“The artwork on the banners wasn’t overtly religious. So we were very taken aback that the ads received complaints and threats.”
(L.J. Gambone – Daily Press) For the past 29 years, pastor Greg Laurie’s Southern California-based Harvest Christian Fellowship ministry has been holding annual crusades at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. In an effort to advertise for the year’s event, to be held Aug. 17-19, Harvest paid to place several banners in malls at Fashion Island in Orange County with the help of the Irvine Company.
After two weeks of being in the malls, the Irvine Company contacted Harvest and told church officials that the artwork on their banners would have to be changed to include non-offensive images because not only did they receive complaints about the ads but also death threats.
Harvest changed the artwork, which included pastor Laurie holding a plain black book representing the Bible. In the end, the Irvine Company still decided to take down all of the ads and refunded the ministry’s payment, according to John Collins, executive director of Harvest.