Harvest Muskoka's Blog

FriFridayAprApril13th2012 Reflections From Easter At Harvest Muskoka!

Posted Friday, April 13 2012 @ 1 PM byKaj Ballantyne Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Reflections from Easter at Harvest Muskoka!

It Was a CELEBRATION
Every Sunday is meant as a celebration of the resurrection - which is the reason the early church stopped meeting for worship on Saturday and began to worship on Sunday. But there is still a sense in which Easter Sunday is different. It is different in that God seems to use this weekend in churches around the world as a celebration of the resurrection to lead many to find forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God through the risen Jesus Christ.

Celebrating New Life

So it was not a normal Sunday morning for Harvest Muskoka - we wanted to celebrate Jesus! There are so many things that we get excited about, shout about and dance about but there is no other reason that comes even close to the fact that Jesus died and rose again.

Good Friday is a time to soberly and solemnly reflect on the death of Jesus Christ but then Easter Sunday we come to sing and shout for joy, praising God with our voices and our music (Psalm 33:1-3; 150:3-5). We are so blessed to have Eric as our worship leader … a young man who is full of humility and joy and who understands that what leads our hearts to sing worship is not the music, lighting, or atmosphere, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as those who celebrate new life it was amazing to see that celebration on full display Easter Sunday … which was only a fraction of the celebration we will be experiencing in Heaven when we see Christ face to face!

It Was FULL of People
We are not a church that is anxious with how big we are or how big we grow (I believe that my job as pastor is to be sure about the depth and let God be concerned with the breadth). That being said, the fact that nearly 700 people were out for our Easter service is something to celebrate. Why? I celebrate because:

·       Many heard the clear message of the Gospel for the first time
·       Many were there who were hurting and had wandered from Christ and it was their first time back to church in years.
·       It was a full service not because of a slick marketing plan … it was full because God’s people moved out on mission to invite friends and family.

Harvest Muskoka Easter

This shows me (and I hope gives us all a bigger vision) that there is much work to be done in Muskoka and there are many who are just waiting to be asked. Let’s continue to live our lives on mission to reach Muskoka with the good news of Jesus Christ, making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). May we be encouraged that God is drawing people to salvation and that the fields are truly white for harvest (John 4:35).

It Was Lead by SERVANT Hearts
To pull off a service like that (considering the numbers and a new location) was not easy. It took a lot of work from a lot of people. This was not something we would have been able to accomplish a couple of years ago. In fact the number of volunteers for Sunday was 86 which is nearly how big our entire church was on a couple of Sundays during our first year. Many of those volunteers gave up the opportunity to celebrate and participate in worship as they served with Harvest Kids. I am so thankful that God is building Harvest Bible Chapel as a place for people to not just be “consumers” but to be participating disciples of Jesus Christ. The feedback from those who celebrated with us was that it was a joyful place from the parking lot to the building. People were met by people with servant hearts displaying the joy of Christ. I was also so encouraging to see so many who hadn't signed up to serve show up early and say, "How can I help this morning?"

Also many of you may not know this but one of the camera operators at Easter had just given his life to Christ on Good Friday … and was already asking how he could serve! Even more exciting than that is that his girlfriend came out on Easter (her first time ever at church) and gave her life to Christ Sunday afternoon!

It Had GOSPEL Impact
It is hearing about stories like hers that we give glory to God for Easter Sunday! We are hearing of others with similar stories of continued conversations that are leading to salvation. My prayer when Harvest Muskoka began was that we would see people come to Christ in living rooms, work places, playgrounds and offices as evangelism happens not just on Sunday but as a way of life. People are hearing about and following Christ not just by “coming forward” at church but because YOU tell them about Jesus!

We have been praying that God would draw people to salvation as we are faithful to His mission of spreading the gospel and making disciples ... and this Easter we praise God for the fact that 5 of the 10 people baptized had come to know and follow Jesus in the last 6 months.

Moving FORWARD
So as we leave behind this past Sunday, let’s not let Easter be a one-time event. Let’s not let Easter be the only time we reach out to those around us who don't know Jesus. Let's not let Easter be the only Sunday we show up and ask how we can help. Let's not let Easter be the only Sunday we expect GREAT things from God. Let’s continue with the momentum created by the Holy Spirit to see Him “do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Excited for what God has next,
Kaj

SunSundayFebFebruary12th2012 What Do I Do When All Hope Is Lost?

