Pastor Steve's Blog

2011 Memories

2011-12-30T12:35:00.001-05:00

The year 2011 will be remembered for two really huge events in my life – the marriage of my daughter Monica to Scott Gould and Dad going home to be with Jesus.

Monica and Scott’s wedding took place Saturday, October 15, in our church. What a fun and meaningful day. I got to be the proud dad while Scott’s pastor from his home church performed the ceremony. The reception at the Fairgrounds included lots of great food, fun activities, and many guests, including my dad.

Monica was patient and wise, not settling for just anyone. We love Scott, and our respect for him only grows as we get to know him better. He is a county police officer from Michigan and a great addition to our family.

Who would have known that not quite two months later my dad would go home? All seven of us siblings had five days together with him and Mom in their home before he passed away. What an awesome time of laughing, crying, praying, and singing. Then we were all there to witness his last kiss to Mom just before he left us for heaven. While it was an amazing experience, he is still gone. And that is harder than I ever imagined.

So 2011 ended with some big events. God has been so faithful. And I am so grateful for the love and life he offers us in every situation.

New Missionaries

2011-11-18T12:56:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday morning was awesome at Harvest Community Church as we commissioned some new missionaries from our church.

Ken and Becky Holderman did an effective missionary stint in Venezuela several years ago before joining our church. Then they endeared themselves to us as they served our church in many ways, culminating in Ken becoming an elder. We love their wisdom, wit, and vivaciousness.

Ken and Becky with the travel-size trophy we gave them for a job well done.

One of the people they mentored in Venezuela moved to the Canary Islands and is pastor of a growing church. As the Holdermans visited him and cared for him over the years, it became apparent that God was calling them to that land as well.

Many of us would like to get a call to such a tropical vacation destination! But is it also a spiritually dry place. So Ken and Becky are taking lots of Living Water with them as they oversee two churches and reach out to the lost.

I’m proud to be sending these veterans out from our church. They have been proven in the fire and will surely do a great job. Our love and prayers are with them.

Honoring Our Officers

2011-09-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

Our service last Sunday honored the 9/11 victims and offered us some serious lessons to apply to our lives. Such a devastating attack on our nation and the tragic loss of life can put a lot of things in perspective. I’m still deeply moved by the reminders that life is fragile, life is precious, and life is eternal. If we could live every day from that perspective, we would live differently to be sure.

We now have the opportunity to honor those who serve our community by putting themselves at risk on our behalf. Every year Jim Bontrager (Mike’s brother) and his family quietly and sacrificially offer a fun place for law enforcement officers to be honored and appreciated. Officer Appreciation Day is in its 17th year, and we want to get involved.

How about contributing towards gift baskets that will be given out this year? You can either provide items for the baskets or money for them to be purchased. You can also contribute to the cost of tickets for the officers and their families to attend the new Christian movie “Courageous” dedicated to the work of police officers. Lists of basket items as well as sign up sheets for the movie tickets are available in our office and at the Info Center. Call the office or sign up on Sunday. The deadline for contributions is September 25th.

As we have marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I’m eager to use my resources to bless those who serve in a tough role to make our society safer. How about joining me?

Pandamania!

2011-07-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

We just wrapped up Pandamania, our most awesome Vacation Bible School ever. Just the stats make me want to thank God – and a whole lot of others. From about 100 kids last year, we saw almost 150 kids attend this year. About 75 workers were on sight with their cool green T-shirts during the week – including yours truly – with a total of 135 people volunteering time to make this possible.

But the stories were the big deal. All week little eyes and spirits came alive to God’s great big truths, especially that God is wild about them. As pastor, I was very impressed with the Gospel presentation on Thursday. It was clear, accurate, and reinforced all morning. One crew leader reported that two kids in his group gave their lives to Christ for the first time. How great is that?

Sunday morning was our report to the church, with all the kids singing the songs and sharing the lessons they learned. Lots of new people showed up as well. At the end of Pastor Jim’s talk, we learned that two little girls walked all the way from town – over 2 miles – in hot weather to be at that Sunday service. Their crew leader connected with them, took them home, and plans to bring them back next Sunday.

