Leadership
Elder Qualifications
Above reproach, able to teach, husband to one wife, not addicted to wine, temperate, not antagonistic, prudent, uncontentious, respectable, free from the love of money, hospitable, manages own household well, not a new convert. (Titus 1:6-9)
Elder Duties
The Scriptures show that the Elders “serve by leading” and that their responsibility involves the spiritual oversight of the congregation. All Elders are equal in authority but not necessarily equal in influence.
The Elders’ Primary Responsibilities
Doctrine: Ensuring that the doctrine of the church is biblical; all doctrinal issues in the church will be settled by the Board of Elders;
Direction: Ensuring that the direction of the church is consistent with the Harvest Bible Chapel statement of purpose and the four pillars;
Discipline: Administering in love and humility the process of church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18:15-20; Galatians 6:1-4; Titus 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; 1 Timothy 5:17-25; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 and Romans 16:17.
Plurality of Elders
The Scriptures teach that a plurality of elders governed individual New Testament churches (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1:1). The Scripture does not mention any congregations featuring a stand-alone pastor and leader. A plurality of godly elders, exercising their individual gifts, squares with the Scripture’s teaching that wisdom is found in a multitude of godly counselors (Proverbs 11:4; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 19:20; Proverbs 24:6). This truth does not eliminate the possibility and likelihood that one or more elders will stand out from the others as more public in their ministries or more influential in their workings on the Elder Board.
Harvest Glasgow is committed to the Bible’s teaching that men who hold the offices of Elder and Deacon are to oversee various functions of the local church.
The Bible’s teaching on the subject of two church offices is found in 1 Timothy 3:1-16 and Titus 1:5-9. Although there are three terms used for the offices of the church, i.e. bishop, elder and deacon, analysis of these terms indicates that bishop and elder are used interchangeably.
Our Elders
Lee Ballantine
Lee is married to Zoe and they have a little boy called Joseph. Lee grew up in Northern Ireland in a home that loved Jesus and he was saved by Jesus at a young age. He grew up in Coleraine Baptist Church where he was faithfully discipled and inspired to wholeheartedly love and serve Jesus.
Lee studied engineering at Queens University Belfast and his time there served to be a deeply formative part of his spiritual journey. It was there that Jesus grabbed hold of his heart and deepened his faith through friendships with other Christians and opportunities to serve as part of Queens Christian Union.
Lee moved to Glasgow in 2015 with Zoe where they became members of Harvest Glasgow. Through opportunities to lead and serve their love for the church grew and their desire for ministry increased, particularly church planting. Through affirmation and conversations with the church elders Lee began to get equipped for ministry via Crosslands on a part time basis alongside engineering. In 2019 he left engineering to become a ministry apprentice at Harvest Glasgow as he finished his theological training and in 2020, he became Pastor of Discipleship and Outreach.
Lee and Zoe have been captured by the vision to be part of a church planting church. Alongside several other families in Harvest Glasgow, and with the support of Harvest Glasgow and the Great Commission Collective, Lee and Zoe are being sent out to plant a new church in Ayr in the Autumn of 2021.
If you find yourself in Ayrshire anytime soon, please get in contact. We would love to say hi!
Lee is married to Zoe and they have a little boy called Joseph. Lee grew up in Northern Ireland in a home that loved Jesus and he was saved by Jesus at a young age. He grew up in Coleraine Baptist Church where he was faithfully discipled and inspired to wholeheartedly love and serve Jesus.
Lee studied engineering at Queens University Belfast and his time there served to be a deeply formative part of his spiritual journey. It was there that Jesus grabbed hold of his heart and deepened his faith through friendships with other Christians and opportunities to serve as part of Queens Christian Union.
Lee moved to Glasgow in 2015 with Zoe where they became members of Harvest Glasgow. Through opportunities to lead and serve their love for the church grew and their desire for ministry increased, particularly church planting. Through affirmation and conversations with the church elders Lee began to get equipped for ministry via Crosslands on a part time basis alongside engineering. In 2019 he left engineering to become a ministry apprentice at Harvest Glasgow as he finished his theological training and in 2020, he became Pastor of Discipleship and Outreach.
