As the Apostle Paul and Barnabas did among the young churches in Asia, at the Fellowship we are earnestly "strengthening the souls" of our Harvest church leaders and "encouraging them to continue in the faith," Acts 14:22. And we have walked alongside one young church in our Fellowship through a season that gives testimony to the rest of the verse, "that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

"Some incredibly difficult storms” buffeted Florida's Harvest Jupiter soon after its planting in 2007, says Pastor Jeremy Hill. “A lot of tension was tied to differing expectations…of how to do small groups, how to work as a team of elders, how to lead people, how to communicate.” After an initial season of growth, the unresolved tension caused the congregation to shrink from 140 attenders down to 90 on Sunday mornings. The leadership team wondered if the church would survive.

Believing Harvest Jupiter was at a crossroads, Pastor Jeremy exhorted the team to “pray and ask the Lord if this is really what He wants to do…to reveal to us anything that we might need to deal with that is hindering our ability to move forward in unity.”

 

God answered and blessed them with clear direction for His church. He brought the team to a place of faith where, as Pastor Jeremy puts it, “we could candidly share frustrations, confess things we had done wrong, and pray together to move forward...trusting the Lord to work out the details.”

In the past year, Harvest Jupiter has made an exciting turnaround, growing in its capacity to reach people for Christ. More than 170 people now attend, and God is using people who have been through the church’s highs and lows to minister to the needs of newcomers, especially through small groups. Oceanside baptisms are a unique setting for declaring and celebrating the new lives found in the Lord Jesus at Jupiter.

 

A major focus of this Harvest is their “Reach One More” campaign, which challenges each believer to prayerfully share the gospel with one person. Pastor Jeremy says the church is having its greatest impact by sending members into the community and the workplace to engage nonbelievers and share their hope in Christ.

 

Harvest Jupiter’s student ministry has also taken off, under the direction of Brian Nelson. “It seems like every time I turn around, he is taking a group of kids on a service project, or to a concert, or a camp,” says Pastor Jeremy. “The ministry we have to students is going to be huge, because it really is becoming a ministry to families of students as well. We have some great young people with solid hearts for the Lord.”

We praise God for the fruit borne of faith and perseverance at this young Harvest, and consider it a privilege to come alongside and herald the good news!