We are pursuing our goal to double our congregation within five years through outreach. God opened so many doors as our amazing church members caught the vision to reach out to our community. And to think that there is an even greater harvest before us. Let’s go after it!

Life from Death

2011-06-30T13:14:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday we held Mike Hoffman’s memorial service. Mike gave cancer a brave fight for many years. He was a much-loved man who gave his life to Jesus as an adult. He made it clear that he didn’t want any long-winded preachers at his funeral! But he did want a clear salvation message presented.

The service was great. I was moved by the tributes his family and friends gave. And all three of us preachers did our best to be clear and brief. I think Mike would have been pleased by the end result.

The really great news is that one person picked up a Red Bag after the service, indicating his desire to follow Christ. Pastor Jim unpacked the bag for him and learned that he is coming back to Jesus after a long time away.

Later we heard that another person who attended was so moved by what was said that she prayed with a friend that night to give her life to Jesus. Wow, life from death!

Mike’s testimony lives on. I want to live for Jesus so that my life impacts others even after I’m gone. What if we all did that? What an impact for eternity!

Winning the Battle for the Harvest

2011-06-03T08:59:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday was awesome! There was a tangible sense of God’s presence in our morning service. I was thrilled to see how the Holy Spirit tied all the pieces together to challenge us to win the battle for the harvest of lost people. The songs, the sharing by our missionary Tanneken Fros, and my talk carried the big message God wanted to bring to us.

The harvest is all about workers who also see themselves as warriors in battle. Since God gave us the task of bringing in the harvest, if the enemy defeats us, the harvest is at risk. That simply can’t happen! So we recruited warriors who will not give the enemy an opening and will step into their role.

I am also super grateful to report that at the conclusion of our service someone picked up a red bag, signifying their decision to follow Christ. So we won a battle right away and had an eternal harvest!

What battle are you facing? Is the enemy trying to defeat you and put your harvest at risk? This Sunday I talk about strategies for the battle for lost souls. Grab a Bible and let’s learn how to win the war and bring in the harvest.

A New Name

2011-04-07T12:14:00.001-04:00

Our church just completed a years-long process of changing our name. I am so blown away by how God seemed to orchestrate this whole thing.

Over two years ago a visiting minister sensed God telling us to change our name. The idea was to have a name that better communicates our church vision, plus connects better with the community.

The name Harvest surfaced last fall. Then in January another visiting minister shared God’s call of harvest on our church. The theme just took on a life of its own. The rest is history.

While we now have a new name – Harvest Community Church – my brain is still adjusting. For almost 40 years I have been saying the old name. So it may take a while for me to get it right.

Here’s the exciting part: God has put harvest and outreach into our DNA like no man could have. We are rabid about the harvest. And it is here. Let’s go get it.

God's Greatness in Our Loss

2011-03-09T12:14:00.000-05:00

We just came through one of the most tragic events in the life of our church family. The loss of Karlee Byler deeply affected us all, whether we knew her well or not. Yet we also experienced God’s promised comfort and presence in times of loss and trouble. God continues to bring healing to us and glory to himself. What a great God we serve.

I am so proud of our church. The support of the Bylers, one another, and Jim and me are hugely appreciated. It seems that every day I hear praise from the community for our church in caring for this family. And that others have been praying for us.

We will continue to love the Bylers and one another through this. And redouble our efforts to reach children and families who aren’t following Christ yet.

Maybe we never really get over an event like this, but we do get through it. And God can somehow redeem it for us all. I am eager to see how he does that.

Karlee's Story

2011-03-02T05:30:00.000-05:00

In a few hours we lay Karlee to rest. What a bittersweet day. We are suffering a loss we cannot fathom. What a huge hole a little seven-year old girl left behind in all of us.

But today we tell her story. Her laugh, her love, her hugs, her humor, and her heart make her story one that is easy for us to tell. She had a passion for Jesus that led her to take Bibles to school to give to her fellow students. Her favorite song was Big House which describes heaven from a kid’s point of view.

And today we get to tell the story she shared with others. Her short life will be the catalyst for many hearing of the Jesus she loved so much. And now she is dancing in his presence.

