Harvest Global Field Coordinator
Elly Oliveira
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5.13-16With Bob Moffitt, Harvest President and founder, six Harvest global Advisers met in Phoenix during a week in April, representing thirty workers from fourteen countries. During this meeting, the Advisers shared stories from field experiences, taught and modeled a seed project, and led Harvest’s annual celebration.Typically, the stories they shared were about the Church of Jesus being salt and light around the world, and, commonly, their stories often start with churches that find out that they give mental assent to Bible teachings, but do not grasp what role they should have in society. Statistics are scarce in other countries, but in the USA, a study shows that only 14% of pastors actually seek to develop ministries beyond the walls of the church (Breakout Churches, Thom S. Reiner). This can lead to a church culture that tends to be focused inward and is stagnant, and it happens in spite of the core belief that their mission is to be salt and light in a broken world.Harvest trainers help churches move from mental assent to “letting their light shine before others, that they may see their good deeds.” Thus, they create an attractive culture that people are calling “serious fun,” helping others draw from God’s power, overcome personal problems, and start to serve individuals and community in creative and courageous ways. Some stories illustrate this culture with husbands gladly helping their wives with chores, families having game nights, inmates being exposed to the good news of the gospel, and poor people being helped in their critical needs of survival–food, clothing, housing, and medical care. As a result of Harvest trainings and applications, churches understand more clearly the specific vision God has called them to accomplish, and they and their communities flourish, “glorifying the Father, who is in heaven.”The seed project was done at Iglesia Agua Viva/Living Streams Church, bringing together believers and the children of the Damion Gosa Memorial Foundation. This ministry serves kids at risk, being led by mothers who lost their children due to violence, and who now advocate for peace in Phoenix. The children sang, played guitar, danced, and had interesting conversations with the participants. At the end of the project, David Garay, Johanny Peña, and Juan Manuel Ponce prayed for peace in Phoenix, and the Miller family took the kids to eat ice-cream. This seed project was serious work, but it was also lots of fun.
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