Meet the Residents: Philip Reeves of Harvest Plains Church
Philip Reeves, his wife Sarah, Adaline (3), Malachi (2) and Zion (5 months)
How does Converge Heartland faithfully work towards accomplishing our vision of a gospel-centered church bringing transformation to every Heartland community? One way we do this vision work is by training future ministers. What better place to receive such training than in a healthy, gospel-centered local church?
Converge Heartland facilitates the placement of residents in a two-to-three-year season of accredited ministry training and practice in a local church. This ministry training may vary from resident to resident and church to church, but the overarching goal is the successful completion of a robust ordination process and commissioning by the local church with the assistance of the Converge Heartland District.
Over the next few months, you’ll get to meet the current residents around the Heartland. The best way to understand the value of this program is to hear from the men themselves and the church leaders where they are training.
Philip Reeves
Philip and his family have been faithfully attending and serving at Harvest Plains Church (HPC) in Mapleton, ND, for several years. Three-and-a-half years ago, Philip preached for the first time at HPC. At that time, he began to feel the call to ministry. Entering the Church Residency was a natural fit for the Reeves family as Philip pursued his MDiv at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He met with Jim Capaldo to discuss the process, develop goals to accomplish during residency and learn about raising support.
The elders of HPC presented Philip to the congregation as a potential resident, and upon their approval, he officially entered the Church Residency program on January 1!
I asked Philip several questions to learn more about his experience in the Church Residency program thus far.
What are some challenges and joys you have faced?
I have experienced some joys in the process of becoming a resident at HPC. First, raising support came a lot easier than I expected. I have encountered the generosity of many saints who believe in my call to ministry and desire to sow into what God is doing in our church and throughout North Dakota.
Second, I have received the support of my church family in a tangible way as they have prayed and encouraged me through this decision.
What does Church Residency mean for you? How do you think being a Church Resident will impact your future?
I view the Converge Church Residency program as an on-ramp to vocational ministry that gives me experiences that bolster my seminary studies and help prepare me to become a shepherd of God’s people. I get to learn things that aren’t able to be learned in a classroom. I will be far more equipped to steward the gifts God has given me in service to his church.
How has being a Church Resident impacted your family?
My wife Sarah and I grew up in families involved in church planting, so we are both well-versed in trusting God to accomplish what we think would be impossible. We are taking a leap of faith, knowing that God will provide what we need during this residency and that we will see fruit come from the equipping and preparation that takes place over the next few years.
Harvest Plains Church
I asked Pastor Cody Weckerly about the commitment he and the other elders of Harvest Plains Church have made to help train future ministers. These faithful elders believe in the value of academic training combined with real-life ministry in the local church.
What qualities would you look for in a potential Church Resident?
Our elders look for a church resident to possess humility, teachability, patience, faithfulness, a love for people, evangelistic zeal and a hunger for God’s Word.
How do you believe a church can help disciple a Church Resident for future ministry?
Because discipleship involves educating, modeling, and testing, I think churches best serve residents when they expose them to the raw, real, multi-faceted, demands of pastoral ministry. They need to see ministry first-hand but also need to be challenged with doing things on their own—preaching, counseling, discipleship, leading meetings, planning events, communicating in various contexts (i.e. large-group and one-on-one settings) and everything else that goes on in ministry.
Pastors will also need to give sacrificially of their time by meeting with Church Residents, giving them ministry assignments, and then following up to see how it went for the Residents and what they learned from their experience, while also sharing any insights about their strengths and areas for growth.
Converge Heartland’s Church Residency provides the best combination of academic learning and real-life experience for a man called to ministry. A healthy local church can reproduce itself by training up such men and sending them out to make disciples! Click here to learn more about our Church Residency program.