I am humbled to be the spokesman today for the most powerful message on earth. May God enable me to speak it clearly and in the power his Spirit. May all know his generous goodness and awesome redemption

God's Love in Our Loss

2011-02-28T06:54:00.000-05:00

I am amazed at God’s great love for us. Yesterday morning in our service God showed up in so many ways. We cried over losing Karlee – especially the beautiful tribute video by WNDU TV – rejoiced with those who got baptized, and comforted each other with big, important truth from the Bible and lots of hugs.

I have been hearing from other pastors in our area who want us to know their churches are praying for the Bylers and our church. I am so grateful. God hears those prayers.

I had the opportunity to spend more time yesterday afternoon with Jay, Kelly, and Brooklyn. They are beginning to experience some important healing from God and are so thankful for your love and prayers.

Here are the arrangements for Karlee:

Visitation will be Tuesday 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 pm at Zion.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 10:00 am at Zion with burial at Violet Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to Zion Layette Ministry (for new moms in the area) or West Goshen Food Pantry.

Keep drawing on God. He is loving and powerful.

Losing Karlee

2011-02-26T05:06:00.000-05:00

How can you even absorb such a loss? I’m writing this in the early morning hours having awakened with my thoughts and heart going out to Jay and Kelly Byler and their family. To experience the loss of a seven-year-old child is beyond comprehension, a parent’s worst nightmare. Karlee was a sweet, loving little girl that is now in the presence of Jesus.

Jim and Joyce and Ronda and I sat with the Bylers last night. Mostly we just sat and cried and prayed. We reminded ourselves that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46) And this is trouble. And God is there for us.

During the coming days the loss of Karlee will probably hit us like waves crashing on the shore. We can’t seem to take it in all at once. Maybe God has mercy by keeping that from happening.

Pray a lot for the Bylers. But don’t fear the loss of your children and those you love. Just hug them every chance you get and enjoy them every day God blesses you with them.

2011-02-12T17:46:00.000-05:00

I am really cranked up about our church!

First, we had a great response in January to praying and fasting to start the New Year. People came out for special prayer meetings and, in general, increased their prayer time and fervency.

Then our prophetic meetings at the end of the month were outstanding. Attendance was as high as ever, God showed up, and we heard his voice. The prophets, Ben Goodman and Michael Cotten, were relaxed, relational, and right on with speaking for God. Our church loved their banter back and forth as they tag-teamed their way through the weekend.

I was amazed how God spoke to our church, reminding us of important things said long ago. A word about us being an Antioch church harks back to the early 1970’s! Then vision was given about planting churches and the harvest that almost duplicated what was said in 1991 by another prophet. To top it off, five people came to Christ during the weekend. That’s harvest!

We are excited about our future and the ripe harvest God has for us. The fact that God repeated these things so clearly indicates how determined he is to bring this harvest about. In 1991 the word included an urging to expect it and go after it. That’s exactly what I and our leaders intend to do. Join us for a great ride ahead.

2011-01-11T16:32:00.000-05:00

January is our month to get the New Year off to a good start by taking extra time to pray and fast. God has wonderful things for each of us and for our church, and we are going after them!

I was overjoyed to see more people come to Christ in 2010 than we have seen for a long time. Many more experienced life change through our ministries led by really great people. It was amazing to hear Darren’s story of how God transformed him. You can watch his story by going to www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdkvA-1lzmk

So I want to see God create some more stories that will make Him even more famous. That’s why we pray.

We are going to finish the month with some prophetic meetings with Michael Cotton and Ben Goodman, two veteran prophets. I can’t wait to hear what God says so we know how to invest our lives in the coming months.

Here’s hoping you connect with God in new ways. I can’t think of a better way to start the year.

2010-12-10T20:38:00.001-05:00

We are in the midst of presenting a really fun and encouraging dinner theater at our church. I attended the dress rehearsal on Wednesday since I am helping with the youth. It was hilarious. The message comes through clearly along with some great humor.

I am impressed with each of the actors and how quickly they put this together. Staying in character, and for some, changing characters quickly, is done with real finesse. Of course, we couldn’t put this on without the incredible skill of Mike Sisson, our director. This year he recruited the able assistance of his wife, M.E.

My wife, Ronda, is serving food three nights and loving it. She said that everyone is having a blast being involved. Saturday evening is our turn to attend and be served.

