We exist as a congregation for the glory of God. We strive to honor God and follow the Scriptures primarily in the following four ways:
We believe that the gospel is to be the central theme of our ministry. The gospel is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and that we have a responsibility to tell others about what He has done. It has not only changed our lives, but it can change others' lives too.
God sent His Son to die in your place, He poured out His wrath on Jesus, who suffered for you. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 tells us that the gospel (the good news) is Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus was killed in your place and punished for your sins, He was buried for three days, and then He rose from the dead!
Most people agree concerning the historical fact that Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose again. The question is why? The Bible teaches us that Jesus committed no sin, yet He died as a criminal. There was more taking place on that cross than just the death of an innocent man. The Bible refers to Jesus in Isaiah 53:10, when it says "Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin." Just as a perfect Lamb in the Old Testament would be slaughtered for the sins of Israel, God slaughtered His own Son for our sins.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is introduced as “The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” Again, we see in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” On the cross, Christ took your place and received your payment "wages" for sin.
The Bible is very clear concerning the fact that we cannot earn forgiveness but that it is a gift from God through the work that Jesus did for us on the cross.
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” - Galatians 2:16
Salvation is not in a prayer, or a lifestyle. It is found in Jesus! The Bible rebukes the idea that religious people can somehow become righteous through their prayers, gifts, or service.
“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” - Romans 10:3
The Bible makes it very clear that a person must trust Jesus alone to forgive them and that we cannot do anything to assist in this work. To assist Him is to deny His work and to attempt to save ourselves. All one must do to be saved is repent (which means to turn) and believe the gospel. If you have been trusting anything else for your salvation, you can turn to Jesus today and be saved!
Every time we gather, we will generally have a Bible message. Our pastor will regularly preach expository sermons through books of the Bible. We read the Bible, preach the Bible, and sing the Bible together.
We believe that the Bible is our ultimate authority and that in this holy book, God has provided us with everything we need to be saved and live faithful Christian lives. So, we make much of the Bible and spend most of our gathered time on Bible preaching and teaching.
Have you ever attended a church's gathering and left wondering what it was all about? At Harvest Baptist Church, we believe that the congregation is responsible to make the gospel clear to the surrounding world. Part of the way we do this is by organizing our weekly gatherings around the Bible. Every Bible passage ultimately points to our Saviour, and the work He did on the cross.
We pray and work hard to make sure those around us know that Jesus's death of substitution is the only way to be reconciled with God. We work together to make sure people understand that salvation is not in a prayer, living a good life, or attending church. Salvation only comes by knowing Christ. Jesus called this being "born again" and taught that this can only happen when one believes the gospel (John 3).
We strive to make the gospel visible in the way we organize ourselves, conduct ourselves, and give ourselves to God's work. Bible preaching and teaching not only help us understand the facts of the gospel, but also the implications of the gospel in our lives. It is often the changes in our lives as a result of the gospel that most clearly point those around us to Jesus. The Bible teaches us that living and teaching go together.
We meet publicly, evangelize regularly, and speak boldly so that the world can see Jesus through us. Ultimately, we believe that we can do nothing to help those in the world apart from guiding them to the Saviour. We hope and pray to make our faith as visible to the surrounding community as it can be.
Nathan is the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church. His family is originally from Franklin County, and the Lord has moved him and his wife Sarah back to Franklin county to serve in the church. You can reach him with questions at pastornathanstahlman@gmail.com.
Harvest Baptist Church is a friendly church made up of a bunch of imperfect people who really love each other and try to serve each other. It's not uncommon to find them still fellowshipping together long after a service has ended. They strive to make God's love visible through their actions.
Harvest Baptist Church is not just for people of one generation. It is made up of people who unite around their love for Jesus and the Bible, regardless of their age.
Harvest Baptist Church has seen God bring people to faith in Christ. Numbers are not a reflection of God's power, but seeing life in a church gives us hope that God is doing a wondrous work. Our church is made of people who are growing in their walk with the Lord. You are welcome to come see what God is doing here!
If you are still wanting to know more about us consider giving us a call, watching our live stream, or stopping by for one of our services.
