Posted: 09/14/2005 at 5:49pm | IP Logged

GREG LAURIE'S SECOND COMING - HARVEST 05 - AUSTRALIA

Harvest founder and evangelist, returns to Newcastle Australia

By Ramon Williams
Special for ASSIST News Service

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (ANS) -- "Harvest 05" was the second visit to Newcastle (73.32 miles north-east of Sydney) by the Californian-based evangelist and founder of Harvest Ministries USA, Greg Laurie. It was eagerly awaited by over 200 churches committed to the event, sharing again in the memories of "Hunter Harvest 03". Held in the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, September 8-11, it attracted daily reports in the local media, with the Newcastle Herald even producing a four page insert on Friday morning, within hours of the opening meeting. (Pictured: Greg Laurie).

Here was a man with a simple, yet challenging gospel message which applied to people of all ages, from a wide variety of denominations and cultural backgrounds. The soul-saving message, with the theme "Down to Earth Talk About Heaven", went out to the 25,400 who attended, resulting in 2,074 known enquirers.

A team of "S.W.A.T." young people (Students With A Testimony) visited local haunts and gathering places throughout Newcastle, inviting others to come to the meetings as well as leading many to the Lord. They reported more than 198 conversions on the first day!

The Youth Jam at 3.00pm on Saturday was the first such gathering ever held during a "Harvest" crusade. It resulted in the highest percentage of responses, 574 (11.96 per cent) from the 4,800 predominantly young people attending. Bus loads even traveled from Tamworth (119 miles) and Taree (82 miles) as well as closer areas. They were not disappointed!

The program was repeated at night in the 7.30pm meeting, complete with the same entertainment format, led by Australian musician Steve Grace. (Pictured: Steve Grace).

Other artists included internationally acclaimed Rebecca St James, Sydney's Hillsong's Darlene Zschech, the British group, Delirious? and Adelaide's group, Planetshakers. The local Harvest '05 Combined Choir of 200 voices and the Harvest '05 Band participated in the entertainment segments, with a special group of signers ministering to the deaf.

Artistic backgrounds and special lighting effects added to the presentations in such a manner as is understood and appreciated by young people. (Pictured: Rebecca St James with background).

Rebecca and Martin Smith, vocalist of the Delirious? group, blended readings from the Bible into their productions and all shared something of their Christian testimonies.

The contemporary music presentations reverberated throughout the Entertainment Centre, with many coming to the edge of the stage to join in the gyrating and jumping to the beat ("in the Spirit" - of course!).

The Chairman of Hunter Harvest Inc., Kevin Warner, senior pastor of Mayfield Baptist Church said that actually what was being seen in the visible had been requested in prayer even before the 2003 event. A group of Newcastle pastors had met weekly in prayer, asking the Lord to unite them in their outreach and to do something unique in their area, drawing the outsiders to Himself and encouraging the believers in their walk with Him.

Hunter Harvest 03 exceeded their expectations and even the replaying of the ABC Television "Compass" documentary of the 2003 event only weeks before, had resulted in requests coming from interstate, wanting to know how they could become Christians.

At the closing rally on Sunday evening, gifts of appreciation were given to the visiting team members, with the local administrative and organising personnel acknowledged for their commitment and involvement.

There was no mention of a return visit - but then who would have thought this second "Harvest" would be so warmly accepted and draw the churches of Newcastle together in outreach. (Pictured: The appeal).

Time - and Eternity - will surely produce the fruits of the Harvest presentations of the gospel.

For further information, contact:
Hunter Harvest Inc, PO Box 334, HRMC NSW 2310; phone: (+61-2) 4967 1003; e-mail: info@hunterharvest.com.au;  web: www.hunterharvest.com.au 

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Ramon Williams is an Australian photographer and journalist living in Sydney, Australia, with his wife Dorothy. They served as WEC missionaries in Java, Indonesia from 1959-1967. Ramon was awarded the Gutenberg Award in 1987 by the Australian Religious Press Association and the 1994 Malcolm Muggeridge Award for Service Through the Media, by the Australian Federation of Festival of Light. His aim is "To tell others what others are doing for the Lord". His ministry is known as Worldwide Photos Ltd - The Religious Media Agency, PO Box 494, Padstow NSW 2211, Australia; rigmedia@ozemail.com.au (ANS)www.assistsnews.net