I've looked forward to writing September's blog because I knew it was the last one devoted to updating you about the ministry. With the website back up, I can devote my blog writing to sharing the truth about Christ. I started with several ideas about what I thought would be good for blogging but couldn't settle on "the one." As it got closer to the time when I needed to post, I turned to my journal for inspiration. Thumbing through hundreds of pages, looking for the perfect blog topic, I was reminded of how my journey began and the influence that's had on the ministry.
When Chariot Ministries started, our efforts were primarily evangelical. We wanted to creatively share the experience of knowing and seeking god. Our passion was to make God's word understood by today's generation of believers and skeptics. Every effort was about getting "Christians" to understand who Jesus is and what He did for them so they would come to Him permanently and live lives that bore the fruit of having Christ in them. These evangelical efforts are still very much a part of Chariot Ministries as evidenced in our 2010-2011 series of class offerings. We will always recognize the significance of one's testimony regarding their journey to the Son, but the journey really begins once one comes to the cross of Jesus. It becomes less about the journey to the Son and more about the journey with the Son.
Sifting through the pages of my journal it is clear that the Lord doesn't want me to pick a topic to write about. There isn't any need for me to recreate a previous inspiration, or rework and expound upon something that is complete within the journal context. Instead, I am to be more transparent...by posting my actual journal entries! I won't write everything; I promise to leave out the grocery lists and will protect the names of the innocent. But as a sheer act of obedience, I am going to do it.
Would you please consider sharing your journey with me? There are so many misconceptions about Christian's and what it means to be a Christian floating around, let's be the salt and the light together with Christ at our enter. I urge you to please register (it's free) with Blogger to follow my blog and post your comments. Let's talk about how God is working in our lives. We can use my journal entries as the conversation starter.
This means each time I make a journal entry, I will post it on the blog. So become a follower, as I will no longer use our email contact list to announce new blog posts.
I look forward to our journey with the Son.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
09 September 2010
10 August 2010
Cha-cha-cha-Changes!
I know I missed the July post. It was because I didn't have anything concrete to update. Now I do...
First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and Chariot Ministries. Words cannot express how blessed we feel to have such faithful supporters.
Second, we believe the Lord has given us a plan for the 2010-2011 year. It may surprise some of you to see that it isn't chalk full of stage productions and classes. For us, though, we've seen this coming for several months and feel, now that it has been confirmed, that the time has come to share our plan with you.
Chris and I will be going back to school full-time this fall. For Chris this means he will cut his work schedule down to "on-call" status, which means he will work about two days a week. It also means he will be losing all of his insurance benefits and will need to control his Ankylosing Spodylitis with diet. He is looking at about four years before he will be certified to teach math and science at the secondary level for Washington State. For me, I have two years to complete my secondary level teaching certification in reading education. My area of emphasis is ELL (English Language Learners) and I hope to take one extra year (putting me on the three year plan) to earn my masters in Adult Education. Although the Lord hasn't made it clear what he intends to use our education for, we know he has called us back to school for "something" and our desire is simply to be obedient to His will.
Due to the dramatic shift that is about to occur in our personal lives, we've been prayerfully considering what this means for the ministry. We believe God has plans for the ministry and wants us to keep it. Practically, this means we will need to scale-down a bit over the next couple of years until the Lord reveals what he would have us do. During the summer we've prayed about what that would look like. Sometimes in order for the Lord to answer one thing, he must first reveal another. I believe the Lord has revealed to me that I am called as an evangelist. Believe me, when it comes to spiritual gifts and callings THIS was NOT my first choice! But the Lord works in mysterious ways and I believe the way this is going to work itself out is through a series of classes that I will lead during the course of the next year.
Beginning in September I will lead a book discussion on Ray Comfort's, "God Has A Wonderful Plan For Your Life: The Myth of the Modern Message." This will be followed in January with a course on "The Way of the Master", which is designed to teach you how to biblically and effectively evangelize. Finally, in the Spring I will lead another book discussion on Floyd Schneider's "Evangelism for the Fainthearted." These classes have been specially organized to build one upon the other; however they also stand alone in their significance and application.
There will be more information about our classes on our new website. Yes! A brand new website! Some of you may have tried to visit our website during the summer and didn't find it. That is because we had to change web-hosting and designers; all technical stuff that I still don't quite understand. Yet, thanks to Heidi Scheibner who graciously offered to donate "all things web" to Chariot Ministries, we will have a beautiful new site up and running the first week of September.
