Hawaii Outreach

HARVEST HAWAII FUSES EXTREME SPORTS, MUSIC,
AND FAITH AT WAIKIKI SHELL, JUNE 24 - 27

Harvest with Greg Laurie Hosts Seventh Hawaii Crusade Since 1991, Featuring New Saturday Summerfest Youth Event at Kapiolani Park.

RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 21, 2004—Spectators can expect a helping of flying gravel and the rumbling of revving motors when Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie come to town with events at Kapiolani Park and the Waikiki Shell, June 24 – 27.  This year, the popular crusade event, called Harvest Hawaii, will be serving up Extreme sports like BMX and Vert Skate along with its trademark blend of hip music and straightforward faith.

In addition to a four-night crusade at the Waikiki Shell, this year Harvest will host the first-ever Hawaii Summerfest for youth on Saturday, June 26, from 2 – 5:30 p.m. at Kapiolani Park.  Pushing the limits of traditional crusade events, Summerfest will feature Extreme sports like BMX and Vert Skate, a SportsZone and KidsZone, and pro athletes Thad Miller (BMX), Lance Mountain (skateboard), and Honolulu-based Orlando Baker (skateboard).  Local musicians performing at Summerfest include 7 Simple Pieces, Tyler Nakamura, Battle Royale, Kutmaster Spaz, Trisha Nakamoto, and Koa Siu.  Summerfest will precede the Saturday night Harvest Jam program—a night of the Harvest Hawaii crusade geared specifically toward youth.
 
“Many people who attend Summerfest may not go to church, but they’ll come see an X-Games athlete perform,” said event manager Mark Finnigan.  “Although Summerfest has a definite youth flavor, it’s also very family-friendly.”

The nightly crusade events will feature a message from Southern California evangelist Greg Laurie, known for his ability to communicate the timeless message of the Gospel in a culturally relevant way.  Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie has drawn more than 3 million people to stadium and arenas in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand over the past 15 years, employing unconventional methods like edgy music, Extreme sports, and live Webcasts.

Following a one-night capacity crowd event at the Waikiki Shell last year, Harvest returns to Hawaii for its seventh time since 1991.  The four-night Harvest Hawaii crusade will feature a sampling of Christian music’s hottest talent, including Crystal Lewis, The Katinas, Kutless, Doyle Dykes, and local bands Kapena and 7 Simple Pieces.  The New Hope Hula Halau will also perform.

Youth to Youth

More than 60 churches on Oahu, representing a diversity of denominations and cultures, will host the Harvest Hawaii crusade, with local committees steered by Danny Lehmann of Youth with a Mission.  Youth from around the country will pitch in to help:

• Some 380 youth will travel to Oahu from Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas to volunteer at Summerfest and sing in the Harvest Hawaii choir.
  
• More than 40 kids from Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. will participate in
  street evangelism in Honolulu and will join with local youth to distribute flyers about the event.
  
• This month, Youth for Christ distributed a CD sampler featuring local Summerfest musicians to every high school student in the state of Hawaii through local schools.

Hawaii Harvest Schedule of Events
(All events free and open to the public.)

Thursday, June 24 – Sunday, June 27 at 7 p.m.
Harvest Hawaii — Waikiki Shell, Oahu

• Harvest Hawaii will feature music by Crystal Lewis, The Katinas, Kutless, Doyle Dykes, and local bands Kapena and 7 Simple Pieces, along with a message from Greg Laurie.  The New Hope Hula Halau will also perform.
  
• The Harvest Jam program geared specifically toward youth will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 7 p.m., and will feature Kutless, 7 Simple Pieces, and a local worship band.

Saturday, June 26     2:30 – 5 p.m.
Summerfest — Kapiolani Park, Oahu

• Summerfest will feature pro athletes Thad Miller (BMX), Lance Mountain (skateboard), and Honolulu-based Orlando Baker (skateboard).  Local musicians include 7 Simple Pieces, Tyler Nakamura, Battle Royale, Kutmaster Spaz, Trisha Nakamoto, and Koa Siu.

Greg Laurie, who founded the evangelistic Harvest Crusade events in 1990, also serves as senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., the eighth largest church in the U.S.  On July 10, Harvest will host the Southern California Harvest as a precursor to the Greater Los Angeles Billy Graham Crusade in Pasadena, Calif.

Nightly Harvest Hawaii events begin at 7 p.m. and are free of charge.  Gates will open at 6 p.m. and parking is free.  Harvest Hawaii will be broadcast live on the Internet nightly and may be accessed at www.harvest.org.  An overflow area will be available in Kapiolani Park nightly for attendees to watch the crusade remotely.

Media Contact:
Laura Swickard McGowan
laura@lauramcgowan.com
(847) 328-8009 phone
(847) 866-9511 fax