Several Christian artists and bands whose music played a key role during the Jesus Movement in the U.S. in the '60s and '70s are honoring Pastor Chuck Smith by performing at a concert series called "Jesus Lead On" at churches in Southern California this month.

Mustard Seed Faith worship band member Oden Fong told The Christian Post that the concept for the concert series is to celebrate the life of Smith, 84, while he is currently battling lung cancer because it is "better to honor someone when they are alive then after they are gone."

"[Instead] of admitting defeat and saying our pastor is going to die, we are saying no, let's get together and pray that he lives and that God will do a miracle," said Fong, who is also the pastor of Poiema Christian Fellowship in Huntington Beach, Calif. more >>

Three nationwide ministries have agreed to partner with Harvest America organizers for the first-of-its-kind evangelism event led by Greg Laurie that will be simulcast live to hundreds of churches and venues in late summer.

"We are excited to join efforts with these three ministries to allow even more people the opportunity to participate in Harvest America and to provide them with resources for growing their faith," said Harvest Crusades Executive Director John Collins.

Lifeway, NavPress and Global Media Outreach will be helping promote the event, sponsor hosts, and provide informational resources for the outreach which will be held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 26. more >>

Nearly 900 churches and venues have signed up to host a live simulcast of Harvest America, a first-of-its-kind evangelism event organized by Greg Laurie and his ministry to be held in late summer.

As part of the promotions leading up to the event, Laurie and his wife are scheduled Wednesday to appear during a live webinar with the theme, "A Call to Nationwide Prayer." The online broadcast at the Harvest America website is the fourth webinar in preparation for the Aug. 26 outreach.

"This Wednesday, my wife Cathe and I will be talking about Harvest America prayer initiatives in the monthly webinar. It will be live at 12:00 noon (Pacific time) Wednesday, June 13. We'll reveal some exciting new prayer components and we'll pray together that God would use Harvest America to reach people everywhere with the Gospel," said Laurie in a statement that Harvest America organizers sent to The Christian Post. more >>

Seattle-based Mars Hill Church has taken its eclectic brand of worship music, led by a variety of band singers and musicians serving at its 14 locations, and formed its own recording label, the megachurch announced earlier this week.

Mars Hill Music label manager Jonathan Dunn, who has been at the helm of the venture for the last year, said now is the time to take what Mars Hill worship bands have been doing for the last 10 years "off the grid" and begin sharing globally.

"The first thing people often think of when they hear Mars Hill Music is that we're a group of punk rock Calvinists who hate the modern worship movement. Mars Hill Music is setting out to change that perception. Our music is not an expression against anything but instead an outgrowth of our theology, who we are, and the communities our churches are in. We love Jesus and are expressing that love in our own way," Dunn said. more >>

Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), is in Budapest, Hungary, Friday for the beginning of a three-day "Festival of Hope" event that seeks to revive evangelic efforts in the Eastern European nation.

"We are here to preach God's Gospel at the invitation of area churches," Graham said in a statement, revealing that a year's work and around 312 churches from various denominations had brought the outreach effort together. The worship event will include a thousand-strong choir, an opera, the Air Force band, Christian singers like Michael W. Smith and Casting Crowns, and other musical guests.

"Everyone will find something to enjoy. But this isn't a weekend event," Graham explained. "This effort took more than a year's worth of work, planning and prayer. There has been a small army of people working behind the scenes." more >>

A feeling of being abandoned by God and a curiosity about the pagan religion of Wicca led her to a 10-year life immersed in witchcraft, says a first-time Christian author. S.A. (Seleah Ally) Tower said she wants to share her story in order for others to learn how she escaped a very dark period in her life.

Tower told The Christian Post that her book, Taken from the Night – A Witches Encounter with God, is meant to tell her spiritual journey from first being a doubtful Christian, then to a witch, and later to a born-again believer in Jesus as authentically as possible. She wants the book and her testimony to help others who have experienced the same struggles in the spiritual realm.

"I grew up in a traditional Christian household. My parents took us to church. We went to Sunday school and vacation Bible school. We learned about how to be good and walk in a godly way," Tower explained. "The only thing is that in my youth, as I was growing up, although I heard all the Bible stories about Jesus it was like He was far away. He was like somewhere in the universe and we were down here on earth." more >>