Re:view- Harvest University

Probably my favourite thing about serving as pastor of Harvest Glasgow is the opportunity I get once a year to take some of our church family here to meet our wider Harvest family from all over the globe. The Harvest University Conference is the thing we attend and every year without fail it is the most significant thing we do in stirring the church up for ministry. This year was no different, in fact, it was probably the best yet. So here are some reflections:

1. This is our family: Every year the sense of this intensifies for me. It is a great thing for me to see that same sense with everyone we take with us out to Chicago. They love us, are praying for us, are investing in AMAZING ways in us, are enduring with us. Without them we could not do what we are doing. I am 100% in with all that Harvest Bible Fellowship are doing- some of the work that is going on globally (particularly in Nepal, Liberia and Romania) blows my mind.

2. People are bigger than programmes: Essentially Harvest U is a conference for the local church about the local church. It is geared towards local church ministry (in all it's facets). There are track on kids ministry, missions, Biblical soul care, eldership, preaching, worship, being a pastors wife... In this there is a profound commitment to a Biblical view of the local church as the primary place of service. All our team came back feeling better equipped for their area of service. I think this was the strongest year of tracks I have seen yet. The thing that stood out was that it was being with the people that was of most benefit to us. Talking through the programmes with people of the same mind, praying with people with the same heart, and worshipping with people with the same goal was awesome and life-changing for all of us.

3. Harvest Senior Pastors are among the most grounded, gracious and gritty people I have EVER met: I know I say this as one so please do not misunderstand me. I say this as something I experienced in a fresh way last week. All over the globe these men are getting the job done. They are faithful preachers, who every week are doing the hard work of going verse by verse through God's Word without pulling out or pulling punches. This is modelled from the founding church and the men who have been part of the Fellowship from when the first churches were planted. Biblical and doctrinal faithfulness among our fellowship is highly prized. I feel an immense privilege at being able to sit round a table with these men. It still seems crazy to me that I should be allowed to do that yet it is telling to me that not one of them has ever made me feel like that.

4. We are blessed by having James MacDonald as founding pastor of our fellowship . Related to 3 and setting the trajectory for much of what Harvest is and does is the ministry of James MacDonald. Few people have made me feel more part of Harvest, are more understanding of our context here in Glasgow and more invested in seeing the church here revived. He is bold, faithful, uncompromising and willing to admit mistakes when he makes them.

5. There is unquestionably something awesome about 2000 people raising their voices, hands and most importantly hearts to the Lord. Every year worshipping with our wider church family is a massive highlight. Andi Rozier and his team pour themselves into the task of getting our hearts and minds fixed on Jesus. I am moved in my soul every year without fail. Add to that when we sing in the languages of some of our churches from around the globe, and I get to do that with my church family from Glasgow- I have come home with a full heart.

6. Humility is never over-rated. The staff at Harvest Bible Fellowship and at Harvest Bible Chapel work as hard for the Lord as any people I have EVER met. They are exemplary in diligence, self-sacrifice and generosity. I will declare my prejudice in this and say I love them. Example: when one of the busiest people I have ever met drives us round looking for a place that sells a particular brand of cinammon gum that one of our team member's sisters had requested (Big Red, in case you are interested: other cinammon gums are also available) it is, in microcosm, a commentary of the attitude of humility that has always been compelling to me about Harvest. It may be big but this is what makes it beautiful.

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