Bellevue Hosts Praise Gathering NW -- Music, Mingling At New Convention Center

Bill Gaither and his Christian vocal group had been on the road so much, playing one-night stands in city after city, that he hardly ever knew what town he was in. "You blow in, blow off and blow out," Gaither said, recalling the early years of the Bill Gaither Trio.

In 1976, tired of never getting to know the people he was performing for, Gaither and his wife Gloria struck on a new idea: They inaugurated a multiday event in Indianapolis called Praise Gathering, a mix of Christian music, talks and just plain mingling.

This year Praise Gathering marks its 19th anniversary in Indianapolis and its fourth year as a Seattle-area spinoff - Praise Gathering Northwest.

Gaither and a host of other performers will be at Praise Gathering Northwest next Friday and Saturday in the new Meydenbauer Convention Center in Bellevue.

The event has drawn capacity crowds in previous years, when it was held at Seattle's Washington State Convention and Trade Center and, last year, at Overlake Christian Church in Kirkland.

How does Gaither explain the receptiveness he's found in an area reputed to be one of the most "underchurched" regions in America?

"I think people get labeled because they are not organized in a bunch. I think there is spirituality there. There seems to be more openness in the Northwest about life, period," said Gaither, 57, by telephone from Indianapolis.

Randy Vader, executive producer of Praise Gathering Northwest,

said the event is meant to stretch people, to take them out of their "comfort zones." Music will range from traditional to gospel to pop-contemporary. Speakers will present a variety of perspectives on issues of daily life.

Ken Davis, humorist, author and a popular speaker on the Christian lecture circuit, will discuss "Super Sheep" and "How to Live with Your Kids When You've Already Lost Your Mind." Jay Carty, who heads up Yes! Ministries in Corvallis, will speak on "A Few Laughs in the Garden and a Lesson from Captain Kirk," according to Praise Gathering Northwest organizers.

As it has in previous years, CRISTA Ministries, the Christian service organization just north of Seattle, is sponsoring the two-day event.

The new Meydenbauer Convention Center in downtown Bellevue will be able to accommodate as many as 3,000 people this year, said Jim Gwinn, president of CRISTA Ministries.

Some 2,100 tickets already have been sold, said Jim Gwinn, CRISTA president. Remaining tickets will be on sale through Wednesday for $45 a person.

The tickets are good for both days of the event, which runs from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. For information, call 546-7342.

Fulfilling the Gaithers' wish for performers and audiences to get to know one another better, the guest artists and speakers will mingle with the audience, sharing conversation and prayer during breaks in the performances, said Vader.