ABOUT US
Harvest Baptist Church is a Christ-centered, family-focused ministry designed to meet the spiritual needs of modern society with the unchanging truths of God’s Word.
We believe that the practical preaching and teaching of God’s Word, Christ-honoring, heart-felt music centered around the great hymns and gospel songs of the faith, family-centered fellowship and other such ministries that draw attention to the Savior, Jesus Christ, is the formula that will bring victory into the life of each one today.
We believe that the answers to all of life’s questions are found in the eternal Word of God, including the greatest question...“Where will you spend eternity?”
It is our goal to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost world and share with them the way of salvation, to equip God's people to live godly in an ungodly world, and to awaken Christians to a reality that salvation can be enjoyed, not just endured.
We invite you to join us as we enjoy the abundant life promised to us in God’s Word!
OUR PASTOR
Pastor Jeremy D. McClain has been the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church since April 9, 2006. Having grown up in a pastor’s home, Pastor McClain had the privilege of being brought up in church his entire life. At the age of 4 years old, he received Christ as his Saviour in Sunday school and as a teenager he felt that God was leading him into the full-time ministry. After serving 4 years in the Christian school ministry as a teacher, at the age of 23 he surrendered to preach. This led to several opportunities to grow and serve in ministries working with music, Christian schools, and as an Assistant Pastor, during which the Lord allowed him to gain the experience and training needed as well as the burden to serve as a senior pastor.
Pastor McClain has been blessed with a wonderful family. Jamie, our Pastor’s wife, was saved at home at the age of 9 years old. Her family began attending a local Baptist church about that same time, and it was there that she and Pastor met. They were married in July of 1998. The Lord has blessed the McClain family with five children: Caroline, Hallie, Seth, Micah, and Alaina.
OUR HISTORY
In the fall of 1983, a small congregation of people called a pastor and from that little group began a labor of love that would blossom and grow in a way that continues to impact the communities of four separate counties.
Under the leadership of Pastor Paul Carr, Christian Community Church (now Harvest Baptist Church) began meeting with small groups in homes in the Jamestown area. Soon they converted a multi-bay garage into their new church facility. For 4 ½ years the young church grew steadily until a new church facility was needed. In 1988, the church purchased their current property and building at 516 East Jamestown Road and held their first service in the new facilities that Father’s Day.
Over the next several years, the church grew to average over 175 attendees on Sunday mornings, with high days of well over 200 in attendance. During Paul Carr’s tenure as pastor, the church purchased and remodeled the original building and also added 2 additions to the building.
Upon Pastor Carr’s departure from the church, the congregation called Jim O’Bryon as Pastor who ministered for a short time in 1997.
In 1998, the church called Pastor Fred Flowers to the church. That same year the church was renamed Harvest Baptist Church as they continued the next major chapter of the church’s history. During the 5 years of Pastor Flower’s ministry the church greatly increased their missions outreach by beginning their Faith Promise Missions Program, as well as developing and strengthening ministries that are still operating today, such as the van ministry and nursing home ministry.
In the years of 2003-2005, Harvest Baptist Church had brief pastorates by Joe Litkenhaus and Douglas Center.
In April of 2006, current pastor Jeremy D. McClain and his family came to Harvest Baptist Church and in the time since the church has seen the blessing of God. Holding to the Biblical truths that the church was originally founded upon, a friendly and loving atmosphere, old-fashioned Bible preaching, and regular community outreach, Harvest Baptist has again seen a steady increase in attendance and spiritual growth and service among the members.
Since 2006, God has blessed by allowing the Faith Promise Missions Program to increase from 19 missionaries to 41 missionaries with an annual missions budget of over $50,000. The church facilities have been remodeled, the parking lot has undergone two expansions, and the church has become debt free. The church has seen several young people surrender to ministry, and they have been privileged to have some of the men move on to preaching ministries as pastors and evangelists.
As we continue towards the future, it is our goal to please our Lord by carrying on the traditions of those that came before us by faithfully sharing the gospel to the lost, strengthening the saved through the Word of God, and sending those that God has called into the ministry.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
I - Of The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.