Posted Sunday, February 12 2012 @ 1 PM byKaj Ballantyne Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

You lose your job. A relationship has been damaged. Another bill comes in that you can't afford. The doctor has brought bad news. A sudden death of a loved one has stopped you in your tracks. Your future seems bleak.

So many times our problems cause us to think that God has forgotten us and it can hard to understand that the Source of our strength and our Provider in all things is with us. When a situation seems hopeless, it is difficult to not grow weary and lose strength.

For those who have been following the journey that Pastor Trevor Peacok from HarvestCalgary and his family have been on with their daughter you might ask, "How do the Peacocks go on?" Their daughter Hope has been battling for her life and they still really have no solid answers. Without any answers, what do they cling to? Where is their foundation? Where is their hope?

Are you or anyone you love in a place today where life is hard and you desperately need perspective? Take the time to watch Trevor's latest sermon entitled, "Hope" where he answers these tough questions from God's Word.

Firmly in the grip of God's grace,
Kaj

SunSundayFebFebruary5th2012 Calling all Super Hero Dads!

Posted Sunday, February 05 2012 @ 2 PM byKaj Ballantyne Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

This past Sunday we talked about killing the lion of sin in our hearts. I had said, "when the lion comes into your house you don’t just try to tame it … you put it down." I was thinking more about our hearts and yet this week as I was praying for our church and hearing more stories of the havoc that the lion is wreacking in some of our homes I began to see what statement means for the dads at Harvest.

What do we, as dads, do when the lion comes to the front door? What are we doing to protect our families? This is a huge responsibility that the Word of God places on our shoulders ... to lead, guide, provide and care for our families. What does this look like? So often we can feel as though we aren't up to the task. We don't have the skills, leadership, power, strength or spirituality required for such a task. The truth is that on our own we don't. But the greater truth is that we are not on our own!

So how do we lead and protect with God's leadership, guidance, power and strength?

Here are a couple of great links I came across this week that I hope are helpful.

Praying for your family
Leading your family

My prayer for us as a church is that we have a church full of strong men ... strong in the Lord ... strong in prayer ... strong in the Word. And through that we have strong families. Let's continue to encourage and help each other to be able to stand strong and put down the lions that attack our hearts and our families.

Firmly in the grip of God's grace,
Kaj

SunSundayJanJanuary22nd2012 God's Glory On Display

Posted Sunday, January 22 2012 @ 1 PM byKaj Ballantyne Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

I can remember waking up in my car in Alberta after stopping to sleep at a gas station on my first ever road trip across Canada. I stumbled out of my car, rubbed my eyes and looked up to see, for the first time, the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. I was puny, standing literally spell bound as my eyes tried to take it all in.

Nahum 1:5 says, "The mountains quake before him".

Here I was in awe of some of God's greatest creations and yet it was just that - a creation of God. Now I felt even more puny standing before an awesome God. Even as a spiritually confused young man, I could recognize the glory of a mighty God on display and it brought me to a place of worship and prayer.
glory

So as we gather each Sunday for worship, what do we want to see happen? What's the point of our church? What is it that we want to see at Harvest Muskoka?

This past week at the HBC Pastor's Retreat in Orlando I was reminded again what it is that we are going for at HarvestMuskoka ... not just great ministries, not just great community, not just great music, not just great preaching (those are all good things for us to aim for but they are not our ultimate goal). Our ultimate goal at Harvest Muskoka needs to be to recognize and display God's glory.

When Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he was scared at his own lack of abilities, power and leadership and faced the unimaginably difficult task of leading a rebellious, complaining and stubborn group of people. In Exodus 33 Moses was speaking with God about how difficult things were and he asked God for something.

He didn't ask to be a better speaker. He didn't ask to be a better leader. He didn't ask for better conditions or better followers. He asked for one thing:

"If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here ... Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:15-16)

So what are we all about at Harvest Muskoka? What is it that will make us distinct from any other gathering of people? It is only the presence of God. It's not my preaching, Eric's guitar playing, our building or even the love we show each other ... if we are looking for earth shattering, window rattling, life changing Sundays where people are impacted, marriages are healed, prodigals come home and lives are changed forever - it only happens if God goes with us.

What makes a church distinct and powerful is God showing up in His glory - working and revealing Himself in spite of our limitations. What will make Harvest effective in Muskoka is His presence working and doing for us what we can't do for ourselves.

Our little brick gymnasium with uncomfortable chairs and snakes painted on the walls is the furthest thing from the splendour of the Rocky Mountains and yet when we seek God's manifest presence his glory is revealed.

