Nehemiah Chapter 3 may not seem like a very inspiring chapter, but as I read it, I’m moved and motivated. Thirty some verses describing one family or leader after the next doing their small part of rebuilding the wall. They used their influence to include their families, their colleagues and the people in their districts to accomplish the goal.
Each of them took a section and the wall was built.
We all have a part to play in the goal and mission of the church. Each of us trusting God in our own small areas amounts to an active and alive church all over the globe! I’m inviting you to join me in this little section of kingdom building: Harvest Ministry.
MY STORY
When I first began playing guitar in 6th grade, I had no idea what God had in store. During those early seasons, I was given opportunities to serve in the church using my gifts – for which I will always be grateful. From 6th grade on, I played guitar and sang for children’s church, youth group and Sunday school classes in our church.
There were a couple defining things that happened in my journey. Here they are in a nutshell:
1) My sophomore year, I attended a fall youth group retreat. I was mesmerized by the speaker for that event. I sensed a desire in my life to be a leader in the church in that way. I wanted to lead groups during special events like this guy did.
2) My senior year, our youth pastor invited a guy to do music at youth group event. That night, I was inspired by they guy who led. He played pretty well, sang decently, but it wasn’t striking. I had this thought: if he can travel around doing music, I’m sure I could to. A couple years later I found out that this guy didn’t really “travel around” doing music, but had been a friend of the youth pastor and just got roped into coming and singing one night. On a side note, I wonder if I’ve inspired anyone in a reverse way like this – “if he could do, certainly, I could.”
3) As I was entering college, I sensed a call to ministry. Though the moment was defining and direction setting for me, I really had no idea what it would lead to. I didn’t have a desire to be a pastor, but I had a desire to serve the church.
4) During my middle year of graduate school, I had another defining moment where I sensed God calling me to serve the students and student leaders in Illinois. Soon after this, Harvest Ministry came into existence. Originally called by different names – including Life to Life and Heartland Ministries – it eventually landed on Harvest Ministry Teams, which fits the mission perfectly: to raise up workers in the Harvest field.
5) After receiving an M.Div., I moved back to my home area and began serving on part-time staff at Troy UMC. This has been a powerful connection and partnership for nearly two decades. I would venture to say that more students have been connected and influenced through special ministry events at Troy UMC than any other church in Illinois (approximately 800-1200 students, children and ministry leaders each year since 1996). We give God glory.
Doors have opened over the years for Harvest to serve in many different settings, for young adults to be on the team and for lives to be changed. In addition to the summer team ministry, which catapulted Harvest into ministry, the ministry is year round serving as worship team and ministry leaders for various events all over the Midwest. Harvest also plans and hosts ministry conferences partnering with churches around Illinois. In the last few years, we have been offering resources to youth workers, pastors, worship leaders, and children’s ministry directors including writing, videos, music and teaching and training.
As look ahead to the next decade, I realize that the call is still strong – to be a resource to the local church, serving in special ministry events and inviting kids to faith, students to a deeper commitment to Christ and leaders to excellence in ministry. In order to do this effectively, the time has come to build a structure of ministry. Harvest has always relied on a team to serve on the road and now we need to build a team to help support this work from an administrative standpoint. I’m grateful the faithful work of Suzanne Price and Christine Fuesz who keep things moving forward.
When I have taken a spiritual gifts test, the gift of apostleship has always surfaced as one of my strongest. The mission for those with the gift of apostleship today is to plant new ministries, go to places where the Gospel is not preached, raise up and develop leaders, call out and lead pastors and shepherds, and much more. They often have many different gifts that allow them to fulfill their ministry. These are leaders of leaders and ministers of ministers. They are influencers. They are typically entrepreneurial and are able to take risks and perform difficult tasks.
I want to be faithful to the call to serve the greater church. To raise up and equip leaders. It’s a huge task, it takes a team and as we enter this new season of ministry, I’m excited about all that God has in store!
I remember one week a few months back where I led a seminar for worship leaders on Saturday, led music for a local church on Sunday, flew out on Monday to speak with pastors for three days, then flew back in time to speak for a regional children’s ministry expo. One week, three different groups, all within the heartbeat of my call – serving the church.
WHAT IS HARVEST?
