You don’t want to miss what’s ahead with the Follow Initiative!
The Follow Initiative is based on this passage from God’s Word.
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:23–27
In the coming days, we’ll share all the exciting details through a special mailing, this webpage, and the Follow Journal, designed for every student and adult. Plus, we’ll dive into a powerful six-week sermon series starting January 25–26 and gather at Vision Gatherings across all campuses to unpack the vision for the future of our church together.
The Vision Gatherings will feature the same inspiring content, so if your campus date doesn’t work, join us at a time that fits your schedule. You’ll want to be part of this journey as we step into all that God has for us—together!
Introducing the Follow Initiative
Key Dates
Mark your calendar so you don’t miss these exciting moments:
- Sunday, January 12: North Shore Vision Gathering, 11:45 AM
- January 18–19: Follow Journals distributed
- Sunday, January 19: Elgin Vision Gathering, 11:45 AM
- Wednesday, January 22: Elgin Vision Gathering, 6:30 PM
- January 25–26: Follow Teaching Series begins
- Sunday, January 26: Crystal Lake Vision Gathering, 12:45 PM
- Sunday, February 2: Rolling Meadows Vision Gathering, 11:45 AM
- Wednesday, February 5: Rolling Meadows Vision Gathering, 6:30 PM
- Saturday, February 8: Rolling Meadows Vision Gathering, 6:45 PM
- February 8–9: Compassion Weekend
- Sunday, February 9: Aurora Vision Gathering, 11:45 AM
- Sunday, February 16: Chicago Cathedral Vision Gathering, 11:45 AM
- March 1: 12–Hours of Prayer
- March 1–2: Commitment Weekend
- March 15–16: Celebration Weekend
Ask the Lord how He’s calling you to be part of this journey. Together, let’s step into all He has for us as we learn more about following Jesus Christ!
Follow Journal
Introducing the Follow Journal: your guide to engaging deeply with the Follow Initiative and the Follow teaching series starting January 25–26. This journal includes everything you need to stay connected and inspired—detailed information about the initiative, daily prayer prompts, memory verses, devotionals for you, your family, and students, and space for sermon notes.
But it’s more than a resource—the journal is an invitation to grow. Each week’s content is designed to be explored before the sermon on the weekend, preparing your heart and mind to receive God’s Word and engage fully in this journey.
We encourage you to dive in, reflect, and allow this journal to be a tool for spiritual growth for you and your family. Together, we’ll discover what it means to follow Jesus more closely and live as His disciples.
Pick up your Follow Journal at any campus of Harvest Bible Chapel. You can also view it here.
We can’t wait to see how God uses this resource in your life and the life of our church!
Ask the Lord how He’s calling you to be part of this exciting journey. Together, let’s step into all He has planned as we follow Jesus Christ!
What Is the Follow Initiative?
How Will Financial Commitments Be Used?
At Harvest Bible Chapel, we believe God is calling us to boldly invest in the future of His work in post-Christian Chicagoland through our ministry.
The Follow Initiative capital campaign will focus on three key areas—Build Up, Send Out, and Pay Down—designed to enhance our mission of making disciples and reaching the world with the gospel.
Build Up 33% | $4 Million
Our facilities play a critical role in fostering connection and ministry effectiveness. To ensure they reflect a welcoming and forward-thinking environment, we will:
- Refresh hospitality areas to create spaces that are warm, current, and inviting
- Upgrade technology and the overall look and feel to engage our culture effectively.
- Invest in next-generation spaces for families, students, and young adults to inspire spiritual growth and connection.
These updates will ensure our buildings meet the needs of today and are prepared for tomorrow.
Send Out 17% | $2 Million
Our mission is to send more people equipped to make more and better disciples and church leaders. This initiative will:
- Expand training programs, like Harvest Deploy, and new residency opportunities as we build a “farm team” and raise up more church leaders.
- Strengthen our apprentice program and create a deeper bench for church leadership.
- Plant two new local church campuses in Chicagoland.
- Support Harvest Christian Academy in moving toward the next milestone of greater independence, enabling our mission to reach the community more broadly and disciple the next generation.
- Grow our partnerships with organizations like The Chicago Partnership, SEND (NAMB), Compassion International, and other local and global kingdom partners.
Pay Down 50% | $6 Million
Reducing our current debt is vital for our church’s financial health and future ministry growth. A $6 million reduction will free up approximately $1.5 million annually by lowering our debt payments, allowing us to invest more resources into making disciples and advancing the gospel worldwide.
You can find these details in the Follow Journal on pages 16–19.
The Follow Initiative is more than a financial initiative—it’s a kingdom-focused vision. By investing in these three areas, we will strengthen our ability to connect with people, send out equipped disciples, and steward our resources wisely for God’s glory. Together, we can position Harvest Bible Chapel to impact lives and communities for generations to come.
FOLLOW INITIATIVE FAQs
What is the mission of the Follow Initiative?
The Follow Initiative is about learning what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus. Rooted in Luke 9:23–26, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’”
This journey challenges us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. As a church, we are called to a deeper commitment—one that transforms our faith, shapes our lives, and directs our steps toward Christlikeness. Through teaching, reflection, and action, Follow equips us to grow in obedience, surrender, and devotion to Jesus.
What does the Follow Initiative Include?
- Special Mailing – Sent in early January with key resources.
- Follow Journal – Designed for every student and adult to engage deeply with God’s Word.
- Sermon Series (January 25–26 through March 1–2) – Exploring biblical discipleship.
- Follow Webpage – Designed to keep you informed about the Follow Initiative
- Vision Gatherings – Casting vision for the future of our church.
- Commitment Weekend (March 1–2) – A time to commit financially to the Follow Initiative.
What is the Leadership Dinner on Sunday, February 23 and who can or should attend?
As a way for the church to express our appreciation to the ministry leaders of Harvest Bible Chapel, we’re hosting a special evening. Dinner will be provided, and we’ve planned engaging activities for families so they can join in the joy of this evening. This will be a meaningful time to come together to celebrate how God is leading us as a church to make individual financial commitments to the Follow Initiative.
If you did not receive an invitation but want to attend, RSVP here no later than Saturday, February 8.
Will I be asked to make a financial commitment to the Follow Initiative?
Yes, the ministry leaders at Harvest will have the opportunity to make a financial commitment at the Leadership Dinner on Sunday, February 23. Everyone who calls Harvest their church home will have this opportunity in the weekend gatherings on Saturday and Sunday, March 1–2.
How long is the Follow Initiative?
The sermon series is six weeks long. The financial commitment is 25 months long beginning in March 2025.
What about the Special Offering each month? Is it going away?
Yes, the Follow Initiative will replace the monthly Special Offering for the next 25 months. However, just like the Special Offering, a portion of the Follow Initiative will continue to support ministry outside of Harvest.