1. By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written and supernaturally preserved in the Authorized Version, 1611 King James Bible, does not only contain and convey the Word of God but is the very Word of God.
2. By “inspiration” we mean that the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Hold Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired- II Tim. 3:16-17.
II - Of The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, and infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Ex.20:2-3;Gen.17:1;Matt.28:19;I John 5:7.
III - Of The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the absolute deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He is divine as no other man can be, being very God, existing in all eternity, and is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost. We believe that He was true man and never ceased to be God for one instant, and that His humiliation did not consist of laying aside His deity. We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and was begotten by the Holy Spirit, is true God and true man. Isa.7:14;Matt.1:18-25;Col.2:9;Jn.1:1-14;8:24,58; Rev.1:11-18.
IV - Of The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature, that he was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. Jn.14:16-17; Matt. 28:19.
V - Of Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of Creation and that it is to be accepted literally and not figuratively; that the six days of creation in Genesis chapter one were solar, that is twenty-four hour days; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly by God and would only bring forth “after their kind”; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that man was created directly in God’s own image. Gen.I;Ex.20:11.
VI - Of The Devil, or Satan
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant price of the power of the air, and the unholy God of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief poster back of the present apostasy; the Lord of the anti-Christ and the author of all powers of darkness—destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. Isa.14:1-15;Ez.28:14-17;Rev.12:9.
VII - Of The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse Gen.3:1-6;Rom.5:12.
VIII - Of The Atonement for Sin
We believe that in order or the salvation of sinner is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord bearing our sins in His body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. Eph.2:8;Acts15:11; Romans 3:24;John 3:16.
IX - Of Grace In The New Creation
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born-again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in Connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its power evidences appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. Jn.3:3;II Cor.5:17.
X - Of the Freeness of Salvation
We believe in God’s electing grace, that the blessing of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by penitent and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but which rejection involves him in aggravated condemnation. I Thess.1:4; Col.3:12.
XI - Of Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39.
XII - Of Repentance And Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all- sufficient Savior. Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15.
XIII - Of The Church
We believe that a church of Christ is a local, visible congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officer of ordination is pastor, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true church mission is found in the Great Commission; First, to make individual disciples; Second, the build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct as He commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from any interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organization and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of it cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. The terms “pastor, elder and bishop” are the same basic office. Each shows a different relationship of responsibility.
XIV - Of Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
We believe that the Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper; in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self examination.
XV - Of The Preservation Of The Saints
We believe that true believers have a real attachment to Christ and that is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. Rom.8:35-39.
XVI - Of The Righteous And The Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight both in and after death, in everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Mal.3:18;Gen. 18;23;Rom. 6:18-18.
XVII - Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming prince of the kingdoms of the earth. Rom.13:7;II Sam.23:3.
XVIII - Of Future Events
We believe the scriptures teach that at death the spirit and soul of the believer pass instantly into the presence of Christ and remain in a conscience joy until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His own; the blessed hope of the believer is the imminent, personal, pre- tribulational, premillennial appearance of Christ to rapture the church, His bride; His righteous judgments will then be poured out on an unbelieving world during the Tribulation(the seventieth week of Daniel), the last half of which is the Great Tribulation; the climax of this fearful era will be the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth in great glory to introduce the Davidic kingdom; Israel will be saved and restored as a nation; Satan will be bound and the curse will be lifted from the physical creation; following the Millennium, the Great White Throne judgment will occur, at which time the bodies and souls of the wicked shall be reunited and cast into the Lake of Fire.
XIX - Of The Resurrection And Return Of Christ
We believe that Christ arose bodily the third day according to the Scriptures “that He ascended to the right hand of the throne of God:” that He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God” “that this same Jesus which was taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven”–bodily, personally and visibly.
XX - Of Heresy And Apostasy
We believe in total and complete separation as taught in the Word of God from all forms of heresy and ecclesiastical apostasy. We believe the Scriptures teach that we are to: Try the (I John 4:1), Mark them(Rom. 16- 17), Rebuke them(Titus 1:13), Have no fellowship with them(Eph.5:11)