More Than 100,000 People Rock the River This Summer

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 17, 2009 - The wind blew and the crowd rocked as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association wrapped up its first ever Rock the River Tour. On a blustery Sunday at St. Paul's Harriet Island Park, 23,000 people turned out for a day of rock and hip hop with a positive message.

The evangelistic summer concert tour started in July in Baton Rouge, La., and traveled up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, into the Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa), and Minneapolis-St. Paul. A total of 112,798 people attended the summer series.

"This all happened because God put a burden on my heart for young people-how can we reach kids of this generation? For so many their lives are upside down and in a mess and they don't even know why," said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and international relief organization Samaritan's Purse. "That's why I'm so excited that we've had this opportunity to share the message of God's love with all of these young people. It's a chance to change thousands of young lives."

Graham shared brief, challenging Gospel messages multiple times during each Rock the River Tour event. A total of 2,871 responded to Graham's invitation to follow Jesus Christ. Along with the music and messages from Franklin Graham, Rock the River Tour included skateboard and wakeboard exhibitions.

Music artists participating in the Rock the River Tour included Flyleaf, Kirk Franklin, Superchick, DecembeRadio, Flame, Canton Jones and Lecrae.