So as we move forward may our church be a place:

where there is expectant prayer before, during and after the service for God's healing and working in lives.
where people hear authoritative preaching from the Word and God reaches into their hearts and they leave changed.
where there is passionate and expressive worship with voices loud, hands raised, hearts moved and Jesus' Name lifted high.
where people are being saved from every walk of life.
where love abounds, forgiveness flows freely, and needs are met.
where people gather in small groups in relationships of grace and truth to stir up, spur on and support the weight of walking with God.
where leadership actually leads ... and listens, learns and loves people while strongly and passionately seeking God's will.
where gratitude and generousity overflows and the poor, the alien, the imprisoned, the widow and the orphan are cared for and never neglected.
where more people are trained and on mission.

... and where all of these are seen, known, felt and celebrated by everyone who comes into contact with Harvest Muskoka ... where it is obvious that God is present and at work ... and people experience more of God's manifest presence as God's glory comes whenever we gather!

In the grip of His grace,
Kaj

ThuThursdayJanJanuary12th2012 I Love My Church

Posted Thursday, January 12 2012 @ 4 PM byKaj Ballantyne Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Some people are so well known by certain actions that those actions become their "trademark". So now, when someone bows on one knee we call it "Tebowing", if you grew up in the 80's the "moonwalk" was more about Michael Jackson than Neil Armstrong and if someone visits Muskoka they expect it to be more laid back than the city.

So the question could be asked, "What is our church's trademark?"
What are we known for ... or what should we be known for?

Jesus left us a pretty clear trademark in John 13:34-35:
A new commandment I give to you,

that you love one another: just as I have loved you,
you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

I guess this is the reason that I would say that I love my church. From the days when it was just a small group meeting in a living room to now that it is a church of nearly 400 and growing there has always been a heart of loving one another. And loving more than just in words but in action. The word Jesus chose to use in John 13 was the word 'agape' ... a love that is unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional and thoughtful.
It is an unconditional action based love.

I have been in conversation with many over the past month about the community of Harvest Muskoka and what is always brought up -- more than the worship music, preaching, programs or unbelievably comfortable chairs :) -- is the uncommon love.
Just a few Sundays ago I shared with you all about your love in action in the amount of benevolence money that had come this past year. Here are some great quotes from some of the people who were loved by you in this very practical way:

"Once again I am in awe of my church family ... in so many ways my familly at Harvest has shown me unconditional love, compassion, encouragement and guidance through difficult times. Because of my church family's faithfulness, my faith is stronger and deeper. Because of Harvest I see God at work, feel his presence and know that I am not forgotten."

"We were so surprised to open the Christmas Card from Harvest to find gift cards for groceries.The tears came with grateful hearts as we stopped to pray and give all the glory and thanks to God for bringing us to your mind, for His faithfullness, answered prayer and for providing. We are so Blessed to have such a thoughtful caring church family."

"Thank you for your generosity and coming along side us recently on our journey with health issuues. We are still very much on it, but are so incredibly thankful for your support, love and prayers. So on behalf of our whole family we swing our arms wide to hug you and with everything in us we say, "Thank you". You made this mountain a little easier to climb and we will never forget it."

(Through tears) "This means more than you know. We are so blessed to not just have a church but to have a church FAMILY."

"Thank you so much! We had $14 in the bank and no idea how the next month was going to turn out. I prayed and wondered how God was going to answer. He answered with my church family!"

"This has been an incredibly difficult season for us with this sickness. Thank you for loving us through it with prayers and support. Your gift is not only going to be so helpful it is such a reminder of how loved we are by our Heavenly Father and the family he has given us at Harvest."

Here is the other amazing story I heard time and time again from benevolence that went out at Christmas time:

"Thank you for the grocery cards. We were able to have a great Christmas dinner we otherwise couldn't have had ... and we were able to buy a turkey for our neighbours who are struggling!"

"We were so blessed by our Harvest Family. We have already gave away half of it though! God is so good!!"

So I'll say it again, "I love my church!"
Thank you all for taking Jesus' words at face value, for living love not just talking about it, and for not thinking that the early church was "a different time." May the "trademark" of Harvest Muskoka be the trademark that Jesus left for us ... and the trademark that he lived in perfection. May we be a church that reflects the love of Jesus by continuing to be a church committed to unconditional love in action!

All for Christ,

Kaj