There are numerous ways that Harvesters’ training brings support to pastors and communities around the world. Including:
- Teaching the Word,
- Reaching the lost,
- Discipling believers, and
- Planting viable churches.
Our six-semester course covers a range of topics from theological foundations to the practicalities of leading a church.
But even better than hearing it from us is hearing from participants themselves!
Below, two Kenyan pastors, Ps Joseph Omollo and Ps Martin Agilo, describe four benefits of going through Harvesters’ training.
1. Personal Transformation and Discipleship
The three-year course begins by examining the disciplined life of a Christ-follower. “We learned about the disciplines of abiding, praying and reading the Word,” recounts Ps Joseph, who explains that putting them into practise has enriched his spiritual life.
Furthermore, knowing how to walk a disciplined life has enabled these pastors to disciple others along the same path. “Previously I didn’t know how to do discipleship, but because I was discipled first, I can now disciple other members of my church,” says Pastor Martin. “I’ve seen people growing in faith because of the discipleship class that we started.”
2. How to Plant Churches
“We didn’t know how to start a church,” expressed the pastors. They confessed they believed planting a church would require “a big crusade” and “so much money” and “instruments, land and buildings.”
“But from Harvesters I learned that you can just plant a church – very simply,” explained Ps Joseph; and Ps Martin shared, “I’ve come to learn that church planting needs just me and a few people that I’ve preached to who’ve been saved.”
Both pastors have already planted two churches and will plant their third churches this year.
3. How to Preach
Previously, Ps Joseph confessed he would preach two-hour sermons which were “jumbled” and “not organised”, and Ps Martin acknowledged that he used to attend church not knowing what he would stand up and preach about. “Before when people were worshipping, I would fetch my Bible to get a verse to speak on,” he shares.
After learning from Harvesters, Ps Joseph now preaches around 25 minutes, and “it’s very organised because I start with the introduction, and I have points which are short and condensed.”
And Ps Martin attends church more confidently now “because I’ve been taught how to get a message. I’ve learned how to interpret a verse, how to interpret the Bible through hermeneutics, and I’m very confident in my preaching. I preach things that I understand, and I believe that those who hear me also understand the things that I’m preaching to them.”
4. Strengthened relationships with their elders
Both Pastors admit that relationships with their church leaders were strained. “I used to want to remove this one and then another one,” confessed Ps Joseph, and Ps Martin expressed that in his church they “would always quarrel with each other” because each was unsure what the other was responsible for.
But now, relationships have improved drastically! “Today I can work with them. That is an improvement I’ve found from this ministry,” says Ps Joseph.
Ps Martin is relieved that “now, all of us in our church know what I am supposed to do, what the elder is supposed to do, what the treasurer is supposed to do.”
These are just a few of the outcomes of your support and prayers. Thank you.