I am so proud of our church. Lots of people have pitched in behind the scenes to make this successful. We have a great message to present. Why not make it fun and relevant to our community.

Merry Christmas!

Two great events

2010-10-18T20:26:00.000-04:00

Wow, two great weekend events in a row at our church. Last weekend Paul Reid from Ireland taught a helpful and inspiring seminar on connecting with our culture, then gave an encouraging talk on Sunday morning helping us restore our spiritual passion. Check out Paul’s teachings on mp3 at www.zionchapel.org. I was impressed with how Paul connected with our people and made himself available to them. He is a fun and wise leader.

Checking in at the Fall Festival

Then this weekend the Fall Festival got rave reviews. I went with Jason, my son-in-law, and three of my grandkids. They loved it. Fun games related to Bible stories, a real fire truck water hose to put out the “fiery furnace”, fabulous weather, and lots and lots of candy! What more would a kid of any age want? We had a record turnout with many coming from outside our church. Thanks to all who gave their time to show God’s love to others.

Gavin the fireman

Yesterday we followed up with our October Sunday theme of “Fighting Darkness – Are you afraid of the dark?” (Actually I was, even as an adult.) Some of our very creative people helped us with props and video that is bringing the powerful message home – Jesus came to deliver us from the dominion of darkness. Next week: “What lies beneath?”

What an adventure. God is changing lives, and we get to be part of it.

Washington Pastors Briefing

2010-10-03T21:42:00.000-04:00

Ronda and I had an amazing time in Washington, D.C. recently. We were guests of Wallbuilders, a ministry of David Barton which emphasizes the Christian heritage of America and promotes biblical values in government. A group of 60 pastors and spouses enjoyed a private tour of the Capitol and a briefing the next day with a number of congressmen. Our expectations were definitely exceeded.

David Barton is amazing. He loves God, apparently has a photographic memory, and is quite a historian. We heard fascinating, defining stories of our nation’s founders that aren’t commonly told anymore.

David Barton

The leaders who addressed us spoke with conviction and from a biblical basis. We became aware of just how gridlocked our political system is, though there are many godly people trying to make a difference. In God we trust, really.

Nice digs in the Library of Congress

As we approach November, there is such urgency for Christian to vote their conscience. May God help us elect godly and capable people to lead our nation.

God is renewing us.

2010-09-02T12:09:00.001-04:00

I sense a renewed spirit stirring in our church, especially since my recent memory loss event during a Sunday service. God is using whatever the Enemy meant for evil for our good and His glory. But it is essential for us to understand and cultivate this renewal if it is to have any lasting effect among us.

Three words keep resounding in my spirit: militancy, urgency, and intimacy. I think these words represent what the Spirit is saying to our church.

Militancy is the response to warfare. C.S. Lewis said that our enemy loves two equal but opposite attitudes toward him. We can either consume all our time and energy focusing on him, or we can ignore him and get lulled to sleep while he cleans up on us. A militant spirit creates vigilance, resistance, and victory over whatever scheme comes our way.

Urgency is the response to significance. When something is very important, we take on a sense of urgency about it. Eternity, the souls of people, the needs of our community and world, and the Good News all carry with them the sense of urgency that is inherent in God’s Kingdom.

Intimacy is the response to God. Without intimacy with God, militancy and urgency take on a cold, impersonal quality. Getting ever closer to God is not only a safeguard; it is the source of delight, purpose, and perseverance in life. God’s love and power are generously poured out on those who are intimate with him.

We just started a new worship and prayer meeting each Thursday 6:30-7:30 pm in the auditorium. Join us as we stir up militancy, urgency, and intimacy in our church. And seek intimacy with God daily. His great future lies before us. Don’t miss it.

Cruisin' to Glory, 2010 Edition

2010-08-23T20:52:00.000-04:00

What a fantastic car show we had Sunday! Our annual Cruisin’ to Glory featured beautiful weather, our first outdoor service under the sun, and more vehicle entries than last year. I heard so many people, especially those who brought cars to display, express how much they enjoyed the event.
Our outdoor stage with one of our Red Bags

Our open-air service started with some great worship and inspiring stories of a physical healing and a life transformed. Our theme was Restoration, which means returning something to its original condition. Our lot was full of restored vehicles, and our church is full of restored lives – only God can accomplish that.

