Evangelical concert at Coca-Cola Field

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The son of renowned Christian evangelist Billy Graham is leading a crusade for the next generation of Christians with a spiritual and musical weekend event that promises to "Rock the Lakes" at Coca-Cola Field.

The free event will be held in downtown Buffalo, and hosted by Rev. Franklin Graham.

"It's going to be a lot of fun; we've got a lot of music. I'm going to give a message that could change a kid's life and I want them to listen, and my message is just a few minutes," Rev. Graham said.

"Rock the Lakes" Co-Chair Lee McCune added, "If you're concerned that it's going to be preaching or you're going to be sitting through an hour sermon, it's not going to be like that. Franklin is going to give a short message. It's 10 to 15 minutes, max."

And the rest is music by Christian headliners such as Skillet and Michael W. Smith. 290 local churches have been working to organize this event for almost a year, and many of the 3,000 volunteers are there for the purpose of helping anyone who may be looking for a particular type of church.

"Rock the Lakes" Co-Chair Annie McCune said, "Every night, we will make sure that if they want contacts with local churches, letters will get sent out the very next morning so that local churches can participate with follow up."

Rev. Graham added, "We're a generation now that doesn't know God. God has been taken out of our society, taken out of our schools, and we don't give up on our kids. We don't give up on our kids. It's a great generation."

Rev. Graham says his father is 93 now and doing well. In fact, Rev. Graham remembers being here in 1988 for his father's crusade at the same ballpark, which back then was known as Pilot Field.

"I remember, we had rain and a lightning bolt hit one of the towers in the stadium and scared everybody. They thought, 'Oh boy, the end's coming right now!'" recounted Rev. Graham.

A similar event in Rochester back in June drew 18,000 people.

The event is free and open to the public. Gates open at 2:30 each afternoon and the music begins at 4 p.m.

Find more information about the concert here.