HARVEST RICH
For years on or around October 31, our church had a massive community outreach event called the Harvest Party. We had fun games, free candy and food, and always an evangelistic skit. These skits became more and more elaborate over the years and I was often a character in these plays, and acted as no less that 75 characters over the years at Harvest Parties and in Kids Church. My son Eli has taken the baton and is now one of the main characters each year and I’m proud he has taken up the torch. As we approach the end of October. I was thinking about the harvest party and specifically the word harvest, and its significance to Orchard Ministries.
Our family lived on Stahmann Farms in La Mesa, New Mexico for a few years, and it had a great impact on us. It is one of the largest pecan orchards on the globe! Running along the irrigation canals that carved through that Southern New Mexico orchard; brand new visions, dreams, and plans came alive!
One day, after reading her Bible and looking out at the spring leaves beginning to bud, Heidi sensed that our family was supposed to help plant, water, and care for an orchard of individuals and churches in the nations that would grow deep roots into the fertile soil of God’s Word and His promises; that would grow individually unique with an understanding of their true identities in Christ; that would reach high in grateful worship; that would reach wide to shade many who are lost, broken, suffering, or scattered; and that would bear fruit constantly, in the nations…for generations! And ultimately, making Jesus harvest-rich with a growing family!
Right around the beginning of our ministry,
I personalized this verse from Colossians as a declaration for our family and team…
We pray that (we, along with the Bemba speaking peoples of Zambia and those living along the DRC / Zambia border regions) would walk in the ways of righteousness. Pleasing God in everything that (we) do. Then (we’ll all) become fruit-bearing branches – yielding to His life and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in His fullness. And we pray that (we) will be energized with all His explosive power from the realm of His magnificent glory, filling (us) with great hope. (Then our) hearts can soar with joyful gratitude when (we) think of how God made (us) worthy to receive the glorious inheritance freely given to us (all) by living in the light!
– Colossians 1:10-11 (TPT)
We established Orchard Ministries in 2018, both in the US and in Zambia; and our aim remains: to grow healthy, fruit-bearing people that live out a missional purpose! But we can’t do it alone. An International orchard requires a team. Join us as we equip overlooked and unexpected lions and to become roaring nation-changers!