Harvest Field Church

Harvest Field Church is an independent evangelical church serving Cheltenham and the surrounding area of Gloucestershire. (Please see the bottom of the page for what is understood by "evangelical")

Pastor Simon Measures says, "Harvest Field Church started in Jerry Garry's living room here in Cheltenham in 1992. At first it was just two families - his and mine. We sang psalms and spiritual songs. We prayed. Then I taught Bible principles of faith and victory."

Harvest Field Church has a family atmosphere. People in the church enjoy meeting up not only for church services but also for picnic and other social occasions. We all like to see one another doing well and finding a joy and benefit from being part of the church. There's a wide age range in the church. Members and visitors to the church come from both within Cheltenham and also from the surrounding area of Gloucestershire.

There's joy in our music. There's fun. Music and song in the church is counted as a powerful gift. There's a celebration of life through Jesus as our musicians play. Their songs minister straight to the heart and produce a response of praise, worship and adoration from both young and old in the church.

Teaching and preaching at Harvest Field Church always has a practical dimension to it. Whether it's a sermon or a teaching you hear things that you can directly apply to your daily life and benefit from them. The messages are Spirit-led and dynamic. You feel that - even if it's the written word from the Bible that is being read - nevertheless it comes across as a fresh, living word for today.

The heart and intent of Harvest Field Church is to sow the word and reap the harvest. The vision the Father has given us for this is expressed through the words SOW and REAP used as acronyms as follows:

• S Serve one another by prayer, building up and encouragement. Serve those around us from our rivers of living water and the fruit of the spirit.
• O Offer gifts of time, possessions and wealth as seed in missions, ministries and works of the Lord.
• W Witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ - Jesus is alive for you and me today!
• AND
• R Release people from sin, satan and self-serving by the full salvation of Jesus Christ. Refresh the weary with living water from God’s Spirit.
• E Encourage believers in practically applying God’s Word in their daily lives. Equip believers to face their challenges in the power of God.
• A Act in intercession, evangelism and proclaiming God’s Word by the Holy Spirit’s leading. Advance God’s kingdom by empowered ministry.
• P Pray as an act of worship, devotion and intercession in the Holy Spirit. Proclaim the Gospel of Christ and all His counsel.

Harvest Field Church is pastored by Simon Measures. Pastor Simon Measures with his wife Ruth planted the church in 1992. He has been the church pastor since then. Simon and Ruth's children are active members of the church although some now live in other parts of the country.

Simon has steered the church from its birth as a house to church, through services being held in a variety of public venues to the church now having use of its own designated place of worship - Lynworth Hall - in the north part Cheltenham.

Simon has a degree in education from the University of Bristol and has been in Christian ministry since 1975 with 4 years street ministry experience in Holland and 10 years mission experience in South East Asia. Simon writes, "I have a heart-felt desire to see Christians well established in their faith. I delight to see believers grasping the wonder and power of the precepts and promises of God."

• Church Pastor - Simon Measures
• Assistant Pastor - Tony Dowding
• Worship leader - Ben Measures
• Children's ministry - Fran Gallacher
• Sunday Greeting - Hugh Wake

Please follow the link below to see our statement of faith.

Our Statement of Faith

We look to be a healthy church. To this end, the outline points for a healthy church suggested by Pastor Agu Irukwu, and quoted below, are ones we actively look to walk in.

"I think a healthy church requires a number of things to work together, such as 1) a community where people can build healthy relationships and grow to love each other; 2) an environment at gatherings where people can experience God; 3) deep and sincere worship and 4) authentic and relevant sermons. A healthy church also needs to 1) encourage people to serve - helping them identify their God-given gifts with which they can do so - and 2) ensure that people are clear and committed to the vision - so they give generously of material resources and their time."

(Pastor Agu Irukwu is the senior pastor of Jesus House, part of the Redeemed Christian Church of God denomination.)

What's an evangelical church? The classic definition of evangelicalism is, the evolution of Protestantism that began with the Wesleys, was shaped by Spurgeon, and really defined in the West by Billy Graham. This can be stated in summary in the following way: 1) confidence in the authority of Scripture; 2) concern for conversion evangelism and world mission; 3) a vital, transforming personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit (and normally in the church); and 4) a social application of Christianity that improves society, particularly for the poor and suffering.

(Text from an interview with Michael Spencer by Eric Landry)

For more detail on what evangelicalism means, download and read the following document from the former head of theology for EA UK.

Evangelicalism: a brief definition