Even the little men love cars.

Activities abounded for everyone. The competition tent attracted both men and women vying for prizes by setting spark plugs and identifying automotive fluids, among others. The kids enjoyed a helicopter candy drop, face painting, bubbles, and a real fire truck with an 85-foot ladder. There was also a smoke house to train kids how to escape a flaming building and a demonstration of how firemen extricate people from a car. Plus the youth served up some great food.

Candy from heaven??

While I didn’t have a car to enter, the picture of my 1966 GTO did make the fan-shaped bulletin. Why did I ever get rid of that car??

But the best part for me was hearing that two people picked up Red Bags, signifying that they made commitments to follow Christ. More lives restored – awesome!

My Sunday Memory Loss

2010-08-14T16:23:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday’s event during our morning service will go down as one that no one in attendance will soon forget, though I can’t remember it myself!

I was about 15 minutes into my teaching when I had a serious memory loss. While I didn’t lose my ability to function, I couldn’t figure out where I was in my notes. I started repeating myself, finally stopping to pray, then asking Pastor Jim to come up to help me. After several minutes of discussion, they prayed for me and ushered me off the stage.

My first vague memory of the event is in my office about 30 minutes afterward, answering questions but not remembering the date, my teaching topic, or what I did the day before. I was taken to Goshen Hospital where my memory gradually returned until I remembered everything except for the event itself. (Watching it later on the DVD was a bit weird but answered a lot of my questions as to how I acted. I was so proud to see our leaders doing such an awesome job of leading and caring for the church the remainder of the service.)

I spent the night at the hospital, and was given a battery of exams the next day, including an MRI and echocardiogram. Everything came back with good reports, so I was sent home Monday evening.

Grandkid therapy is the best!

Ice cream is a great healer.

While at first it was feared I had a mini-stroke, the doctors concluded that I had Transient Global Amnesia (TGA). Fortunately, these are rare and benign events that typically don’t recur nor indicate any other malady or danger. The main characteristic is the person is unable to form new memory. Whatever they do during the episode is forgotten in a few minutes. After a couple hours it is over, and memory is restored except for anything that transpired during the TGA. The cause of them is not clear.

Today I’m fine, except for some raw emotions and tiring more easily, which are typical aftereffects. I have assumed a reduced schedule for a while until I get back to full strength.

Pastor Jim called a church-wide prayer meeting for last Wednesday which was very dynamic and well attended. God is already using my experience to rally the church and give us more passion for Him and the future of our church. We are determined not to let the Enemy distract us from God’s future for me or the church.

While this ranks right at the top of the list of scary events for me, I am super grateful to God and our church for the outpouring of love, care, and support I received.

Thanks to each of you who prayed for me, sent cards, and expressed your appreciation. Let's go after all God has for us to extend His Kingdom!

2010-07-31T09:40:00.000-04:00

I have been enjoying a few weeks of very welcome vacation. Ronda and I spent the first week in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, where we had the warmest weather they had in years. We hiked, biked, ate great food, and enjoyed the awesome scenery – mountains, coast, and parks.

We started out in the town of Victoria on Vancouver Island. What a quaint and relaxing city to kick back in. Our bed and breakfast was the best with great hosts and very nice accommodations. Butchart Gardens with high tea was a delightful part of our visit to Victoria.

High tea at Butchart Gardens - lovely!

On our way to the city of Vancouver we visited Whistler, the mountain village site of last winter’s Olympics. A highlight was dinner on Whistler Mountain after a 20-minute gondola ride to the top. While the food was not the greatest, the site was breathtaking. And we ate with a local couple who told us all about the Olympics and life in the village. (The gal is 68 and still skies downhill at over 60 miles per hour!!)

Dinner at the top of the world - Whistler Mountain

Vancouver city was a great stop for four days. Since we took up biking recently, we decided to tour the city by renting bikes. We got to see a lot of the local sites over a couple days while exercising off some of the delicious calories we consumed.

