Harvest Raleigh Church

Prayer Journal

One of our elders, Tim Horton, has kept a prayer journal for years. The Psalms are prayer journals. I personally have found that writing down my prayers helps me engage, wake up spiritually each day and stay focused on what the Lord has for me. I use a thin Moleskine journal because it fits inside my Bible without stretching the binding.

The Lord’s Prayer

I use this helpful prayer guide, LordHelpUsPray, based on “The Lord’s Prayer”. In my prayer journal, I write, “His Name Praised”, underline it, then write down a verse I just read and some comments. Then “His purposes advanced” and so on. It’s incredible how much doing this aims my day. Thanks to John Dirkse of Harvest Rockford, IL for this great and handsome resource.

Prayer List

Rob Willey, Pastor of Harvest Davenport, IA, has a scratch-note prayer list with him at all times. For most people, if you don’t write it down, it’s gets forgotten. Make a list. Who and what will you pray for. Arrange it so your top priorities are at the top so if you run out of time, you captured the most important prayers for you.

Prayer Rings

I confess that at stoplights, I generally check my email or texts. But now in my console is the prayer ring so I can flip through these and cover major areas of prayer that I’ve customized. Grab one from the welcome table. I still check my email and texts at stoplights, but it’s now more likely I’ll be praying instead.

Several Times a Week

Pastor James MacDonald says that several times a week he has intense prayer where he 1) Get’s on his knees, 2) Out loud, 3) With a list, 4) Gets specific. What are the BIG things you need to be praying about? The things that only come about through prayer?

Prayer throughout the Day

At lunch with a great couple in the church the other day, the husband said, “I’m learning that, rather than worrying about something and thinking, ‘I need to pray about that’, I can pray about that RIGHT NOW.” Thank the Lord for what He’s doing for you. Ask Him for strength.

A Praying Life by Paul Miller

Best book on prayer I’ve ever read. It’s on my re-read list!

Now, what fits you best? Go ahead and get the resource(s) or start building your list.

Throughout this year, I have opened up my YouVersion Bible app, seen what my Bible reading is for the day and started to read. The result has been reading the Bible consistently and growing in my relationship with the Lord. I had a plan. The app helped me execute the plan.

What will be your plan for spiritual growth in 2017? Why not make your plan before January 1 so you can click “start plan” when that Sunday is here?

Below are some great Bible reading plan resources, prayer resources and Scripture memory resources.

The Harvest Raleigh Plan

This is a 1 year entire Bible reading plan that takes you through the Old Testament in the order that Jesus read it. The benefit? You capture book transitions which help highlight how the Old Testament is a huge arrow to Jesus!

The Overview Plan

This plan moves you through the “big picture” of the Bible through very important texts. It’s a great plan for starters or for zooming out.

The Colorful Plan

This plan allows you to jump around in your reading but also read enough per day so you can meet your reading goal. This is the plan I used this past year. When I was reading the Old Testament, I picked a youversion New Testament in 60 day plan, finished it, then checked off the New Testament on this sheet.

The DJ Plan  Also available on YouVersion

This plan combines genres of Scriptures into each day. The benefit is you are working through each section of the Bible a little each day. Each section has a different feel but they all point to Jesus and deliver impact.

The YouVersion Plan

Browse YouVersion Bible reading plans, make your pick(s) and click “start plan” on January 1st. I will choose one of these plans and do most of my Bible reading with my print Bible but use the app to stay on target and check my progress. The Chronological Plan and ESV Study Bible Plan are great.

The Gospel Project Plan

Harvest Kids and Harvest Students use The Gospel Project Chronological Plan on Sundays and throughout the week for family or personal devotions with the Lord. If you order the seasonal edition of The Gospel Project, you will read the Bible including studying it in 3 years … and you will be doing so in the same Bible books as your kids or those you lead on Sundays in Harvest Kids. Be sure you get TGP for Adults. Our church is on the chronological plan, currently in “Exile and Return”. For even more, visit https://www.gospelproject.com/adults/

Now, pick one and get excited to grow in 2017  starting Sunday, January 1!

Next posts in the “Grow in 2017” series will be on prayer, journaling and Scripture Memory.

Simon and Carol recently came to Christ.  They learned that their own acts and works won’t bring them to a right relationship with God and instead need Jesus’s mercy to save us.  Listen to hear their testimony.

Looking forward to being together this weekend! We will look at “Forgiveness for You” from Luke 1:76-77. If you missed them, listen to the testimonies from last Sunday about what God has done in us through ALL IN. 

Christmas Eve worship, 5pm.

Invite your friends and family! It will be a powerful evening.

Chinese Dinner after Christmas Eve worship.

RSVP with Katherine Jetton. 

No worship service on Christmas Day, December 25th.

Plan to lead your family through the reading of the gospel story, pray together and sing a Christmas carol. Start a Christmas tradition with a clear focus on Jesus.

Stay in prayer for souls, for fruit and for transition and impact through the new building. God is at work! What a joy to be a part of, amen?! 

You are loved! 

The Lord has done this! 

Monday, we closed on 2817 Spring Forest. The Lord has provided the faith, resources, leaders, answers to prayer and the building! 

Christmas Eve worship 5pm!

Invite all! 1 hour worship service. Focus: “Light for you”. Preschool and Elementary kids will be with us. No worship on Sunday, December 25th. 

Mercy for you – Sunday worship

Jesus came down to extend mercy to you. God’s mercy will transform you. Encourage your friends to have a Vertical Christmas and invite them. 

You are loved! 

We are so amazed by our God.  The Lord has provided a great gift to our church in a new building. After a few months of build out, we hope to be worshipping by Easter at a new location, 2817 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh NC 27609.

Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

God has blessed us throughout the process by growing our faith as we were made to rely on Him.  To God be the glory!  This place will be our home and launching point for ministry in the Triangle and throughout the World as we pursue Jesus’s Great Commission.

The Lord has provided a great gift for @harvestraleigh! Just closed on 2817 Spring Forest Rd! The Lord answers prayer, is generous and good and has much in store for us and others in this place. To Him be the glory! Harvest, your faith, prayer, fasting, patience, giving and vision is so stirring! All of us ALL IN for all Jesus has for us to do! Mark 14:6, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 3:20-21, James 1:7. Lord willing, we will worship here by Easter!

A photo posted by Mike Willis (@heymikewillis) on Dec 5, 2016 at 1:39pm PST

Each year, Pastor Mike and the elders choose for us a year theme – a phrase that captures the Christian character we aim to put on over the course of one ministry year by God’s grace. Our year theme for 2016-2017 is “Go in Power”.

This year, we aim to Go in Power by reorienting our lives to lead people to Jesus. Who do you want to lead to Christ? What ministry goal to you have but you have never done it because of fear or lack of work at it? Are you aware of the power Jesus has given you to go?

Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This year, Pastor Mike will be preaching Acts 1-11 and Jonah including several shorter preaching series around Christmas and Easter, all aimed that you would see Jesus as powerful to save and to send you as you go tell others about Him. Our small groups will be focusing on equipping you and encouraging you as you go in power.

Past Year Themes
Year 7 – Full of Faith
Year 6 – At the Table
Year 5 – Believe Jesus
Year 4 – With Great Joy
Year 3 – Lift Your Eyes
Year 2 – Resolved: All In and Pressing Forward
Year 1 – Solidify Your Faith

Moving Out with Larry Draper

Harvest University – Harvest Bible Fellowship Church Planting

Harvest Bible Fellowship Church Planting