I think that covers all the new business. Be sure to mark your calendar for our first class of the year beginning Friday, 24 September. Of course, you can always call or email me if you have any questions.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
harvest@chariotministries.com
509.481.1929
First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and Chariot Ministries. Words cannot express how blessed we feel to have such faithful supporters.
Second, we believe the Lord has given us a plan for the 2010-2011 year. It may surprise some of you to see that it isn't chalk full of stage productions and classes. For us, though, we've seen this coming for several months and feel, now that it has been confirmed, that the time has come to share our plan with you.
Chris and I will be going back to school full-time this fall. For Chris this means he will cut his work schedule down to "on-call" status, which means he will work about two days a week. It also means he will be losing all of his insurance benefits and will need to control his Ankylosing Spodylitis with diet. He is looking at about four years before he will be certified to teach math and science at the secondary level for Washington State. For me, I have two years to complete my secondary level teaching certification in reading education. My area of emphasis is ELL (English Language Learners) and I hope to take one extra year (putting me on the three year plan) to earn my masters in Adult Education. Although the Lord hasn't made it clear what he intends to use our education for, we know he has called us back to school for "something" and our desire is simply to be obedient to His will.
Due to the dramatic shift that is about to occur in our personal lives, we've been prayerfully considering what this means for the ministry. We believe God has plans for the ministry and wants us to keep it. Practically, this means we will need to scale-down a bit over the next couple of years until the Lord reveals what he would have us do. During the summer we've prayed about what that would look like. Sometimes in order for the Lord to answer one thing, he must first reveal another. I believe the Lord has revealed to me that I am called as an evangelist. Believe me, when it comes to spiritual gifts and callings THIS was NOT my first choice! But the Lord works in mysterious ways and I believe the way this is going to work itself out is through a series of classes that I will lead during the course of the next year.
Beginning in September I will lead a book discussion on Ray Comfort's, "God Has A Wonderful Plan For Your Life: The Myth of the Modern Message." This will be followed in January with a course on "The Way of the Master", which is designed to teach you how to biblically and effectively evangelize. Finally, in the Spring I will lead another book discussion on Floyd Schneider's "Evangelism for the Fainthearted." These classes have been specially organized to build one upon the other; however they also stand alone in their significance and application.
There will be more information about our classes on our new website. Yes! A brand new website! Some of you may have tried to visit our website during the summer and didn't find it. That is because we had to change web-hosting and designers; all technical stuff that I still don't quite understand. Yet, thanks to Heidi Scheibner who graciously offered to donate "all things web" to Chariot Ministries, we will have a beautiful new site up and running the first week of September.
I think that covers all the new business. Be sure to mark your calendar for our first class of the year beginning Friday, 24 September. Of course, you can always call or email me if you have any questions.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
harvest@chariotministries.com
509.481.1929
03 June 2010
Fields and Crops
God recently blessed me with a relevant message about ministry. A featured pastor on TBN said every ministry has fields (opportunity) and crops (what is sown). His message made the point that all ministries experience four distinct phases throughout their existence.
Ministries will experience a time when the field is not ready and the crops are not ready. During this time there won't be any opportunities to sow God's word from the ministry.
Ministries will experience a time when the field is ready but the crops are not. This is a desperate time for ministers because opportunities abound, yet our seed lies dormant or is not yet ripe. This is often when ministers start to question the call on their life. They feel since they aren't ready that they misunderstood their mission. This is a time to fertilize with prayer, fasting and Scripture.
Ministries will experience a time when the crop is ready but the field is not. Boy is this ever frustrating! Ministers are chomping at the bit with a God-anointed message but there aren't any opportunities to share it.
Finally, there will be times (Praise the Lord!) when the field and the crop are both ready.
I believe Chariot Ministries is in the phase where the fields are ready but the crops are not. This explains why we've had to cancel our two shows for the year. It explains why I've had to turn down speaking opportunities for retreats. It also explains why I've been feeling anxious about the ministry. I know God has called us to this ministry, but I also know our crops need tending and are not yet ripe.
If Chariot Ministries is to be a success the focus must be on God rather than the ministry. I must be willing to experience a time when neither the field nor the crop is ready. As scary as it is, I must be willing to give up control of the ministry and put my trust in God.
Our desire is to spend the summer seeking God's direction for Chariot Ministries. We will meet in fellowship to discuss and pray about which areas of the ministry we should focus on as we move into the fall. All are encouraged to come even if you can't make every meeting.
Meetings will be held on the following Monday's from 6:30-8:00 p.m:
June 28
July 12 & 26
August 9 & 23
Please call 509.481.1929 for more information.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
Ministries will experience a time when the field is not ready and the crops are not ready. During this time there won't be any opportunities to sow God's word from the ministry.
