by Alan Shelby, Lead Pastor; edited by Britney Hamm. Originally published in the February 2018 edition of our Missions & Ministry Newsletter.

They had an $11,000 monthly mortgage on the building they had renovated three years before and a $5000 payment on the old property across I-70. Yet less than 100 active members filled their congregation. What would become of the testimony of God in this place? wondered Harvest Baptist Church in Blue Springs, across the street from Blue Springs High School. Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, God was not done with this faithful few yet.

[bctt tweet=”Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, God was not done with this faithful few yet.” username=”BRKC_Baptist”]

Harvest was founded by eight families in 1993. Their first facility was part of the old Community College. They occupied that building until they finally purchased it. By 2007 they needed more space, so they bought the Assembly of God building and renovated it…and then God called the founding pastor into a new ministry venture.

The church called pastor Alan Shelby, who had 25 years of service on a large pastoral staff. With the church at a crossroads, Pastor Shelby was prepared to lead the church on a new path with a focus on multicultural outreach, a focus fitting for the vibrant and thriving community surrounding the church.

Since embarking on this new path, Harvest has started a ministry to international students and a Spanish-speaking ministry. The congregation and the staff are as diverse as the community. They now have pew-chairs instead of pews to increase sanctuary seating. Street parking is necessary, and expansion plans for adult education are being considered.

Harvest joined the BR-KC  in 2015 to cooperate with like-minded churches. Like all our churches, it had the founding structure that made it a perfect candidate for revitalization. At its core, Harvest is a disciple-making church with a focus on the mission of the Great Commission. The church is about reaching, discipling and equipping—winning the lost, discipling the saved, training the discipled, and sending the trained to plant or revive other places. Let’s pray 2018 is a great year for each other in God’s mission!