At its heart, an elder’s role is to care for the people of the church. Each of our Harvest elders is devoted to prayer, deeply involved in our community, and committed to guarding and guiding the church alongside the lead pastor. They model integrity in every area of life and are unified in their beliefs, values, and vision for Harvest.

Serving as an elder is a serious and humbling responsibility, not a position of status or power. These men work together as a team, seeking to honour God in every decision and to keep Harvest focused on its mission to glorify him by making more and better followers of Jesus.

Apart from the lead pastor, elders serve voluntarily while continuing their regular vocations. Though much of their work happens behind the scenes, their care and leadership are felt throughout the church. Following the standards of 1 Timothy 3, each elder has shown maturity in faith and a proven character worthy of this noble calling.

Current elders at Harvest

There is an intensive evaluation process that occurs before an elder candidate’s name is ever presented to the Harvest congregation. For example, required reading and training have been finished, and in-depth interviews have occurred with the sitting elder board. An introspective questionnaire has been completed and reviewed, references were verified, and a trial eldership has been set in motion.

When the elder board, including the lead pastor, is satisfied with the candidate’s progression through each screening measure, meeting or exceeding every benchmark, then the candidate’s name is shared with our Harvest family. This is where we find ourselves now.

At this time, a four-week vetting process begins, during which members of the congregation have 30 days to resolve any issues they may have with the candidate. If there is an issue that cannot be resolved, the member is asked to notify the elder chair at elders@harvestbible.ca.