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Aloha Staium, Honolulu, Hawaii
July 24 - 26 Friday -Sunday
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64-437 Kamehameha Hwy, Suite 101
Haleiwa, Hawaii ¥ 96712
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ISLANDERS BUSY DONATING FOOD, RAISING BANNERS, AND WALKING BEACHES IN PREPARATION FOR CRUSADE WHERE "ELVIS AND OPRAH FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE SERMONS" (L.A. TIMES)
More Than 120 Island Churches Work Together to Bring Hip Harvest Crusades
Back to Hawaii, July 24 - 26
RIVERSIDE, CALIF., JUNE 30, 1998--This July, when motorists cruise down Highway 1 on their way to work, instead of looking at the usual variety of election-season signs, they will encounter church members acting as "human billboards" as they hold up banners to spread the word about Harvest Crusades.
Coming to Honolulu's Aloha Stadium July 24-26, the ultra-hip Harvest Crusades--described by the Associated Press as "part rock concert and part old-fashioned tent revival"--is fostering community spirit as islanders organize a food drive and teens pass out invitational flyers on the beach.
Called "Harvest Hawaii '98," the Honolulu crusade is taking place through the cooperative efforts of more than 120 island churches that want to see their towns and cities impacted positively through the relevant Gospel message that will be presented each night of the crusade. The churches, comprised of virtually every Christian denomination, began working together last year to bring Harvest Crusades back to Hawaii after drawing more than 70,000 to three previous Island crusades.
Nationwide, the Riverside, Calif.-based Harvest Crusades have attracted more than 1.8 million to stadium events in 16 cities since the first event in1990. Evangelist Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, America's eighth-largest church, will speak each night at the Honolulu event, accompanied by contemporary and alternative Christian musical artists Big Tent Revival, Crystal Lewis, The Supertones, the Kry, and local group Halau of New Hope.
The Harley-riding Greg Laurie, who "dresses like Billy Joel and preaches like Billy Graham" (San Diego Union-Tribune), appeals to Baby Boomers, Busters, and Gen-Xer's with his no-holds-barred approach to presenting the Gospel. Illustrating his message points with rock lyrics and sound bytes from pop icons like Madonna, Oprah, Elvis, and Nine Inch Nails, Laurie relates a traditional message to a contemporary generation.
Laurie, whose radio program, A New Beginning, is broadcast throughout the islands daily, began holding evangelical outreaches in Hawaii twenty years ago, originally partnering with Calvary Chapel founder Chuck Smith. Having lived in Hawaii for several years as a child, Laurie returned to the islands in 1978 to hold a "Harvest Celebration" at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu, and has since returned to Hawaii on a regular basis, holding dozens of events and establishing long-term relationships with local clergy.
"Greg addresses the struggles that we, as a society, are going through as we approach the 21st century and shows us where the solutions are-in the Bible," said local Harvest Hawaii chairman Rick Lazor, senior pastor of Nu'uanu Baptist Church in Honolulu. "As islanders look for answers to spiritual questions during a time of great financial recession in Hawaii, the Harvest Crusades should have an enormous impact on our communities."
Churches hosting the crusade are working to alleviate some of the strain caused by recent economic troubles. The crusade is joining with River of Life Mission in Honolulu to collect food items for neighbors in need. The food items will be collected at the stadium during the crusade weekend, and distributed over the following weeks.
Harvest: Not Your Parent's Crusade
Local teens are playing a significant role in putting on Harvest Hawaii '98, helping to distribute a large portion of the 230,000 flyers and 15,000 bumper stickers that are posted in churches, restaurants, and island businesses.
"The teens are leading a prayer campaign for their friends, organizing potluck tailgate parties prior to each crusade event, and spending a lot of time talking about Harvest Crusades in their neighborhoods," said Mike Kai, a crusade organizer and youth pastor at Hope Chapel, Koneohe. "Additionally, more than 300 kids from Youth For Christ will pass out crusade flyers on the beach over the next four weeks in preparation for the Saturday youth night at the crusade called Harvest Jam."
New relationships have also been formed between island pastors as a result of the crusade preparations. Last year, the 20-member Ministerial Alliance, comprised of a variety of denominations, began meeting every Wednesday morning to plan the crusade, providing an opportunity for church leaders to get to know one another. "There's never been such a show of unity among Christians in Hawaii as there has been for Harvest," said crusade chairman Rick Lazor.
The Harvest Hawaii '98 crusade programs will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 24-26. Special music will begin 15 minutes before the start of each program. Music by featured pop and contemporary Christian artists will be followed by a message from Laurie at approximately 8:30 p.m. nightly, and will conclude approximately one hour later. All events are open to the public and are free of charge. Gates open at 6 p.m. Nonperishable food items will be collected at the gates at Aloha Stadium on Sunday evening, July 26, and distributed to needy local families through River of Life Mission, Honolulu.
MEDIA NOTE: For information on credentials, interviews, Harvest Crusades, or Greg Laurie, contact Laura Swickard or Beth Bragg at (770) 813-0000. HC 98.13
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