KITTANNING, Pa., (BRN) – Harvest was it for Will Land.
The Kittanning, Pennsylvania, church was the first church he ever seriously attended, where he was baptized and pursued membership and, now, Harvest is the church of his first pastorate.
“Its leaders have had a greater impact on my maturity through discipleship than anyone else,” said Land.
“Until applying for the open executive pastor position, I previously was just a member at Harvest Church who had just been called into eldership. I have not previously worked in vocational ministry.”
Prior to becoming the executive pastor at Harvest Church – Kittanning in September 2023, Land worked in industrial automation with Aerotech Incorporated, a company located in Pittsburgh.
“Ever since becoming a Christian and fully committing my life to Christ, my passion for spiritual things and desire for theological knowledge grew rapidly, while my interest in more traditional professional pursuits dwindled at an equal pace,” said Land.
He continued: “I was on a ten-year plan to get new credentials and make a mid-life career switch when the need for a new executive pastor arose within Harvest – I had to apply.”
Land felt drawn to the pastoral position as it matched his gifting and his desires to help build God’s Kingdom vocationally.
“I truly believe the Lord brought the opportunity to me at the perfect time to make me leap at it. After a long vetting and interview process, all my plans for the future have now changed,” said Land.
Land and his wife, Carly, are both originally from the western Pennsylvania area, growing up outside a little town called Apollo. They have been married since 2018 and have one daughter, Eliza Rae, who is nearing her second birthday and is already very independent.
“Eliza’s a wild, independent spit-fire, who runs around non-stop, climbs everything in sight and is an absolute joy for us,” said Land.
He also shared that he is big into hunting and anything outside, including camping, hiking, fishing and recreational sports, such as volleyball, softball and jiu jitsu.
Currently, Land is pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics and Theology from Southern Evangelical Seminary in North Carolina. He is about half-way complete with his seminary degree and hopes to use his training to help build management structures at Harvest Church that will support the church’s mission.
“At Harvest, that mission is ‘to increase the health and size of God’s church, everywhere’…My passion is building operational systems and management structures that improve the focus on and execution of the church’s mission,” said Land.
He continued: “I also really love teaching ministries. I love helping to increase the maturity and knowledge of young Christians and better able [them] to provide a defense of the hope that is in them to the world, whether that’s through bibliology, systematic theology, history or philosophy.”
Please join us in welcoming Pastor Will Land and his family to the BRN family and praying for them as they minister to those at Harvest Church and in the Kittanning area.
How to Pray for Pastor Will Land and his Family:
- Pray for them as they experience some transitionary stress and strive to balance new work hours, a new living arrangement and raising their little girl
- Pray for wisdom and discernment for Pastor Will as he shepherds at Harvest Church
- Pray for Pastor Will and Carly as they minister to fellow families and couples at Harvest
- Pray for the Lord to lead Pastor Will as he builds operational and management structures at Harvest and for the church’s mission to be effective in their area