Harvest Ministry is a non-for-profit, tax exempt ministry with a mission to equip young adults for ministry while providing a resource to the church. In short, our mission is to help the church make disciples.
What began as a summer ministry team 20 years ago, has turned into a full time, year round ministry that meets with thousands of children, students, and leaders in various conferences, retreats and events each year.
For example, since the beginning of 2016, we have recorded new music, new training videos, and new kids motions songs videos.. We have led leadership retreats for church leadership teams, provided resources for ministry leaders and have spoken with pastors, youth pastors and worship leaders. We have hosted six conferences for children and teenagers. We have been to churches serving as worship leaders. We have partnered with 35 young adults to help in the process of ministry to kids and students. It’s been an amazing year and it’s just getting started. We give God all the glory as we look back on the milestones of the past. It gives us confidence to move forward!
MY CALL
If I was working on a section of the “kingdom wall” it would be to keep serving the church in this region of the country. I love to speak to youth workers, students and pastors. I love to lead music at camps, churches, and special events. I think it’s awesome to write songs for kids, record music for worship and create training material. I love designing and hosting discipleship conferences. I enjoy writing ministry leadership blogs and resources. I have a heart for working with young adults in ministry.
This role that God has called me to is my part in building the wall – reaching the goal of kingdom work, the Great Commission! And I’m inviting you to join me.
THE DREAM
My dream is to do our part here in this region and I need to raise up a team to help make it happen.
Ministry to students, church leaders and church kids right here in Illinois is among the hardest thing to raise money for. It just doesn’t sound like that big of a need.
But it’s my call. The church is losing members right and left. More and more students are so far removed from the gospel that they don’t even know it’s an option for their lives. More and more students, even after being raised in a church, are pulling away at graduation, many of them never to return.
The time for action is now and though I’ve never claimed to be a fundraiser, I’m willing to use whatever influence the Lord has given me, to assemble a team for a big goal!
THE NEXT STEP
After twenty years of ministry, one of the next steps in Harvest Ministry is to build a structure to make sure each of these things continues to be effective.
Here’s an example of what I mean: In the last eight weeks, we have helped design and lead five major conferences. We have also been a part of 5 other events and conferences. Harvest has personally connected with over 1500 children, students, pastors and leaders. During these events, many of which have been going for years, God works through Harvest Ministry to change lives, call kids, and encourage ministry leaders.
My favorite parts of doing this include: writing, singing, leading, speaking and developing. And though I don’t mind the organization, scheduling, planning, production, publicity, hospitality, or technical aspects, it’s just not possible to do it all.
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GOAL: RAISE $24,000
The goal for the event on May 19th is to give God praise for all that is going on in Harvest Ministry and to invite you to join in the mission to raise some money for the next step of Harvest Ministry.
“Ministry to students, church leaders and churches kids right here in Illinois is among the hardest things for which to raise money. It just doesn’t sound that inspirational or like a big enough need.”
“This is my call. The church is losing members right and left. More and more students are so far removed from the gospel that they don’t even know it’s an option for their lives. More and more students, even after being raised in a church, are pulling away at graduation, many of them never to return.”
“I believe Harvest Ministry is able to help the general church during this time in history. We need to keep inviting kids to faith, students to a deeper commitment to Christ and leaders to excellence in ministry.”
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“I love to speak to youth workers, students and pastors. I love to lead music at camps, churches, and special events. I think it’s awesome to write songs for kids, record music for worship and create training material. I love designing and hosting discipleship conferences. I enjoy writing ministry leadership blogs and resources. I have a heart for working with young adults in ministry.”
” I believe the time has come to allocate some funds toward building the structure of Harvest by hiring some part-time team members to help with day to day aspects of Harvest Ministry.”
“Our goal is to raise $24,000 to help cover the cost of growing the Harvest support staff. These new part-time roles will not only allow the ministry to flourish, but it will allow me to live out my calling in a fresh new way over the next year and beyond.”
Would you considering joining us in ministry with a monthly partnership contribution? With your generous monthly partnership gift of $25 or $50 or $100 or more a month, you will be helping to make a ongoing impact as we partner together to accomplish great work!
GIVE HERE
Would you consider joining us?
In Him,
Tim Price
Director, Harvest Ministry Teams
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