Biking in Vancouver – notice the jaunty angle of my biking helmet

Beautiful Vancouver

Time at home has involved some work projects on our house and several days at our own Elkhart County 4-H Fair, where I helped in our Kiwanis concessions, took in the fair activities, and kept up with our family, which is heavily involved in the Fair.

After this extended time off, I am eager to get back to work. My time has been restful, encouraging, and even challenging as God taught me some important lessons. And all this in the middle of a very warm and sunny Indiana summer.

It's a Great Day to Be Alive

2010-07-01T18:20:00.000-04:00

“I am so excited about our church – about what is happening and where we are headed.”

I have heard something like this from a number of people over the last few months. And it’s both awesome and humbling to realize God is the reason for the excitement. There is such a strong sense that he is at work in our ministries, meetings, and everyday lives.

While we have great people doing really important stuff, the reason that there is such momentum is that God is in what they are doing and blessing the outcome. They are living their lives in God and enjoying the fruit of such a dynamic relationship. People are getting set free from bad lifestyle choices, lost people are being found, and others are finding brand new ways that God is making a difference through them.

So while we are in the midst of summer with different ones on vacation each weekend, I am eager to see what God has in store next. Let’s get rejuvenated, build some great family memories, grow our relationship to Jesus in new ways, and look for more God moments every day.

God’s Kingdom isn’t boring, because he isn’t boring. What a great day to be alive!

The Dad Concept

2010-06-20T16:31:00.000-04:00

While working on my Father’s Day talk, I was thinking of all the different situations people face with dads. While some see Dad as a really great, loving guy, many struggle with the very concept. A history of anger, abuse, or abandonment can really mess with someone’s feelings toward dad. Then that gets attributed to God, making him the great ogre in the sky. I think that’s an epic failure.

If the person struggling with dad is a guy, chances are he will be a dad sometime. Then the fun begins. Unless he gets the idea of father sorted out, he may not do real well trying to be one.

So now I have my assignment. I really want to help men get dad right. But it’s going to take some work. I think it best starts with God. If we get the father who is in heaven right, we can be a better father who is on earth. The Bible gives us a lot of material on God as the best father we can imagine. And he offers his Holy Spirit to help us grasp it and heal us where we’ve been messed up.

In order to be a good dad we need a good dad. God can be that. And he provides people with skin on to make up for lost dads.

God has helped me big time by showing me what he is really like and giving me some great role models of dad. I want to be one of those examples.

How about you? What’s your dad concept? Let God improve it. And connect with a father who is on earth. Make it a better Father’s Day.

In Over Your Head

2010-06-12T15:17:00.000-04:00

All week I have been thinking about how awesome our youth worship band did last Sunday. Due to a scheduling glitch, our regular worship leader was not going to be there. So we decided to ask the youth band to step up and lead. And lead they did! With a little practice and some great coaching from Emily, Jason and Rosanne, Gabi and her group led us all into God's wonderful presence.

I have to admit I was a little hesitant when we first considered the idea of giving the youth full responsibility for worship. I really like to stretch people and help them move to the next level. But at the same time I never want to throw people out into deep water before they are ready. Well, in this case, they were ready. I'm guessing these guys even impressed themselves with how well they did.

As I look back, God has often put me in situations that were way over my head. It made me depend more on him. And it made me really grateful when he came through. I discovered that he had prepared me better than I had first imagined.

Maybe you feel like you are in over your head. Trust God, get some good coaching and see what God does. You will be amazed.

The Start

2010-06-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

I thought I would start a blog as a way to connect with people and share some of my passion and experiences. God is doing some really great things in our church. I’m excited about where we are and where God is taking us.

For example, the Red Bag ministry is going super. In case you aren’t familiar, this is one way we help people become followers of Jesus. They pick up a red bag off the platform after the service, which includes a booklet, Bible, and other helpful info. Someone unpacks it for them and gets to pray with them as they commit their life to Christ. We’ve been doing this for only seven Sundays, and each Sunday but one someone picked up a bag. Wow.

I am in awe of God that we are seeing so many people come to Jesus in our church. This has been my longing for years. I’m also thrilled that we have a great follow-up plan to connect with them and disciple them after they start following Christ.

I can’t wait to see more of what God will do. Expect great things from him in your life, too.