Lee and Zoe have been captured by the vision to be part of a church planting church. Alongside several other families in Harvest Glasgow, and with the support of Harvest Glasgow and the Great Commission Collective, Lee and Zoe are being sent out to plant a new church in Ayr in the Autumn of 2021.
If you find yourself in Ayrshire anytime soon, please get in contact. We would love to say hi!
Andy Boyle
Andrew is married to Heidi, and they have three children, Ella, Anna and Joshua. They started attending Harvest in 2010 just after they got married. He was compelled by a church that held God’s word at the centre of all they do. Throughout childhood Andrew was faithfully taught the Bible by the church he grew up in and by his family. His parents were a key example to him on what it looks like to lead your family in the ways of the Lord. Andrew believed in Jesus for his salvation as a child. In his teenage years Andrew quickly realised that he could not serve two masters and that Jesus was worth building all aspects of his life on- “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28).
Since his time at Harvest Andrew has been involved in serving and teaching in Harvest Kids, Harvest Men, Small Group, Prayer Nights and has been the ministry lead for the Property Team for a few years. Andrew and Heidi have also enjoyed developing relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ from across the globe and have hosted many international visiting teams and pastors from our partner churches and have found these times so encouraging.
God used the circumstances in Andrew’s life, namely his daughter’s health diagnosis and then subsequent surgery, to transform him through a unique period of growth and sanctification. Although not wishing to go through that circumstance again, he looks back on it with thankfulness for all the Lord taught him and how as a family they experienced the power of prayer and true peace that surpasses all understanding.
Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf when he has time and the odd cycling trip. He has recently moved his children to Melville Knox Christian School, which provides affordable Christian education; feel free to ask him about it. He would love to get to know you better and pray for you, so say hi to him on Sunday.
Andrew is married to Heidi, and they have three children, Ella, Anna and Joshua. They started attending Harvest in 2010 just after they got married. He was compelled by a church that held God’s word at the centre of all they do. Throughout childhood Andrew was faithfully taught the Bible by the church he grew up in and by his family. His parents were a key example to him on what it looks like to lead your family in the ways of the Lord. Andrew believed in Jesus for his salvation as a child. In his teenage years Andrew quickly realised that he could not serve two masters and that Jesus was worth building all aspects of his life on- “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28).
Since his time at Harvest Andrew has been involved in serving and teaching in Harvest Kids, Harvest Men, Small Group, Prayer Nights and has been the ministry lead for the Property Team for a few years. Andrew and Heidi have also enjoyed developing relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ from across the globe and have hosted many international visiting teams and pastors from our partner churches and have found these times so encouraging.
God used the circumstances in Andrew’s life, namely his daughter’s health diagnosis and then subsequent surgery, to transform him through a unique period of growth and sanctification. Although not wishing to go through that circumstance again, he looks back on it with thankfulness for all the Lord taught him and how as a family they experienced the power of prayer and true peace that surpasses all understanding.
Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf when he has time and the odd cycling trip. He has recently moved his children to Melville Knox Christian School, which provides affordable Christian education; feel free to ask him about it. He would love to get to know you better and pray for you, so say hi to him on Sunday.
Scott Hamilton
Scott is married to Alison and they have four kids (Matthew, Katie, Hannah and Ben). He grew up in a Christian home and trusted Jesus at the age of 11 at a Christian camp called Teen Ranch. After school he studied history at Dundee University before training and working as a youth and community worker in the east end of Glasgow for Glasgow City Council.
During that time he started to get more opportunities to preach and lead in the local church in Cathcart that Alison and he were members of and also back at Teen Ranch. That led him to pursue training for ministry with the Baptist Union of Scotland and he became pastor of Castlemilk Baptist Church in October 2004 (part-time to begin with as he completed his studies). In late 2008 he and Alison started to explore church planting. The idea of starting afresh with a simple view of what the church should be built around the picture that God's Word gives was compelling.
That is where Harvest Glasgow began. With a desire to be part of a church that would serve to increase their depth of relationship with Jesus and a capacity to make much of Him in everything about our lives. As part of that process Scott spent 6 weeks in Chicago training and being assessed for church planting before landing home at the start of March 2009 to begin the work of gathering people around what he and Alison were praying that God would do.