Ministries will experience a time when the field is ready but the crops are not. This is a desperate time for ministers because opportunities abound, yet our seed lies dormant or is not yet ripe. This is often when ministers start to question the call on their life. They feel since they aren't ready that they misunderstood their mission. This is a time to fertilize with prayer, fasting and Scripture.
Ministries will experience a time when the crop is ready but the field is not. Boy is this ever frustrating! Ministers are chomping at the bit with a God-anointed message but there aren't any opportunities to share it.
Finally, there will be times (Praise the Lord!) when the field and the crop are both ready.
I believe Chariot Ministries is in the phase where the fields are ready but the crops are not. This explains why we've had to cancel our two shows for the year. It explains why I've had to turn down speaking opportunities for retreats. It also explains why I've been feeling anxious about the ministry. I know God has called us to this ministry, but I also know our crops need tending and are not yet ripe.
If Chariot Ministries is to be a success the focus must be on God rather than the ministry. I must be willing to experience a time when neither the field nor the crop is ready. As scary as it is, I must be willing to give up control of the ministry and put my trust in God.
"God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to
see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." ~ Psalm 53:2
Our desire is to spend the summer seeking God's direction for Chariot Ministries. We will meet in fellowship to discuss and pray about which areas of the ministry we should focus on as we move into the fall. All are encouraged to come even if you can't make every meeting.
Meetings will be held on the following Monday's from 6:30-8:00 p.m:
June 28
July 12 & 26
August 9 & 23
Please call 509.481.1929 for more information.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
05 April 2010
Know Jesus?
What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus? This question was asked during a recent BSF Bible Study. How would you answer it?
Chris and I who reside in Spokane, Washington, think the difference is similar to knowing about New York and actually living in New York. I have never been to New York, yet can tell you all sorts of things about the East Coast state. It's the home of Broadway, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. New York is crowded and has lots of Taxi's. It is an international hub for fashion, food, and fun. But these are things I only know about New York.
My husband, Chris, who has had several opportunities to visit New York, can tell you more. He can tell you what it is like to stand under the neon lights of Broadway, how it feels to ride the subway, and what the view from the top of the Statue of Liberty is like. Then, of course, people who have actually lived in New York can tell you more, and those who have spent their entire lives in New York know still more.
Ultimately, knowing New York comes down to spending time there and the degree to which you experience it. The same is true of knowing Jesus. How much time do you spend with Jesus and to what degree do you experience Him? How important is knowing God? According to the Gospel of John our salvation depends on it.
Chariot Ministries exists to glorify God. We do this by Freshly communicating the experience of knowing and seeking his son, Jesus. For more information about Chariot Ministries and the role you can play in glorifying God's Kingdom, join us April 12 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (More information below in last month's blog or by phoning 509.481.1929).
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
S.T.A.G.E.D. for His glory!
Chris and I who reside in Spokane, Washington, think the difference is similar to knowing about New York and actually living in New York. I have never been to New York, yet can tell you all sorts of things about the East Coast state. It's the home of Broadway, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. New York is crowded and has lots of Taxi's. It is an international hub for fashion, food, and fun. But these are things I only know about New York.
My husband, Chris, who has had several opportunities to visit New York, can tell you more. He can tell you what it is like to stand under the neon lights of Broadway, how it feels to ride the subway, and what the view from the top of the Statue of Liberty is like. Then, of course, people who have actually lived in New York can tell you more, and those who have spent their entire lives in New York know still more.
Ultimately, knowing New York comes down to spending time there and the degree to which you experience it. The same is true of knowing Jesus. How much time do you spend with Jesus and to what degree do you experience Him? How important is knowing God? According to the Gospel of John our salvation depends on it.
"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
~John 17:3 (emphasis added)
Chariot Ministries exists to glorify God. We do this by Freshly communicating the experience of knowing and seeking his son, Jesus. For more information about Chariot Ministries and the role you can play in glorifying God's Kingdom, join us April 12 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (More information below in last month's blog or by phoning 509.481.1929).
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
S.T.A.G.E.D. for His glory!
09 March 2010
Come "JOIN" us!
Please join us April, 12 to find out more about Chariot Ministries and the role you can play in glorifying God's Kingdom. During our time together you will come to understand what we mean by being S.T.A.G.E.D. for His glory! We will share our passion for self-identified Christians who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord while outlining God's call upon this exciting and timely ministry. We will also encourage you to prayerfully consider serving with us in the many facets of ministry that Chariot has to offer.
