March 12:  Minnnesota Pastors and Youth Leaders Help Launch Rock the River

Music-Packed Outreach to Young People Happens Aug. 16 in Minneapolis-St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS, March 4, 2009—In a culture that bombards our youth with negative messages, many are left searching for identity and a sense of belonging.  Next week, local pastors and youth leaders have been invited to hear from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association about a new event that brings some of today's top Christian hard rock and hip-hop artists together to help reach a lost generation of young people with a positive message of hope.

"This is an evangelistic summer concert tour filled with hard rock and hip-hop that kids are going to love.  We plan to fish this river all the way from Baton Rouge to Minneapolis - fishing for the souls of the youth of this country," said Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. 

Rock the River is a new evangelistic summer concert tour that features seven hours of high-voltage music plus brief, challenging messages by Franklin Graham.  These one-day events will rock their way up the Mississippi River through Baton Rouge, St. Louis, Quad Cities and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The Rock the River launch will be on Thursday, March 12.  Pastors and youth leaders from across the state will hear from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and find out how they can be a part of this important event.  Rock the River comes to Harriet Island Park in St. Paul on Sunday, Aug. 16.

WHEN:  

Thursday, March 12
                     

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.


WHERE:   

Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, Minneapolis South
7800 Normandale Blvd.                     

Minneapolis, MN 55439