Ruckus over Greg Laurie’s “Harvest” billboards could boost attendance

It remains to be seen how a recent controversy will affect evangelist Greg Laurie’s annual SoCal Harvest Aug. 17-19. However, considerable media coverage in the Los Angeles area could ultimately boost attendance at the 29-year-old event. 

Laurie, who leads the Riverside-based Harvest Christian Fellowship, was featured in a promotional billboard holding a generic Bible. After two weeks, the Irvine Company removed billboards from a Newport Beach mall and the Irvine Spectrum because of complaints.

In a blog post last week, Laurie pointed out the book didn’t say Bible or have a cross on it, although he affirmed it was a Bible.

“Why are people so frightened of the Bible?” Laurie asked. “Think of the words of George Washington: ‘It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.’”

Laurie was inspired by an old photo of renowned preacher Billy Graham. Ironically, Graham’s son, Franklin, recently encountered a ruckus over his upcoming rally in Blackpool, England.

In mid-July, Blackpool Transport removed ads from buses after criticism on social media, particularly from gay activists who object to Graham’s stance on homosexuality.