A few weeks ago I traveled to Prior Lake to discuss the future of Harbor Community Church with members from their Oversight Team. After about an hour of deliberation, and with everyone feeling deeply saddened and frustrated, we voted 5-1 to close the ministry with Sunday, June 25 being its last gathering.
After sitting in silence for a few minutes, some from the group asked, “How did this happen, a year and half ago we were a thriving vibrant ministry? No one answered, and it appeared to me, at least during our meeting that none of them were really interested in doing an autopsy. The feelings of shock, pain, and anger were just too fresh. We were content to ponder the question—how did this happen?
Having been a part of, or connected with, Harbor Church through the Church Multiplication Team over the past ten years, I spent my ride home reflecting on the life and death of Harbor. After getting New Life Celebration in Luverne off to a good start, our Classis Church Planter, JR Henderson, restarted Harbor Community Church with the support of Peace Church from Eagan back in 2007. He had assembled a core group of people who were passionate about proclaiming and demonstrating the good news of the message of God’s kingdom in the Prior Lake community.
The ministry quickly grew. Soon after, we hired Josh Johnson, a young passionate “fisher of men” from Peace Reformed Church in Eagan to lead the ministry while he was finishing up seminary. Josh and his wife Nicki connected with many wandering sojourners from the area. The excitement was contagious and the church grew to about 130 regular attendees.
In January of 2015 Josh initiated conversations with his leadership team about organizing as a church in the RCA. Although a bit prematurely, and without careful guidance from the Church Multiplication Team or Peace Church, elders and deacons were elected. This wouldn’t have been a serious issue, however two of the elders determined that women wouldn’t be able be elected to serve as elders. In addition they began to question Josh’s ability to lead. To make a long story short, those two elders were eventually asked to leave. And they did leave—with about 50 other members.
While this conflict was going on, Josh felt called to begin a ministry in Rochester Minnesota. Many in the congregation who had a deep connection to Josh and Nicki were deeply disappointed, a few left. The search for a new Pastor began. The Oversight Team chose to call Pastor Bev Modlin, and because Bev is a woman, a few more members left.
In June of last year, a member of Harbor Church had an affair with a young woman who was temporarily living with he and his wife. Of course, many were outraged. Pastor Bev and the leadership team felt they handled the situation in a biblical manner. Eventually the man and his wife and about 25 of their friends left. With the group rapidly shrinking, a few other families left because the children and youth programs had little to offer. Finally, a highly respected leader and his wife announced they were moving to Iowa, leaving Pastor Bev and approximately 20 disheartened people.
As I was reflecting on all of the unique circumstances that caused the death of Harbor Community Church, I wonder if the spiritual battle was ultimately lost because the gap between expectations and experience was never filled with sufficient love and grace.
May it never be so with you and me at ARC!! As Paul would write, “When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.” (Romans 5:20) The Message
And now you know why, Mike Altena