Scott really enjoys watching and playing (when not injured) football. He also coaches Matthew and Katie's football team Stamperland 2006's on Saturday mornings. He also enjoys watching rugby and can be found at Glasgow Warriors games from time to time.
Otherwise his favourite things are caravan holidays, board games and spending time with Alison and the kids. If you find yourself at Harvest Glasgow come and say hi, he would love to meet you.
Scott is married to Alison and they have four kids (Matthew, Katie, Hannah and Ben). He grew up in a Christian home and trusted Jesus at the age of 11 at a Christian camp called Teen Ranch. After school he studied history at Dundee University before training and working as a youth and community worker in the east end of Glasgow for Glasgow City Council.
During that time he started to get more opportunities to preach and lead in the local church in Cathcart that Alison and he were members of and also back at Teen Ranch. That led him to pursue training for ministry with the Baptist Union of Scotland and he became pastor of Castlemilk Baptist Church in October 2004 (part-time to begin with as he completed his studies). In late 2008 he and Alison started to explore church planting. The idea of starting afresh with a simple view of what the church should be built around the picture that God's Word gives was compelling.
That is where Harvest Glasgow began. With a desire to be part of a church that would serve to increase their depth of relationship with Jesus and a capacity to make much of Him in everything about our lives. As part of that process Scott spent 6 weeks in Chicago training and being assessed for church planting before landing home at the start of March 2009 to begin the work of gathering people around what he and Alison were praying that God would do.
Scott really enjoys watching and playing (when not injured) football. He also coaches Matthew and Katie's football team Stamperland 2006's on Saturday mornings. He also enjoys watching rugby and can be found at Glasgow Warriors games from time to time.
Otherwise his favourite things are caravan holidays, board games and spending time with Alison and the kids. If you find yourself at Harvest Glasgow come and say hi, he would love to meet you.
Mark Hardy
Mark is currently serving his second term as an elder at Harvest Glasgow following a period of rest from the role between 2020 and 2022.
He has been attending Harvest Glasgow with his wife Jen since it launched in 2009, and whilst his priority is serving as an elder, he also enjoys leading a small group and serving on the AV and Worship Ministries.
Having been a Christian since a young age, Mark can speak enthusiastically about the ministry of Harvest Glasgow and how it has helped him to deepen his walk, knowledge and love of God, and the impact it has had on his marriage.
Mark is currently serving his second term as an elder at Harvest Glasgow following a period of rest from the role between 2020 and 2022.
He has been attending Harvest Glasgow with his wife Jen since it launched in 2009, and whilst his priority is serving as an elder, he also enjoys leading a small group and serving on the AV and Worship Ministries.
Having been a Christian since a young age, Mark can speak enthusiastically about the ministry of Harvest Glasgow and how it has helped him to deepen his walk, knowledge and love of God, and the impact it has had on his marriage.
Derek Harrison
I was brought up in a Christian home, however realised that this didn’t make me a Christian and that I needed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I became a Christian at a young age, God used a verse from John 6 v 37 to speak to me “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out”. I realised that if I came to Jesus in faith then he would receive, forgive and save me.
God used my time at Dundee University to grow me in my faith. Being surrounded with many fellow Christian students who were serious about following Jesus was a tremendous inspiration and encouragement to me.
God is Faithful and as a family we are so thankful to be involved in Harvest, we love being part of a Church family who put God’s Word front and centre of their lives and who seriously pursue Jesus, seeking to grow in his likeness.
I’m married to Suzi; we have 2 children Lauren and Joshua. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family, playing golf, watching football and trying to keep fit.
I was brought up in a Christian home, however realised that this didn’t make me a Christian and that I needed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I became a Christian at a young age, God used a verse from John 6 v 37 to speak to me “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out”. I realised that if I came to Jesus in faith then he would receive, forgive and save me.
God used my time at Dundee University to grow me in my faith. Being surrounded with many fellow Christian students who were serious about following Jesus was a tremendous inspiration and encouragement to me.
God is Faithful and as a family we are so thankful to be involved in Harvest, we love being part of a Church family who put God’s Word front and centre of their lives and who seriously pursue Jesus, seeking to grow in his likeness.
I’m married to Suzi; we have 2 children Lauren and Joshua. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family, playing golf, watching football and trying to keep fit.