In Matthew 28:18-20,  Jesus gave his final instructions to the people who had followed him on earth..

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The command to "go and make disciples" remains the mission of His followers 2,000 years later. This is why at Harvest Mill, we think about everything through the lens of being disciples of Jesus, and helping others become disciples as well. But what does this look like? 

The word disciple simply means "learner." To be a disciple of Jesus is to be His student in all of life. We define a disciple as someone who hears, trusts, and obeys Jesus in all of life. They will never do it perfectly in this life, but that is their goal. Therefore we strive to help each other hear His voice, trust Him, and obey Him in everything we do. 

Discipleship Committment

We don't have membership because being a member of a church is not the ultimate goal of the Kingdom of God. The church is God's vehicle for Kingdom advancement, and in the Kingdom, all that matters is being a disciple of Jesus. Therefore instead of asking people to join Harvest Mill as members, we ask people to make theses specific committments, which are relevant to all disciples of Jesus, and to live them out as part of the community and culture of Harvest Mill. 

Commitment to the Values of Harvest Mill Church

Knowing God

  • I will abide in God’s Word through regular Bible reading and submit to Scripture as the final authority on all issues. (John 8:32)
  • I will pursue God and embrace discipleship through regular prayer and fasting. (Matthew 6:9-18) 
  • I will seek the glory of Jesus in Western PA, ahead of the glory of myself, my family, my school, my work, or my church. (John 7:18) 

Incarnational Mission 

  • I will imitate Jesus in how he made disciples, seeking to help those around me to know Him. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
  • I will live as a SENT person, learning to become an Everyday Missionary where I live, work, and play. (John 20:21)
  • I will refuse to water down the gospel, change the message, or hide the cost of following Jesus, in my efforts to see people come to Christ. (Luke 9:57-62)

Extended Family 

  • I will practice the “one another” commands of Scripture with the people of Harvest Mill Church, most importantly loving them as Jesus has loved me. (John 13:34-35)
  • I will pursue authentic relationships with people of Harvest Mill, being transparent, confessing sin to one another, and refusing to gossip. (James 5:16) 
  • I will initiate restoration in any relationships that have been broken by addressing the issue with the individual in humility. When others lovingly address issues with me, I will listen and seek understanding, reconciliation, and renewal.  (Matthew 18:15)

Commitment to the Discipleship Pathway of Harvest Mill Church

Begin as a Disciple 

  • I will engage in ministry, giving of myself, my time, my talents, and my resources to bless and help others. I will serve on a Harvest Mill Ministry Team and follow the New Testament pattern of financial giving to both the needy and the local church that is sacrificial, cheerful, and voluntary. (Matt. 25:14–30; Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 8–9; 1 Pet. 4:10–11).

Grow as a Disciple

  • I will participate in a D-Group and commit to becoming a disciple who hears, trusts, and obeys Jesus in all of life. (Luke 6:46-49)

Become a Disciple Maker

  • I will not only be a disciple of Jesus, but I will learn to become a disciple maker through participation in a Harvest Community, and seeking to multiply my D-Group. (John 20:21)

 

Discipleship Pathway

It's possible to be committed to a goal, and still end up not achieving it if we don't have an effective plan to get us where we need to go. Therefore along with the Discipleship Committment, we have a Disciplship Pathway that helps people see the next step they can take as they grow as a disciple of Jesus. We believe that God can grow disciples in any way He wants to- He certainly is not contstrained to working in this pathway! So with that in mind, we use this pathway as a loose guide to help people see their next step.

What is a D-Group?

A D-group is a gender-specific group of 3-5 people meeting weekly, with the goal of helping one another hear, trust, and obey Jesus. Although the Bible is the only curriculum we use, D-Groups are more than a Bible study. They are about doing life together. Click the link below  to sign up for the next round of D-Groups which will be held at the Brookville YMCA, on Thursdays at 7pm, starting in October 2022. 

D-Group Sign Up