All believers are welcome (encouraged!) to attend. Below are some talents we've identified that we need:
Event Details:
Monday Night
12 April 2010
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Inside the Blue Door Theater, 815 West Garland Avenue, Spokane, Wa., 99205
Please Contact Chris or Harvest Rich for more information:
509.481.1929 mail@chariotministries.com
We thank you for your prayers and very much look forward to seeing you in April!
In His glorious name,
Chris & Harvest Rich
All believers are welcome (encouraged!) to attend. Below are some talents we've identified that we need:
- Actors
- Dancers
- Singers
- Teachers
- Prayer Warriors
- A/V Tech Crew
- Web Design
- Stage Craft
- Construction
- Painting
- Evangelists
- Artists
- Musicians
- Mentors
- Event Planners
- Marketers
- Hospitality Specialists
- Anyone who is feeling nudged by the Holy Spirit to serve with Chariot Ministries
Event Details:
Monday Night
12 April 2010
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Inside the Blue Door Theater, 815 West Garland Avenue, Spokane, Wa., 99205
Please Contact Chris or Harvest Rich for more information:
509.481.1929 mail@chariotministries.com
We thank you for your prayers and very much look forward to seeing you in April!
In His glorious name,
Chris & Harvest Rich
02 February 2010
January 2010: Keeping Pace with the Light
Two summers ago our family toured Gardner Cave.
Located in Crawford State Park near the Canadian border, Gardner Cave is the second longest limestone cave in Washington State. The free tour took us in the first 500 feet, which is just under half the cave’s 1,055-foot length. The guide told us the cave was discovered by a bootlegger in the late 1800’s but that 70-million years ago the cave was covered by vast ocean. Because the cave was well lit for tours we were able to look at the unique limestone formations formed by creatures having lived in that ocean.
At one point the guide turned off the lights. We stood silent for a moment waiting for our eyes to adjust. After about a minute we started getting uncomfortable. We couldn’t see a thing! Having satisfied his intentions, the guide explained that our eyes were never going to adjust because we were in true pitch darkness; meaning there is absolutely no source of light that far down into the cave. To comfort us he pressed the button on his tiny keychain flashlight. The cave was immediately illuminated.
Imagine you are deep inside a cave with no light source. It is pitch black. You cannot see your own hand in front of your face. Then someone turns on a flashlight. Suddenly you can see the low ceilings of the cave, the smooth limestone walls and most importantly, your way out. When the flashlight starts moving toward the exit you move with it, otherwise you will find yourself back in the dark. Likewise, in your excitement you don’t dare run ahead of the light or eventually you will find yourself in darkness there also. In order to safely and effectively make your way out of the dark cave you must keep pace with the light and move as it moves.
Jesus says,
Located in Crawford State Park near the Canadian border, Gardner Cave is the second longest limestone cave in Washington State. The free tour took us in the first 500 feet, which is just under half the cave’s 1,055-foot length. The guide told us the cave was discovered by a bootlegger in the late 1800’s but that 70-million years ago the cave was covered by vast ocean. Because the cave was well lit for tours we were able to look at the unique limestone formations formed by creatures having lived in that ocean.
At one point the guide turned off the lights. We stood silent for a moment waiting for our eyes to adjust. After about a minute we started getting uncomfortable. We couldn’t see a thing! Having satisfied his intentions, the guide explained that our eyes were never going to adjust because we were in true pitch darkness; meaning there is absolutely no source of light that far down into the cave. To comfort us he pressed the button on his tiny keychain flashlight. The cave was immediately illuminated.
Imagine you are deep inside a cave with no light source. It is pitch black. You cannot see your own hand in front of your face. Then someone turns on a flashlight. Suddenly you can see the low ceilings of the cave, the smooth limestone walls and most importantly, your way out. When the flashlight starts moving toward the exit you move with it, otherwise you will find yourself back in the dark. Likewise, in your excitement you don’t dare run ahead of the light or eventually you will find yourself in darkness there also. In order to safely and effectively make your way out of the dark cave you must keep pace with the light and move as it moves.
Jesus says,
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)”
The Lord recently reminded me of Gardner Cave and used that experience to show Chris and me how we were in danger of leading Chariot Ministries into darkness rather than keeping the ministry illuminated by Christ’s light. In our zeal to fulfill the vision God gave us for the ministry, we ran ahead of the light by scheduling events without God’s consent. Fortunately, we were quick to recognize our heavenly Father’s gentle rebuke and with minimal embarrassment and much humility canceled the two performances that were scheduled for 2010.
