Harvest Training Center Update!

Hit 'Play' above...The staff meeting at Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago begins with passionate worship...and has more people than most churches!

We're almost three weeks into our time at the Harvest Bible Fellowship training center for church planters and, in a word, here's our assessment:   Awesome!  Alys and I have been impressed with Harvest's unflinching commitment to glorifying God by building strong disciples.  We've been learning from experienced church planters how to avoid the pitfalls of planting and make sure that the planting process moves forward full steam ahead.  I'm blessed by the depth of understanding and wisdom of the senior pastors from the Harvest Bible Chapels around the country who have been brought in to the training center to share with the church planting residents.  

Alys was excited to find felafel in suburban Chicago Costcos!

With an intense schedule, there's so much to learn and so little time, I feel overwhelmed but very thankful to be here.  Alys and I are also thankful to God for the health of our unborn child, now in his(?) 14th week!  Please continue to pray that we would take the absolute best advantage of this unique chance to be equipped. 

Alys' comment (not mine): "Wow, it's a real baby now."

Finally, we need your prayers for wisdom as we finalize a planting location.  We're very hopeful that will be south LA county, but want to be open to God's leading.

We greatly appreciate your intercession for us and kingdom investment in this work.  Please tell us how we can pray for you during our time here.  

To God be the glory! 

With Love in Christ,

Bent and Alys

P.S. - A few more pics from the training center and around below:

Alys in our new apartment in Elgin, outside Chicago.

Our class has 11 guys, and they're all stellar.  Sam Jones (L), planting in Greenville, S. Carolina, and Jamie Hart, from Elkhart, Indiana.

No, not a mug shot.  Me holding my citation for an illegal right turn, which fortunately was only a warning.  I swear I didn't see the sign!

Craig Steiner, pastor at the Aurora (greater Chicago) campus of Harvest Bible Chapel, gives us a tour.  Craig is a great teacher and did a fantastic job with assimilation ministries track of our training.

Before Harvest, the Aurora campus was (and during the week still is) used as a TV studio.