFRTS, The Church Channel, and others.
Greg Laurie serves as president of Harvest Crusades, Inc., a position
for which he receives no compensation. Harvest Crusades, Inc., is a
not-for-profit corporation that exists for the sole purpose of
presenting the life-changing message of Jesus Christ to as many people
as possible, and to help believers mature in their faith.
HARVEST CRUSADES: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES
The ministry site says that in addition to serving as an evangelist for
Harvest Crusades, Laurie is the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship
in Riverside, California, where as many as 15,000 people worship each
week.
The site says that just as Harvest Christian Fellowship serves its
community in many capacities, so do the Harvest Crusades positively
impact communities around the world with evangelistic outreach. Whether
attendees, volunteers, or local church members, thousands see powerful
personal and corporate change as a result of a Harvest Crusade in their
city.
HUNDREDS OF LOCAL CHURCHES AND VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED
In inviting Harvest Crusades to a city, hundreds of local churches from
various denominations unite to form a hosting committee to organize
outreach efforts. After the Crusade, local churches follow up with
attendees who made a decision to follow Christ and invite them to
worship.
Hundreds of local volunteers help host each Harvest Crusade. Though
many of the tasks are basic, helping with parking, passing out
programs, manning canned food drive drop-offs, many volunteers report
real, lasting benefits from the opportunity to serve.
MORE THAN 3 MILLION IN ATTENDANCE SINCE 1990
Tens of thousands of people from all backgrounds attend each Harvest
Crusade and its ancillary events, like Harvest Youth Jam, which feature
free concerts with some of Christian music's top artists. There are
literally thousands of stories of people whose lives are forever
changed as a result of attending a Crusade, or watching one on
television or a webcast.
Over the past 16 years, some 251,944 people have committed their lives
to Christ as a result of the Harvest Crusades and the message of hope
presented at each event by Laurie.
For more information about the 2005 Harvest Crusades
or Greg Laurie, contact Laura Swickard McGowan at (847) 328-8009 or
(847) 347-5206. To download high resolution photos of the Southern
California Harvest Crusade, log onto the Harvest Newsroom at www.newsroom.harvest.org.
Laura Swickard McGowan
Laura McGowan Communications
Phone: (847) 328-8009 - laura@lauramcgowan.com
- www.lauramcgowan.com
| ** Michael Ireland is an
international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a
London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News
Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in
1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two
children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a
British Christian radio station. |
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