Welcome / About Harvest / History of Harvest

In 1988 a group of eighteen people formed Harvest Bible Chapel, with twenty-seven-year-old James MacDonald as the senior pastor. In 1995, after meeting in Rolling Meadows High School for a number of years, the church obtained property in Rolling Meadows. This property has come to be known as the Rolling Meadows Campus.  Harvest has since added a campus in Elgin (2003), Niles (2004) and Crystal Lake (2007)---one church, four campuses.  Each weekend, over 11,000 people gather to worship at the first Harvest Bible Chapel.

Around 2000, God gave a vision to the elders to plant churches; life giving churches alive with the power of Jesus Christ where lives were being changed for eternity.
Harvest Bible Fellowship was formed to promote the planting of new churches.  The elders set a goal of planting 10 churches in 10 years. The Lord blessed their faith, as there will be over 50 Harvest Churches around the globe by 2010, and over 25,000 people currently worship under the name Harvest on Sunday mornings.  

Harvest Bible Chapel Palos began in March of 2009 when 23 adults formed a launch team, committing their time and energy to launching this new church in the fall.  Harvest Palos had its first service on 9/13/2009.  350 people gathered to worship the Lord and hear a message from His Word.  Each week we meet new people who are looking for a church to call home.  We trust this first year of church life will be filled with stories of how God can use a new church to change lives all over the region.