In the last several decades, a philosophy of church ministry has swept across this nation. Although it has some admirable qualities, we believe that at its core it is pragmatic, at best, and unbiblical, at worst. In order to make “seekers” comfortable, it mixes elements of the world into what belongs to Jesus Christ – the church. Churches that have adopted this model of ministry have attracted people by the thousands, many of whom are misled and enabled to feel comfortable in their condition of spiritual lostness. Much of the problem with regards to this issue is the lack of truthfulness, integrity and courage in the pulpit by the man of God. Often the issue isn’t so much what the preacher says, but rather what he refuses to say because of “the fear of man which brings a snare” (Proverbs 29:25).
At Harvest, we believe that God has called the preacher to deliver God’s Word authoritatively and passionately with great conviction and courage. Why? Because God has given us a source of truth called the Bible. We believe so strongly about the Word of God that we have included “Bible” as the middle name of our church.
You can go to plenty of churches where the pastor will give you a nice “talk” that is engaging, funny and filled with interesting information, but finding anointed, passionate preaching that leads to personal life transformation can be a challenge. We believe in and practice preaching where the preacher has been gripped by the Spirit of God and then brings a message with power and authority, so that his hearers are stilled by Almighty God as He grabs their souls with Holy Spirit conviction. We are not concerned with those who aim for this mark and often fall short, but with those who are missing the mark and either they don’t know it or they don’t care. We grieve those who have reduced the Biblical content of their messages and are “healing my people slightly, saying peace, peace, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14), rather than “preaching the Word in season and out of season; reproving, rebuking and exhorting with great patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 2:4).
As one studies the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ, it becomes quite apparent that the people’s response to His teaching was amazement at the “authority” with which He taught (Matthew 7:28–29). Jesus didn’t couch His teachings with endless explanations of the Bible to gain the hearers’ respect. He didn’t bury the truth beneath “both sides of the argument,” multiple interpretations and endless qualifications. He was never evasive when dealing with the hard edge of the truth. Above all, He did not try to make His hearers comfortable and He never chased after those who walked away remarking, “This is a hard saying, who can accept it?” (John 6:60, 66). Jesus simply spoke the truth and left the results up to the Father.
The Psalmist records that God has exalted above all things His name and His word (Psalm 138:2). Everywhere we look people are searching for answers from a place where equivocation is out and absolute truth is in. We are trying from the start to be that kind of a church. Our desire is to be found bold and faithful in preaching the whole counsel of the Word of God no matter who might be offended at its message.
Without this kind of preaching as a component of our worship, we simply experience God the way we want Him to be – a God of love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. However, we must never forget that He is equally a God of righteousness, holiness, justice and wrath and that He demands our complete submission and obedience to Him. At Harvest, we do not want to be found worshipping a God that we have “made with our own hands” (Isaiah 2:8).
When attending a service at Harvest, you can expect solid teaching from the Word of God which consumes about half of the time we spend together. We encourage those who attend Harvest to bring their Bible with them and to be prepared to follow along in our study of the Word of God. Normally, a handout is included in our bulletins, which will enable you to take notes that can be reflected upon later in the week. Generally we use the English Standard Version (ESV), but in our teaching we will often refer to verses from other translations. So, we invite you to join us with an open heart and a teachable spirit as we learn from God’s Word those truths that can change our lives.
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