We now understand that although theatrical performances will continue to be a major part of the Artistic Ambassador’s arm of the ministry, we are to spend this year building up the evangelism and discipleship ministries within Chariot. We will post more about this later.
How do we intend to keep pace with the light?
- First and foremost, our intention is to stay transparent with our supporters. We feel strongly that we cannot expect you to walk in faith if we are unwilling to do so ourselves. We’ve also learned (the hard way) that sometimes we misinterpret God’s will for us and have to backtrack. We want you to be a part of this journey and invite you to walk along side us as we strive to stay within the circle of God’s light.
- One way we hope to accomplish this transparency is through a monthly blog detailing what is going on behind the scenes at Chariot Ministries. Let’s face it; I didn’t do a good job maintaining our blog last year, but this is a new year and I’ve come to realize I don’t need to write “articles” for each blog. I simply need to keep you informed about the ministry. The first week of each month either Chris or I will post a blog detailing our current walk with the Lord as it relates to the ministry. For the time being this blog will be your primary source of information.
- Since some of you have asked about the website, yes, we are updating it. It should be current by the end of February.
- We are currently scheduling classes on Evangelism and Discipleship. Please keep these items in your prayers as we hope to announce them soon.
Thank you for sticking with us. Our prayer is that this year's Journey to the Son keeps us all walking in the light.
In His glorious name,
Chris & Harvest Rich
12 July 2009
Saving Me for Last
Let me begin by saying I have been properly reprimanded for not bringing the conclusion of my previous blog to you sooner. Proverbs 27:1 tells us, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Paying closer attention to that verse earlier would have saved me eating crow now. Please accept my apologies.
So, why did God save me for last?
As many of you know, I wrote a book last year titled, Journey to the Son (pending publication). I share in this book personal stories of how I have broken each of the Ten Commandments. Upon completion of the book I felt the Lord prompt me to compile stories from other women. The idea was to collect stories for a compilation book and once collected I would choose ten of the most compelling stories to be performed in a stage production of Every Woman.
Since you can read in the previous blog entries how the casting of Every Woman came about, I won't go into those details here; except to say that the process looked something like this:
I know now that that Lord always intended for me to perform in Every Woman. But it had to be done according to His purpose. Had I gone into the casting process knowing that I was going to perform one of the stories from my book, I would have never chosen to perform the commandment that I am sharing in Every Woman. In my opinion, I had several other stories that are more "stage worthy." Our God already knew this and in His infinite wisdom had me believe that I wasn't going to share any of my stories on stage. Being pulled from the show allowed me to go about the casting process objectively, allowing the testimonies from the other women to fall naturally and effortlessly into their proper commandment. Had I tried to cast the show knowing I was going to be a part of it, I would have forced stories into commandments that they were never intended for. It was only after the show was cast with the original nine women that the Lord pointed to the second commandment and said, "Here, Harvest, this is where I want you."
Tickets for Every Woman are now on sale. Be sure to visit our website at www.chariotministries.com for more information.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
S.T.A.G.E.D. for His glory!
So, why did God save me for last?
As many of you know, I wrote a book last year titled, Journey to the Son (pending publication). I share in this book personal stories of how I have broken each of the Ten Commandments. Upon completion of the book I felt the Lord prompt me to compile stories from other women. The idea was to collect stories for a compilation book and once collected I would choose ten of the most compelling stories to be performed in a stage production of Every Woman.
Since you can read in the previous blog entries how the casting of Every Woman came about, I won't go into those details here; except to say that the process looked something like this:
- Harvest expected to be in the production
- The Lord made it abundantly clear that Harvest was not to perform in but only direct the production
- Harvest ended up with only nine women for the production
- The Lord called Harvest to be the tenth and final woman cast in the production
I know now that that Lord always intended for me to perform in Every Woman. But it had to be done according to His purpose. Had I gone into the casting process knowing that I was going to perform one of the stories from my book, I would have never chosen to perform the commandment that I am sharing in Every Woman. In my opinion, I had several other stories that are more "stage worthy." Our God already knew this and in His infinite wisdom had me believe that I wasn't going to share any of my stories on stage. Being pulled from the show allowed me to go about the casting process objectively, allowing the testimonies from the other women to fall naturally and effortlessly into their proper commandment. Had I tried to cast the show knowing I was going to be a part of it, I would have forced stories into commandments that they were never intended for. It was only after the show was cast with the original nine women that the Lord pointed to the second commandment and said, "Here, Harvest, this is where I want you."
Tickets for Every Woman are now on sale. Be sure to visit our website at www.chariotministries.com for more information.
In His glorious name,
~Harvest
S.T.A.G.E.D. for His glory!
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