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RIVERSIDE, Calif., March 15, 2005—Instead of lay-ups and three-pointers, Stegman Coliseum attendees can expect the latest in Christian music and a clear message of faith during the Greater Athens Harvest with Greg Laurie, April 22.

Harvest Crusades, known for presenting traditional Christian beliefs in a culturally relevant way that appeals to all ages, employing of-the-moment methods like Internet technology, ultra-hip Christian music, and current event references, has drawn more than 3 million people to stadiums and arenas in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 1990. Each Harvest Crusade event features a message from Riverside, Calif., pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie.

The Orange County Register has called the Harvest Crusades "a formidable, flexible event that has stayed in step with the latest trends in communication, music and current events" (July 10, 2004).

"With Harvest, we intentionally engage popular culture, using it as a bridge to reach millions of people with the simple, timeless message of the gospel," said Laurie. "We're especially glad to work alongside Athens-area churches to offer this life-changing message that is relevant to adults, teens, and children alike."
"Approximately 55 local churches and campus groups have been working together for the past year to bring the Harvest Crusades to Athens," said local event organizer Ben Sloboda. "We haven't had an event like this in many years, and we can't wait to see the community's response."
Grammy Winners Perform in the Athens Music Scene

In a college town known for spawning world-renowned musical talent, the Greater Athens Harvest will feature two critically acclaimed musical acts—Grammy-winning band Jars of Clay and Grammy-nominated vocalist Crystal Lewis.
"Music is such an important part of all that we do at Harvest," said Greg Laurie. "We know that music represents the pulse of the next generation and is an important mode of communication."
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Student to Student

Harvest will talk student-to-student in this college town, with outreach from groups of teens from Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. These SWAT Teams (Student With a Testimony) travel to each Harvest Crusade to encourage local youth spiritually, and in Athens they will team up with local University of Georgia campus ministry groups to pass out invitations to the Harvest event.

Greg Laurie, who founded the evangelistic Harvest Crusade events in 1990, also serves as senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., one of the 15 largest churches in the U.S. In addition to the Greater Athens Harvest, Harvest will host 2005 events in Augusta, Ga. (April 17-20); Santa Monica, Calif. (June 3–4); Anaheim, Calif. (July 15–17); and Newcastle, NSW, Australia (Sept. 8–11).

The Greater Athens Harvest at UGA's Stegman Coliseum begins at 7 p.m. and is free of charge. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and parking is free.

MEDIA NOTE: For more information about the Greater Athens Harvest or Greg Laurie, or to schedule an interview, contact Laura Swickard McGowan at (847) 328-8009 or laura@lauramcgowan.com, or access the Harvest Newsroom at newsroom.harvest.org.