HARVEST 2018 MID-YEAR REPORT
Establishing self-sustaining Samaritan Strategy teams in new areas.
Harvest has a new website!
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website. This is the result of dedicated teamwork and we thank to all who collaborated. We invite you to visit us at www.harvestfoundation.org , enjoy the fresh look, and give us your feedback sending an e-mail to Steven Johnson at usofficeteam@harvestfoundation.org .
We have built our new website with our visitors in mind. We hope that you will easily find the information you are looking for and learn more about our ministry. You can meet our global team and find ways to participate in the wonderful work they are doing around the world.
This year Harvest will celebrate its 37th anniversary and it continues strong in its mission to envision and equip the Church to reflect Jesus, the Chief Servant. We invite our visitors to share this global calling and bring the Lord’s healing to many areas of life around the world. The new website will allow a more interactive experience with our team, so make sure to check the News section for updates, read stories that will encourage you in your walk with the Lord, and learn about the latest information from the expansion of God’s Kingdom. We hope that you will enjoy the look and find that the new website is a valuable resource.
Ministry Activities in the first semester of 2018
We celebrate the blessings of a fruitful ministry at Harvest with our “Samaritan Strategy” (SamS) program helping churches demonstrate God’s intentions in every area of life. Each SamS project has four phases: (1) network, (2) training, (3) coaching, and (4) commissioning, and uses step-by-step applications of biblical teachings called “disciplines of love” and “seed projects” to disciple people to grow like Jesus.
In the first semester of 2018, with 297 trainers (a 32% increase when compared to last year), we came to a total of 62 SamS projects in 17 countries, with the participation of 532 churches (a 38% increase when compared to last year). The chart below shows the breakdown of our global activities.
The numbers above reflect God’s grace, provision, and protection with all of us in many ways. To Him we give all glory and praise. When compared to last year’s figures, they also reflect major trends in our operations, which are:
Commissioning: 270% increase in events and 169% increase in participants. The SamS Program aims to establish self-sustaining teams in new areas and this goal has improved the overall team performance, the training team is a model for the groups that are trained. It also improves the relationships and commitment among team members and participants, as they equip the Church to reflect Jesus, the Chief Servant. We thank the Lord for enabling Harvest to accomplish what we state in our mission.
Disciplines of love and seed projects: 127% increase in events and 21% increase in participants. Our simple applications of biblical truth have enabled people to grow like Jesus and discipleship has taken place, helping individuals, communities, and nations move towards God’s plan for their lives.
Total numbers of events and participants: 30% increase in events and 61% increase in participants. Local churches have benefited from our SamS program in significant ways. They have been able to thrive, flourish, and multiply even in the midst of poverty and challenges of all sorts.
ILLUSTRATION OF HARVEST’S MINISTRY FROM ONE OF OUR FIELDS
We are grateful to each worker who has contributed to achieve these important results for our ministry. We enjoyed a semester of increased productivity and improved operations in a way that favors multiplication on a global scale. Our teams are in dynamic expansion to new fields, faithful to our calling of equipping church leaders, and growing in the ability to expand the Lordship of Jesus in ways that are contextualized, wholistic, and sustainable for different communities. In the next paragraphs is one example of this reality, the story of a local experience from Harvest associate Linda Morris, who coordinated a SamS project at the First Pentecostal Church (FPC) in Phoenix, USA.
SAMARITAN STRATEGY PROJECT IN PHOENIX, USA
NETWORK
Contacts (January-June 2018)
I continue to serve on the African American Children and Families subcommittee of the Governor’s Council on Child Safety and Family Empowerment and the South Mountain W.O.R.K.S. Coalition. In addition to these groups, I am part of the Surge Network south central leadership group and Women in Leadership, the African American Christian Clergy Coalition, the Arizona Faith Council, the South Phoenix Faith Council and the Arizona Faith Network. My relationship with the John 17 Movement continues, and I was invited to submit a chapter in a book to be published by the group.
Figure 1 Arizona Faith Network
Visits (January-June 2018)
Conducted wholistic ministry session for Desert Springs Bible Church’s leadership team. Visited Redemption campuses at Alhambra and Tempe. Participated in several pastors’ meetings and fellowships gaining access to pastors of at least 10 churches.
TRAINING
Basic training and Advanced training (November -December 2017)
It was my privilege to speak at two chapel services (January 3rd and May 9th) for the Phoenix Rescue Mission Changing Life Center. On January 17th, I was a panelist for the Restoring Dignity for the Foundation for Government Accountability’s Work2Win initiative as part of my relationship with FlourishNow. In May I was invited to teach Incarnational Ministry at Redemption Tempe using the Image of God, Disciplines of Love and How a Nation Is Discipled.
The 2018 On Earth/Samaritan Strategy study group at FPC has just completed the eight core lessons of the curriculum and completed a seed project that collaborated with a church and after school program to host movies in the park.
Figure 2 Movies in the Park
Nine people were given certificates of completion following the training of trainers and were commissioned in November 2017. At least four of those who were commissioned have increased leadership responsibilities in various groups in the church and have been elevated to lead departments at the organization’s district level. One is now president of the district youth department, and under his leadership the youth department has conducted wholistic discipleship of its constituents.
Figure 3 Commissioned SamS Participants
A new group of 12 people started Samaritan Strategy in January 2018. The core lessons have been completed, and they are now working together to plan a seed project with a community organization to embrace and support youth in the region where the church is located.
One of the 2017 class, Nar’rae Nelson, stepped in to teach “Disciplines of Love/Seed Project Planning” at a time when I needed to provide after care for my husband who had undergone surgery in January and March.
Three 2017 participants now form the majority of the FPC Youth Department leadership team. Under their guidance, youth have been more active in acts of service outside of the church and volunteered to serve in two FPC hosted job fairs that reached more than 400 job seekers and 20 employers.
Figure 4 January 2018 Job Fair
Coaching
Training of Trainers: Periodically, I continue to meet with former Samaritan Strategy participants to get updates on seed projects and learn of new initiatives each has undertaken. One such initiative is a weekly youth Bible study that embraces all youth—both members and nonmembers of FPC. This group nurtures and engages at risk youth and participates in nursing home outreach by bringing praise dancers and singers to the shut-ins.
Peer feedback:
Interest in trauma informed care and ministry has been a focus for the Samaritan Strategy 2017 and 2018 participants. They are collaborating to create a Health Department within the church to address health disparities and needs among the congregation and community at large. Through this effort various topics will be addressed and classes offered including mental, physical and social health determinants and strategies.
Multiplication (November, 17)
Observation: Every participant presented a lesson to the class. While all were excellent, three stood out in their innovation in presenting concepts.
Commissioning: We expect to commission at least 10 people in the next quarter.
A WORD OF “THANK YOU”
We are grateful to Linda Morris, to First Pentecostal Church, and to the participants in the SamS project in Phoenix. Their servant spirit and collaboration blessed many people. We thank the donors who so generously contributed to this project, without their participation we would not be able to go that far. We praise the Lord for His provision, guidance, and protection, and pray that this experience may be multiplied in many places for His glory.
INVITATION TO COLLABORATE
Like Linda Morris, Harvest Associates are volunteers who sacrificially give of themselves to this ministry. We welcome your participation to help them financially. You can write a check to « Harvest » and mail it to P. O. Box 2670 – Phoenix, AZ – 85002, or click on the « Donate » button for a credit card donation. You can designate your gift to any Harvest worker, visit our website at www.harvestfoundation.org to learn more about their ministries. If you would like to support Linda Morris, write her name on a separate note added to the check or on the suggestion box for online donations.
Thank you!