We are in a season of raising money for Harvest Ministry based in Troy, IL. This is part of a series of posts about Harvest as we celebrate this week. [read all posts in series]
Harvest came through the backdoor. While in college, I spent most every summer and weekend leading music for kids events, youth camps, conferences and churches around the Midwest. As I entered seminary, thinking I would begin a more traditional ministry role, I thought it might be good to equip others to learn the ropes of traveling music and ministry.
As it is with God’s calling, you never know where it will take you. What I thought of as a succession plan for a college summer job became the work I have been involved in for the last two decades and counting.
Before Harvest was even named Harvest, a team of us traveled to camps and ministry events sharing God’s love through music. My hope was not only to provide music and leadership for the events, but also to raise up leaders within the young adults we were traveling with. The next year, we named the ministry Harvest and the mission became clear:
To Equip Young Adults for Leadership While Providing a Resource to the Church
This has been the primary mission of Harvest. In recent years we have shortened this mission to read: Helping the church make disciples. This encompasses both the need to equip young adults and partnering with churches, camp and ministry events to make an impact in the name of Christ.
Here’s how this Harvest mission plays out:
- Make Harvest Teams available to lead and serve at ministry events.
- Rely on young adults to serve on ministry teams, singing, leading, teaching, planning and organizing ministry.
- Utilize Harvest Conferences (The Light Kids Conferences, Ignition Middle School Conferences, Beautiful U Girls Conference, and all the rest) to engage an ever changing Harvest Team and their gifts for a season of their lives in this work.
- Invite young adults to serve on summer teams, traveling in ministry, living the life of a disciple and serving Jesus through the church.
- Partner with other adults (who wouldn’t consider themselves young adults) to help lead the way in modeling ministry. Many faithful volunteers and supporters have helped shape Harvest Ministry by giving, serving, encouraging, praying and helping with ministry leadership. We are thankful for the many people from TUMC (Harvest Home Base) who support Harvest!
- Partner with other churches to host ministry events that reach out to kids, students and leaders. Thanks to these hosting churches all over the Midwest.
- Provide resources for ministry leaders. Through recorded music, videos, training, leadership development conferences, products, the resource blog and more, our goal is to help the church make disciples.
One of our next steps in ministry is to grow the support team, aiding in the many details of accomplishing the mission. The details related to hosting conferences, developing resources, following up with participants, promoting ministry events, developing training for leaders, reaching out to the next generation through media, equipping young adults, writing and leadership, have grown beyond our small team.
Taking on words and attitudes of Jesus, Harvest is here to serve, not to be served. With the partnership of many people behind us, we can continue to be available to go, to serve, to lead, and to figure out ways to connect with the next generation in the name of Christ.
WAYS YOU CAN HELP HARVEST IN THE MISSION TO HELP THE CHURCH MAKE DISCIPLES
- Become a Harvest Ministry monthly financial supporter
- Attend the next Harvest Ministry Gathering (May 19, 2016)
- Pray for Harvest Ministry
Be sure to join our email list here!
Thank you!
Tim Price, Director, Harvest Ministry