In 2000, the Lord spoke to Elder Joseph R. Joyce Sr. to plant a church. He immediately sought counsel from his Pastor, Harold P. Jameau who told him that God would bless his ministry if he stayed committed to His call. From 2000-2005 Elder Joseph R. Joyce Sr. consecrated himself earnestly for God’s divine will to be revealed. Elder Joseph R. Joyce Sr. spent those years praying, fasting, and seeking the face of God for direction. It was during those 5 years in waiting and seeking the Lord that God gave clarity on the vision and purpose of the ministry he was to start. The Lord gave him the name Harvest Time Worship Center; a church that would harvest the lost, broken and be centered around worship. God spoke to Elder Joyce and said the vision will be: “Reaching People, Building up the Believer, Changing Families and Building up Communities through God’s Love and His Word.”
Elder Joseph R. Joyce Sr. passion and vision was and currently is; to reach the lost at any cost. He began witnessing on the street in the South Suburban area, giving every person with a willing ear a chance to hear the word of God. He through that passion of reaching the lost established Harvest Time worship Center. The Lord led him to the Super 8 Hotel in Monee, IL where the church was planted. The first Worship service was held on Sunday, November 22, 2005 in a small room at the Super 8 Hotel. The service was packed with family, friends, and visitors. Five people joined that day, and the vision “Reaching People, Building up the Believer, Changing Families and Building up Communities through God’s Love and his Word” was underway.
In the next few years, great victories were won, and the congregation experienced much revival and growth through prayer, and outreach ministry. In 2006 the Harvest Alive Broadcast was birthed and started a TV Broadcast on Channel 4 TV in the Southland area. In 2007 the Harvest Media Ministry launched its Streaming Live Broadcast and has reached thousands of viewers all over the world via the World Wide Web.
Through much sacrifice and effort, the congregation prospered. Despite many obstacles during the process of purchasing our own building, the Lord favored and we purchased a Ministry Campus on June 15, 2011 located at 21940-42 Richton Road in Richton Park, IL. Our first service was held on Sunday, July 3, 2011. We marched into our new facility singing “We come this far by Faith”.
Since the formation of this congregation: numerous ministries at Harvest Time Worship Center have been birthed. Harvest time Worship Center continues to walk in the fulfillment of the great commission given by our Lord, to reach the lost. We continue to carry on the pursuit of ministry by Reaching People, Building up the Believer, Changing Families and Building up Communities through God’s Love and His Word by promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
More importantly than where we’ve been, however, is where we are going! We Celebrate what God has done in the past and look forward with even greater anticipation to all He wants to do through us in the future.
We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible Word of God.
We believe that there is One God, Eternally existent in Three Persons: God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Blessed Hope, which is the rapture of the Church of God, which is in Christ
at His return.
We believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin, is through repentance, and faith in
the precious blood of Jesus Christ and accepting the gospel according to Romans 10:9-10.
We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
We believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross provides healing for the human
body in answer to “believing” prayer.
We believe that the baptism in the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who
ask for it.
We believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is
enabled to live a holy and separated life in this present world.
