"Harvest with Greg Laurie" Returns to Philadelphia to Share Message of Redemption, Hope at Wachovia Center, Oct. 3–5
Some 350 Local Churches Join Together to Host Large-Scale Evangelistic Event
RIVERSIDE, Calif., August 28, 2008—When Harvest with Greg Laurie returns to Philadelphia in October, it will do so with the support of some 350 churches stretching from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. After a nine-year absence, Harvest with Greg Laurie will bring its large-scale evangelistic outreach back to the area for the Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08. The Harvest outreach has been more than a year in the making and will be held over three nights, October 3–5, at the Wachovia Center.Harvest with Greg Laurie previously visited Philadelphia in 1997, 1998, and 1999, drawing more than 100,000 people to the Wachovia Spectrum (formerly First Union Spectrum).
"We are thrilled that Harvest with Greg Laurie is returning to the Philadelphia area. We have twice as many churches working together now than we did when the Harvest outreach came here in the late '90s," said local organizer Jerry Paradise. "Greater Philadelphia has a rich history of evangelists influencing the area going back to the 1730s—George Whitefield, John Wesley, William Tennent, D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham."
In fact, Southern California pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie has been called the "evangelist of the future" by Billy Graham. During each night of the Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08, Laurie will share a message of redemption and hope, drawing on contemporary means to describe the relevance of faith in today's world. Laurie's talks encompass topics that appeal to people of any age and answer questions like: Why am I here? Is God real? What happens when I die? These topics are particularly meaningful to Laurie in light of the recent death of his 33-year-old son, Christopher—a personal tragedy he hopes will point others toward faith in God.
"It's hard knowing that I won't see my son again on earth, but I have the assurance that Christopher is in heaven because he put his faith in Jesus," said Laurie. "I haven't lost my son because I know where he is, and someday I will join him. This is the hope I have for everyone."
In addition to a nightly message from Laurie, the Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08 will feature top Christian music from a variety of genres. Musicians performing during the three-night event include: MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, tobyMac, Kutless, Leeland, and the Katinas.
Greg Laurie founded the evangelistic Harvest events in 1990 and serves as senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., one of the largest churches in the U.S. Over the past 19 years, Harvest events have drawn more than 3.7 million people to stadiums and arenas in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Laurie also serves on the board of directors for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse.
Volunteer Opportunities
More than 5,000 people are expected to volunteer during the Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08, and training classes are being offered for ushers, August 24–September 26. For more information, access philly.harvest.org.Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08 Facts and Figures
As preparations are underway for the Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08, facts and figures include:-
Some 350 churches are working together to host the Greater Philadelphia Harvest.
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Some 5,000 local volunteers will serve as follow-up workers and ushers, and will assist with set-up & tear down during the Harvest event. Another 150 volunteers from California will pay their own way to help at the event.
- Some 60,000 bumper stickers and 475,000 invitations to the Greater Philadelphia Harvest are being distributed locally, as well as 4,000 posters.
Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08 Schedule of Events
(events are free and open to the public)| Friday, October 3 | 7:30 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Friday evening will feature a message from evangelist Greg Laurie and music from Jeremy Camp, Leeland, and the Katinas. | |
| Saturday, October 4 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday evening will feature a message from evangelist Greg Laurie and music from tobyMac, Kutless, and the Katinas. | |
| Sunday, October 5 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sunday evening will feature a message from evangelist Greg Laurie and music from MercyMe and the Katinas. | |
The Greater Philadelphia Harvest 08 begins at 7:30 p.m. nightly (doors open at 6 p.m.) and is free of charge. The Wachovia Center charges a fee for parking. Signing for the deaf will be provided.
All three evenings of the Harvest outreach will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.harvest.org. Video podcasts and blog accounts of each message will also be available at blog.greglaurie.com.