Palau to Preach Amid Christian Rock for All Ages
by Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
August 6, 2004
(AgapePress) - More than 200,000 people are expected to turn out this weekend in Minneapolis for a two-day Christian festival featuring evangelist Luis Palau.The Twin Cities Festival, which is to take place outdoors on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol, will feature pro athletes, extreme sports demonstrations, and contemporary Christian music, with popular artists such as Point of Grace, Toby Mac, Third Day, and Stacie Orrico slated to perform.
While Palau, who is 69 years old, admits he does not care much for the contemporary-style music, he says he welcomes the opportunity to preach to large numbers of young people. "We do all this loud music for the sake of the kids," he says. "You think I like it? I don't even know if it's music; I don't know if they have words, but it gets the kids, you know. I don't like the music, but I like the kids who like the music -- so that's why we do it."
The Argentina-born evangelist says young people today are demanding answers to life's toughest questions. And although he represents a different generation, he finds that he is still able to connect with young people.
Palau says he used to think that as soon as the upbeat music ended and he got up to preach, the young people would say, "Here comes Grandpa; let's go." But surprisingly, that has not been his experience. "The amazing thing is they stay," he says. "I think kids today want to hear an old-timer who tries to understand them and knows God. And they want to meet Jesus Christ."
The Twin Cities Festival runs this Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, in Nebraska, organizers of the second annual "Godstock" Christian music festival are hoping for fairer weather this year than they had the last time around. According to an Associated Press report, last year's festivities were brought to an abrupt end by a storm that tore through central Nebraska, causing so much damage that the last two days of the event had to be canceled.
This year's three-day Godstock festival, which takes place on a ranch near Comstock, Nebraska, starts Friday evening (August 6) and runs through Sunday. Bands scheduled to appear include Casting Crowns, Skillet, Audio Adrenaline, Third Day, Avalon, and Petra.
